metal or ceramic-- EXPANDER worries too??!!HeLp...

[britt27]

As my journey gets closer (just a few weeks now...) and I am about to become braced I have some concerns.... First of all I already told my Orthodontist at the consultation I would get the metal brackets but now I am having 2nd thoughts. I am 27 and I do want to feel comfortable in them and I see that alot of you have ceramics on top and metal on bottom. Well yes I would love to be as dicreet as possible with having braces so ceramic is key for that, but I also want comfort (mostly) so I was told metal is more trusted and more comfortable. Is this true I know some of you have stated that they are the same in comfort, but I also heard ceramic ones are bulkier. I'm just confused, I think maybe I should stick with what I told my Ortho I would get and I think maybe even if I wanted to switch to ceramic it would be too late since the plan is for metal. I don't know! Moving on--

I have to get an expander in my upper pallate. I am really nervous about this because after reading some posts I hear it is rather uncomfortable and gags you alot??? I have a TERRIBLE gag reflex and I am not sure if I can tolerate this!! Well I know it has to be done but I guess I just wanted to know more about it and if any of you have one and what it's like??? I also hear there is removable ones?? Can anyone tell me more about this ? Also what is the estimated time for having and expander in your mouth (I know everyone is different) but if you have or had one what was your estimated time in it?

Thank you in advance for any help or advice....

[adrienne]

hi there!!!
well i got my expander a month ago and it doesn't really make you gag! at first you will have trouble speaking but then you'll get used to it so much quicker than you may have thought!
i'm not sure about the removable ones but apparently it takes longer to get used to ...
okay well for me i had to have 30 turns .. (one per day) which was about a month, then my expander will be left in my mouth for about 3-4 months so it can heal and retain it's shape.
don't worry an expander isn't as bad as imagined ...!
once you have one, you'll pretty much get used to it in no time!

good luck

[samantha_lou]

Hi Britt,

I have upper ceramics, metal lowers and a fixed upper expander to compliment the setup! I really have never noticed any difference between my ceramics and metals, metals may be slightly smaller but I really think its neglible and I like the look of the ceramics on my upper teeth. I rarely show my bottom teeth, so I wasn't concerned which kind of brackets he used.

As for the RPE, I'm a real gagger also, and have never had problems with the fixed expanders. He did try me on a removable one, which I could not cope with due to the gagging; that is why I am now back in a second fixed one. Its a little challenging for the first few days, but you do get totally used to it - I really don't even notice I have it up there anymore!

Good luck with your treatment!

[britt27]

Thank you for all of your replies!!!
Adrienne & Samantha- I think your right I should get used to it (the expander). It makes me feel better that you both have one and can make me feel okay about getting one knowing it isn't as bad as I may have thought. I think I am going to try to request for the fixed expander, the removable sounds like it would gag me!

kk- You replied to another post I posted a couple of weeks back about having an impacted canine, that my Ortho thought would possibly cause root resorption and damage. Well, I did make an appointment with my Oral Surgeon and he said that he thinks I am low low risk for any future damage to my other teeth. He said I should go for it and have the surgery to have the impacted tooth exposed then pulled down with a chain. He said if it didn't come in to place correctly or didn't budge then they would remove it and I could get an implant. But I have to be in braces for a while first before that can begin. As for the brackets-- decisions decisions.... I am so indecisive!! I think I may just stick with the metal and hope that they are comfortable. I just remember my Orhtodontist telling me that the ceramic would have a hard time sticking to one of my teeth( it has a composite build-up on it because it is a peg-lateral tooth, it was pointy looking and I was self-concious about it so I had my dentist fix it with a composite material to look normal). Anyway I hope my brackets don't feel pokey like your one bracket does. Thanks for your help and information on this post and the last one.

I look forward to getting to know ya'll on this long journey ahead in just 3 weeks!!!! I'm both nervous and excited !!!

[eggraid101]

Thank you for all of your replies!!!
Adrienne & Samantha- I think your right I should get used to it (the expander). It makes me feel better that you both have one and can make me feel okay about getting one knowing it isn't as bad as I may have thought. I think I am going to try to request for the fixed expander, the removable sounds like it would gag me!

