Getting palatal expander TOMORROW!

Message

#16 Post by **Zameera** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:26 am

KK wrote:Zameera sorry you have a sore mouth!

First, make sure whatever is causing the rubbing, is coverd with wax. Otherwise you won't be able to heal in that area.

Next ... rinsing with warm salt water several times a day helps most people, but it's not instant, as this is a healing pocess, so you need to be patient and make sure the area is kept free of irritation. My ortho recommends doing these rinses from before you start treatment, till your treatment is over.

Also ... baking soda and hydrogen peroxide should help.
Baking Soda and Water: Swish with baking soda and water several times a day can aid in healing mouth sores.
Baking Soda/Hydrogen Peroxide: 1/8 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp hydrogen peroxide in 4 oz water. For mouth sores.
http://www.acor.org/ped-onc/treatment/mouthcare.html
A numbing and antiseptic gel/cream like bonjela should help. Plus check what you're rinsing your mouth with. If you have mouth sores, it's best to not use a mouth rinse with alchol. Colgate peroxyl is good if your mouth is sore.

Your vitamin and mineral intake is also important. This helps your body not to stress and also aids healing.

Keep working at it and hopefully they will heal very soon!

THANKS, again!!! They're starting to heal!

#17 Post by **AliKat** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:32 am

Ive just been to my ortho and been told Im getting an expander - so wasn't expecting this!!

He's not putting it on till after Christmas which i suppose is a good thing!! Im getting it done the same time as my 6 week check up so he'll change my wire and ligs then put the expander in, ill be having a few painfull days i think

How long are they usually in for, does anyone know?? He said about 4 months, really hope there is a difference to my smile, the reason im getting all this done is for my wedding in August so I hope this will all be worth it!!

#18 Post by **AliKat** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:06 am

Thanks Karen!!!!!

#19 Post by **Zameera** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:30 pm

AliKat wrote:Ive just been to my ortho and been told Im getting an expander - so wasn't expecting this!! He's not putting it on till after Christmas which i suppose is a good thing!! Im getting it done the same time as my 6 week check up so he'll change my wire and ligs then put the expander in, ill be having a few painfull days i think

How long are they usually in for, does anyone know?? He said about 4 months, really hope there is a difference to my smile, the reason im getting all this done is for my wedding in August so I hope this will all be worth it!!

When I first got my expander, I thought it was going to be painful to turn the key. Surprisingly, it's not as painful as I expected! After each turn, you will feel pressure & it doesn't hurt. Just pressure for about 15 minutes or less, then you'll feel normal!

As for how long they should be in, it depends. For me, my ortho didn't mention about how long it should be in but she did mention I should turn the key twice a day for 14 days & then go for a checkup. But that 4 months period you said is definitely not the turning period. Maybe you should turn the key for 14 days like me (or probably longer because I'm 14) and then leave it in for 3 months. :biggrin:

Good luck, AliKat!

#20 Post by **AliKat** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:58 am

Do all expanders require you to "turn a key"???:shock:

I dont really know much about them as my ortho hasn't went in to much detail about them, he just said for me to get a wider smile!

#21 Post by **Zameera** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 4:00 am

AliKat wrote:Do all expanders require you to "turn a key"???:shock:

I dont really know much about them as my ortho hasn't went in to much detail about them, he just said for me to get a wider smile!

Turn the key? Of course! That's what makes it "expand" your palate. It pushes the two halves of the jaw away from each other. This actually makes the jaw larger. Sound painful eh? Surprisingly not!

If you feel sore, the best advice is to use the teeth as soon as possible and to TAKE IBUPROFEN as prescribed on the package. Do not bother with Tylenol since most studies have found it to be ineffective for orthodontic discomfort.

Best of luck,
Zameera

#22 Post by **pearls** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 6:24 am

i thought that some expanders don't require you to tun a key? my sister had a quad helix and i think her orthodontist only changed a couple of things at her adjustments. she never had to turn a key as such. just sat in there i suppose.

i might be wrong though!

#23 Post by **Zameera** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:22 am

pearls wrote:i thought that some expanders don't require you to tun a key? my sister had a quad helix and i think her orthodontist only changed a couple of things at her adjustments. she never had to turn a key as such. just sat in there i suppose.

i might be wrong though!

Yea, you're right. Some RPE don't require key to activate. I've read about it somewhere online. But most orthos carry RPE's that require key to be activated if I'm not mistaken.

Zameera

#24 Post by **AliKat** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:30 am

I called my ortho's office this morning for a bit more advice, wish I had'nt now!!

They wanted me to get it on now as im on a tight deadline (need fixed for Aug 08 - wedding day) Im not getting it now because of the holiday period as lots of eating and drinking to be done

and he said it would take a while to get used to! I should have been getting it at my next app 16th Jan but its now changed 7th Jan for expander as this is the first app after xmas/new year, then 16th for 1st adjustment - i'll be in pain for a fortnight!!!!

#25 Post by **Zameera** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 8:10 am

I'm not going to scare you or anyone but, I feel like I can't turn the key no more! No, I really can't! Turning the key used to be easy & painless for me. UNTIL I started to feel a SHARP pain in my left 2nd bicuspid/2nd premolar every time I try to push the key (inserted) forward. OMG, it really is painful! I nearly cried (ok, the truth is I cried).

It started last night. But it was not that painful so I thought it would be okay the next day. Turns out, it's worse!

I had to turn little by little & lie on the bed until the pain subside (with tears in my eyes) & turn the key a bit again & waited & so on. It took me about 6x to complete a full turn which is 30 minutes all together. There is absolutely NO WAY I'm going to turn the key tonight!

Anybody has experience this?

Crying is no reason to be ashamed of, right? I'm only 14. And I'm a girl. I'd be a winnie if I was a boy.

#26 Post by **MikeCordell** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 9:18 am

Sounds like you should put in an emergency call to your orthodontist. You could be doing damage to your teeth.

#27 Post by **Zameera** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:03 am

I went to the clinic just an hour ago. My expander was sealed & I've to let the expander stay in for 2 months, giving time for the bone to fill the space that was created by the expander. On Feb 18th, I've to see the ortho again for extraction!

& after that BRACES!

I'm a little afraid for the extraction though. No!

#28 Post by **Stephany** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 5:46 pm

hi everybody!

i tried to find some info about that palatal expander on internet, but got only more confused...

are you all having an expander, which widens your upper jaw, without having a SARPE?
if so, until which age can that be done? only until a certain age, or unlimited?

would be thankful for an answer, greetings, stephany