Pendulum / Distal Jet fixed appliance?

[gguguseli]

Hey guys

4 days ago, I got my upper and lower braces installed. Currently I have only an archwire on my lower teeth. The upper archwired will be installed within 2 and half weeks from now, together with a Pendulum appliance. I found some pictures on the internet, this thing looks really scary. Unfortunately I didn't find any experience reports on the internet, how this appliance feels or how long it really takes to get used to it.

So my question is, if anybody has / had such an appliance installed (Pendulum or Distal Jet). How did you get used to it. How was speaking?

I thank you in advance for your replies and hope that you will help me out.

[fins]

It's actually not that hard to speak with it. I had very little trouble. The appliance should NOT get too tight. If you feel any pain around the roof of your mouth, have your ortho look at it. As your teeth move the appliance might get tighter. It's not that horrible, even though it seems like it. You will be surprised at what you can get used to. Cleaning around it is a pain, you might be able to thread some floss through it if it's not too tight. Don't worry, it isn't as bad as it looks.

[Kris721]

I wore a pendulum for a year and a half. It took me a while to get used to it and the rings on the appliance pressed indentations on my tongue which was very painful. Here is my first post with pics viewtopic.php?t=13279&highlight=

I remember taking a few months to get used to it. I wish I had a more positive review of the appliance. Not everyone's experience is the same, but I had a hard time with mine, especially after wearing it a year longer than my ortho had estimated. Having said all that, I don't regret it. I'm still in braces, but my teeth look better than ever.

I would recommend patience - and lots of soft foods for a while. I didn't have braces for the majority of the time I had the pendulum, so you're already better equipped to deal with the appliance than I was.

Best of luck to you and keep us posted on your progress.

Kris

[gguguseli]

Hi guys

Thanks for your replies, you helped me really out. I see that getting used to that appliance might be very individual, but definitively more difficult than to braces. I will keep you up to date, when I get the pendulum. I have bought a water pik for better cleaning of the appliance, hope that will help.

[gguguseli]

Hello everybody

Last Friday the Pendulum appliance was installed. Up to now it feels very weird and not very comfortable. Compared to that getting braces and starting to live with braces was walk on sunshine. I have quite a lot of extra salvia, eating is quite difficult, but it gets better every day. Considering pain, it seems, that I am lucky, didn't have too much pain, i was able to eat soft bread and fish on Saturday, on Sunday I was already eating meat. Cleaning takes now a little bit longer, I bought a water pick to rinse below the plastic. I expected that speaking will be more difficult, I have only a slight lisp. I think mainly because of the extra salvia. I think this will improve. I have met some good friends last weekend, nobody recognized that lisp. Believe me, they would have said something, they are not too shy.

Summary: It's is not that bad as expected, but still not fun compared to braces. I wont miss the Pendulum, when it is removed within some months (maximum of 6 months).

[hurting!!!]

hey ya"llWell, I have been through two sets of 10 spacers and now my docter put in a DISTAL JET! It moves the molers back..so the braces can fit.

AND IDK WHAT TO EAT......i'm hungry!!

[Kris721]

gguguseli, how are you adjusting to the appliance?

[gguguseli]

hello everybody

hey Kris721, thanks for asking.

It's now 2 weeks since I got the appliance. I adapted quite well to the pendulum. Speech really improved to a almost not noticeable level. I had only minor tongue irritations during the first few days. Eating is quite good. My molars already started to move. So the appliance is not that bad, as i have expected. But still, it is not easy with it and I will be glad when this thing will be removed...

[fins]

Glad it is not too bad. It is a happy day when that comes out! How many mm do you have to move? Just be aware that it might start to irritate the palate as you get close to it being ready to come out. If you feel any pain or soreness on the palate, get thee to the ortho fast. They might loosen it slightly or remove it completely. The waterpik is a must have with braces. Sometimes you can even squirt water under the pendulum i you have a tiny bit of room. Ask your dentist how to thread the floss under the pendulum to clean, sometimes if it's not too tight, you can do that.

[gguguseli]

hello everybody

I fully got used to the pendulum after about 2 months. But it was sometimes boring having food stuck in it when eating and sometimes weird not being able to feel the palate.

Now after 9 months having the pendulum installed, it was removed last friday. The feeling was liberating, I was able to feel my palate again. The first meal after the removal felt fantastic, I really enjoyed it.

To summarize it: you can get used to the pendulum and handle it quite well. Having just top and bottom braces without any appliance, is definitively half cumbersome.

If you have any other questions, do not hesisate to ask me.

Regards

Karl

[Elisabthelucy]

Hi,
I just got my Distal Jet appliance put in yesterday. I have a pretty bad lisp and I was wondering how long that will last? Also are there any tricks to getting the lisp the get better?
Is it normal for my tongue to hurt?