The fixed one typically works a little better than the removable one, the removable ones will also be a little bulkier and more difficult to get used to. You'll be surprised how quickly you adapt to the fixed one. Speaking and swallowing are usually the toughest things to get used to.

kk- You replied to another post I posted a couple of weeks back about having an impacted canine, that my Ortho thought would possibly cause root resorption and damage. Well, I did make an appointment with my Oral Surgeon and he said that he thinks I am low low risk for any future damage to my other teeth. He said I should go for it and have the surgery to have the impacted tooth exposed then pulled down with a chain. He said if it didn't come in to place correctly or didn't budge then they would remove it and I could get an implant. But I have to be in braces for a while first before that can begin.

That sounds good; I would try to keep your natural teeth if you can. The canines are especially important in terms of both function and aesthetics.

As for the brackets-- decisions decisions.... I am so indecisive!! I think I may just stick with the metal and hope that they are comfortable. I just remember my Orhtodontist telling me that the ceramic would have a hard time sticking to one of my teeth( it has a composite build-up on it because it is a peg-lateral tooth, it was pointy looking and I was self-concious about it so I had my dentist fix it with a composite material to look normal). Anyway I hope my brackets don't feel pokey like your one bracket does. Thanks for your help and information on this post and the last one.

It's all a matter of preception. Once you have the metal ones in there, you'll be used to those and you may find if they put ceramic ones on later you would find those uncomfortable! Just go with whatever you think will be easier for you and make the braces easiest to deal with.

Good Luck!!

I look forward to getting to know ya'll on this long journey ahead in just 3 weeks!!!! I'm both nervous and excited !!!

[Dimples]

I have ceramic uppers and metal lowers. The ceramics were bulky at first, but they were smooth and didn't poke me at all. It took me about a week to adjust to the bulkiness. i just got my metals about two weeks ago. They are smaller, but they really poked and pinched my mouth terribly! That only lasted about 2-3 days though. My mouth has adjusted to them.

You will have that unfamiliar, uncomfortable feeling in the beginning, but it doesn't last long...your mouth will adjust quickly.

If you'd like ceramic uppers instead, I'd say go for it


BTW, i'm 27 too!

[britt27]

Thanks for the reply eggraid101 - the more replies I recieve the better I feel about getting my braces & expander! I'm glad to know it's only speaking and swallowing that I have to work on, because if I were gagging every second I don't think I would be able to stand it!!

Kewl Dimples! Your 27 too!! You got your braces on recently? I get mine in just a little over 2 weeks!!!! I am a little nervous about it but a little anxious too. What color ligs did you get when you got your braces put on?

[renocivik]

hey britt...
i think i am going thru a very similar situation as you.. as far as the expanders... i dont think its possible to get removable expanders and be braced.. as for the removable expanders go around your teeth... so if you were to get braced.. you would likely be getting a fixed/bonded expander...
in my case i have a removable expander... ive had it for 5 weeks now.. 3 months or 4 months to go.. its a slow process... i dont need the SARPE because my palate is spreading on its own.. (ive got a nice tiny gap to prove it.. haha).. anyways.. my ortho (who i talked to last night) said that the removable is better... because you can take it out to clean it.. and eat if you choose to (i just leave it in.. it doesnt cause me any problems.. just gotta brush and clean it afterwards).. the removable you can take out to turn the key... and the only time he thinks the fixed expander should be used.. is on kids that are not very cooperative with the removable expander.. it does not gag me at all.. i also have abad gag reflex.. heck.. i choke when i brush my tongue.. and im good to go.. its just a lot to get used to .. well for me it was because i have top and bottom expander.. and got them both at the same time... ugh... lol

[Thathrill]

I have ceramic uppers and bottoms. my molar brackets are metal tho. I love them and never really had a problem. My ceramics sound like Kiwi's. The first day the brackets seemed to irritate the inside of my mouth but went away by the next day. I like how no one really knows I have braces unless they look in my mouth. people even say they look nice. the good thing is they match my teeth really well. i was even shocked how well they matched. if i had to do it all over again i would still choose ceramics over metal.

[gunter8888]

I am fully braced (uppers and lowers) and I have a removable expander. There are plusses and minuses to the removable expanders. On the downside they are a little bulkier; which combined the the ability to take them out can mean a longer time to get used to them. On the upsdie, you can take them out to clean them and to brush and floss your teeth. At times I have also taken mine out for important business presentations/conversations.

You will get used to an expander, regardless if its removable or fixed. They do good work. My advice is to just follow directions. Turn the key as advised. If its removable, wear it as much as you possibly can. Also, keep it clean.

Best of luck!