New to the Ortho World.. Questions RE Quad Helix

Message

#1 Post by **RydellPinkLady** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:47 am

Hi!

I have been reading various posts on this board before signing up myself. I guess I decided to sign up because on Monday night, I started my ortho. treatment plan and me being the chicken I am who is always nervous beyond belief, could use the moral support and this place seems like a great place to get just that and to get questions answered and advice.

I've been told since I was 10 (and I'm 23 now!) that I needed ortho work because of my underbite and when my mom got the totals, decided that was just too much money and she didn't have it so that was that even though she felt bad. Now that I'm older and want a nice smile and my bite corrected, I decided to take matters into my own hands and have it done.

I went to an ortho about a month ago who told me the only way to correct my bite was jaw surgery and he wouldn't even think of braces until the surgery was done. That scared me. I went home and researched what jaw surgery entailed and everything about it and after seeing the procedure and the recovery (and the $$ signs) decided that I wasn't going to put myself through that. I also heard from others that surgery should only be a last resort, emergency option. So, I decided to get other opinions.

I went for a consult on Monday night and heard great news from the dr. This ortho told me that in an ideal world, surgery would be the way to fix it 100% but he also gave me other options. Get a quad helix for 2 months and have a baby tooth that never came out removed on the bottom and then having a molar taken out on the bottom and then having braces put on after that. So, I decided it's now or never and took out the loan to cover this all. They put the spacers on me Monday night and let me tell you that I have never been in more pain than when they did that. My mouth killed me and I got ZERO sleep that night. Almost 2 days later, it's still sore but nothing like it was at first. I've also noticed how fast the spacers are working because my front teeth which had a tiny space between them has closed in! Amazing. But anyway, I wear these things for 2 weeks and then get my quad helix. Question. Has anyone worn this before and had lasting success with it? I'm afraid of spending all this time and money and having it work and then my jaw going back to it's old tricks. He said that on a scale of 1-10, my bite will be about an 8.. im just wondering, will it last?

Anyone with any experience?

#2 Post by **cosmicgirl** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:53 pm

hello Rydellpinklady!
Glad you've started your journey and happy that you've come here for help, advice and encouragement. We're all here to offer one another support especially on the days when you're totally fed up. And we're also here to cheer you along when you start to see movement!

I was fitted with a quad helix almost three months ago and am due to get it removed on Saturday (I hope).
It has certainly helped with my crossbite by pushing out my top teeth so that they sit outside my lowers.

I was a bit sceptical at first - at 46 I didn't think my palate would move at all but something has and I'm thrilled with the results.

Of course, these achievements come with a price - you can't eat properly, your tongue gets a thrashing and you lisp and spit like crazy. But your teeth improve!

Never a day goes by without some wonderful change to my teeth and I'm sure you'll get great results too.

Good luck!

#3 Post by **RydellPinkLady** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:31 pm

Thanks for the positive reinforcment =) I could def. use it now!

It's nice to know it helps adults whose jaws have grown into their permanent positions! I'm just skeptical it'll shift back to how it was before, but I'm trusting that it wont. I've heard how akward it is to get used to when it comes to talking and eating.. i'm nervous about that. Hopefully this will be a good weight loss solution in addition to giving me a nice smile =) Did you have an underbite also, like I do?

I look forward to hearing your response! Good luck! =)

#4 Post by **cosmicgirl** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:24 am

hi there!
I didn't have an underbite, but a crossbite, where my top teeth on just the right hand side sat inside the bottom ones. My teeth sort of straightened themselves out along the front, didn't really meet - so a bit of an open bite, and then everything was normal on the left hand side.
Now, all my teeth seem to be sitting in the correct position and I can chew properly yay!
Definitely worth all the hardship and before you know it, you're done with the treatment. Wearing a retainer once you're freed from braces ought to keep everything in place!

#5 Post by **RydellPinkLady** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:35 am

I really feel alot better since hearing your story!

Thanks for calming me down!

Keep me posted on how things go!!

#6 Post by **MsVarlene** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:14 pm

I have one of those Quad-helix appliances on the roof of my mouth and have gotten so used to it I hardly remember it's there. When it first went in, it felt strange and unusual. A while back it started digging into my palate, my ortho adjusted it and left in place. I really don't know the purpose of it on me though.

#7 Post by **RydellPinkLady** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:45 pm

So generally it sounds like this helix is a real pain in the booty (and the mouth! lol) at first.. great, I get to look fwd to more pain!

Havent you noticed a difference since your helix has been in?