Re: Palate Expander for Adults

[Guest guest]

I had an expander put in when I was 17 and they weren't sure it would work. It

worked fine, but I still have to have jaw surgery, so you might still need the

surgery even if you get the expander. It does hurt and it's really

uncomfortable. You can't talk right for a few days until you relearn how to

talk with it in the roof of your mouth.

Hope this helped...

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[Guest guest]

Mark,

I just had upper jaw surgery for an open bite and my palate was

expanded during the surgery. Minus a cut that I have in the middle of

my palet I felt virtually no pain. I'm still banded shut with the

splint (only 1 week post-op today) so at times I feel my palet

squiggling around, as in the bones and tissues...my surgeon told me

this is normal. Anyway, the palet expander sounds painful like hell

and personally I would have never gone through with it so surgery was

really the only option for me. I had braces for ten years when I was

younger - ages 7 to 17 to correct my open bite which then

redeveloped. I had some of the best orthos in the world (my father

was a diplomat so I travelled a lot) and I still wasn't able to sort

out my jaw problems, which happened to also get a lot worse, the

pinnacle being TMJ. I'm now 27 and as of now don't regret doing the

surgery one single bit. It's a lot less worse than I thought it would

be. If you want to check out my pre and post-op pix go to SARA. Feel

free to ask any more questions.

Sara

PS I suddenly realized I might have already posted to you on the

other orthognathic website. Ooops.

> I had an expander put in when I was 17 and they weren't sure it

would work. It worked fine, but I still have to have jaw surgery, so

you might still need the surgery even if you get the expander. It

does hurt and it's really uncomfortable. You can't talk right for a

few days until you relearn how to talk with it in the roof of your

mouth.

>

> Hope this helped...

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Discover Yahoo!

> Stay in touch with email, IM, photo sharing & more. Check it out!

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Mark,

I had a rapid Palate Expander fitted in Feburary of this year and

will be having jaw surgery later on in the year.

It is uncomfortable and a little painfull but the results really

have been worth it for me. I was expanded by 9mm i had two weeks

of turning and then two weeks of just leaving alone so my teeth

could settle (i am 33yrs). If you are thinking of having this i

would suggest you do exactly what they say and don't miss a turn, my

OD said a lot of people do miss turns and it just prolongs the whole

process.

Get whoever is doing it for you to do it slowly, i realised that

doing it quickly is not the best option! Its not nice to have in

but you'll get used to it, eating and talking is a little

frustrating but you'll manage ways around it. My teeth were loose

after they took it out, but they settled down quite quickly and i am

really really happy with the results, i have a wider face that fits

alot better!

Hope this helps.

B

> Hey all,

>

> My big question for you all, since everyone here seems to be

really

> well-versed in this stuff, is whether adults can have their

palates

> expanded non-surgically? My orthodontist wants to place a rapid

> palate expander to widen the jaw now in case I don't go through

> surgery. I have read that once one stops growing in late

> adolescence, it can be unsafe to widen the palate with an expander

> and can lead to tooth loss, etc. down the line. If anyone can

> elaborate on whether this is true, I would be most grateful.

>

> I am 26 and just began my second round of braces after having them

at

> age 14. My first orthodontist was on the verge of retirement so

was

> apparently not versed in the latest techniques. As a result, he

had

> four bicuspids extracted rather than using a rapid palate expander.

>

> My current orthodontist is recommending that I undergo

orthognathic

> surgery in a year to correct my open bite.

>

> However, I am uncertain if I want to undergo the expense and

> potential side effects for what could end up being accomplished

> almost as well with only orthodontics.

[Guest guest]

mark,

please let me know what you find out on this. your situation sounds similar to

mine. i ahve been avaioding my third surgery since i have had so much trouble

since my others - major arthritis. i feel it is extreemely important to avaid

surgery if possible.

thank you,

lari

mark_hendrickx <no_reply > wrote:

Hey all,

My big question for you all, since everyone here seems to be really

well-versed in this stuff, is whether adults can have their palates

expanded non-surgically? My orthodontist wants to place a rapid

palate expander to widen the jaw now in case I don't go through

surgery. I have read that once one stops growing in late

adolescence, it can be unsafe to widen the palate with an expander

and can lead to tooth loss, etc. down the line. If anyone can

elaborate on whether this is true, I would be most grateful.

I am 26 and just began my second round of braces after having them at

age 14. My first orthodontist was on the verge of retirement so was

apparently not versed in the latest techniques. As a result, he had

four bicuspids extracted rather than using a rapid palate expander.

My current orthodontist is recommending that I undergo orthognathic

surgery in a year to correct my open bite.

However, I am uncertain if I want to undergo the expense and

potential side effects for what could end up being accomplished

almost as well with only orthodontics.

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