Hi Folks,
I've noticed several people complaining about their expanders and, indeed, I've just had a quad helix expander placed in my mouth. I'm 45.
I was just wondering if anyone knows of any less intrusive expander designs. What I would like, and I don't understand why it wouldn't exist, is an expander that would fit on the outside of the upper (or lower) teeth. I don't know why it wouldn't be possible to create a spring steel band that would go around the outside of the teeth and connect to the brackets on the rear molars. I can even imagine it being adjustable with screws.
At any rate, I was wondering if anyone had ever heard of such a thing. If you know of such a thing, please post some information here so that we can all benefit. I'm having a really hard time talking and eating --- lots of food gets stuck to the roof of my mouth.
Thanks.
Darrell
Better palate expanders?
Moderator: bbsadmin
Hi Darrell,
You say you've just had it in, but how long is that?
I've had mine in for two and half weeks now, and am starting to find it not so bad. Food get stuck up there, and it's a pain having to use proxy brushes to clean it, but I seem to be getting used to it. In fact, I'm starting to think it might be weird if it wasn't there! To start with I did find talking tricky and eating nigh on impossible, so if you're only in your first few days, have hope, I'm sure it'll get better.
It's good to hear from some other quad-helix users. Until it was fitted, I'd never heard of one before or seen one (perhaps because I'm in the UK where orthodontics maybe isn't such a big thing).
One of the good things about it being in the roof of your mouth is that no-one can see it. At the moment, I've got braces on my lower teeth which you can't really see, and the quad-helix in my upper arch - even my own family members didn't notice anything.
I see what you're suggesting about having the teeth pulled outwards rather than pushed from the inside. I have absolutely no qualifications to be able to comment on it, but I guess you can have braces on either side of your teeth, so I don't see why your idea wouldn't work.
Good luck with the quad helix - I hope you start to find it a bit easier. Let us know how you get on with it and if you come up with any useful tips for coping with it.
S
You say you've just had it in, but how long is that?
I've had mine in for two and half weeks now, and am starting to find it not so bad. Food get stuck up there, and it's a pain having to use proxy brushes to clean it, but I seem to be getting used to it. In fact, I'm starting to think it might be weird if it wasn't there! To start with I did find talking tricky and eating nigh on impossible, so if you're only in your first few days, have hope, I'm sure it'll get better.
It's good to hear from some other quad-helix users. Until it was fitted, I'd never heard of one before or seen one (perhaps because I'm in the UK where orthodontics maybe isn't such a big thing).
One of the good things about it being in the roof of your mouth is that no-one can see it. At the moment, I've got braces on my lower teeth which you can't really see, and the quad-helix in my upper arch - even my own family members didn't notice anything.
I see what you're suggesting about having the teeth pulled outwards rather than pushed from the inside. I have absolutely no qualifications to be able to comment on it, but I guess you can have braces on either side of your teeth, so I don't see why your idea wouldn't work.
Good luck with the quad helix - I hope you start to find it a bit easier. Let us know how you get on with it and if you come up with any useful tips for coping with it.
S