Guest guest Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 Tova, I think there's surgery, and then there's surgery. The SARPE is usually done before the braces, far as I know. It's a series of cuts to allow the bones to separate and permit widening of the palate. Most often, there's some sort of expander installed, and the patient turns a little key to force the teeth apart -- most typically in the front, creating a gap. It only involves the upper jaw, and indeed, the object is to get the upper teeth to move apart, so you wouldn't really want any sort of fixation. Then when there's enough of a gap in there, fixed braces are usually applied, and the ortho can go about moving things around, including closing the gap, sooner or later. It generally closes pretty quickly, once you're ready. I didn't have one, nor this surgery, thank heavens. But it doesn't involve fixing the jaws in a set relationship, as the work is still in progress. Then once things are ready to resolve the relationship between the jaws, there's either upper or lower or both, with the fixation you're talking about, or with rigid internal fixation, or both... Cammie > Hi Kate, > > You are having surgery before the braces? > How are they going to anchor you closed? > just curious... > > > Tova Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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