Adult Palate Expander - braces try number 2

[cartman]

Hi everyone. I have just to get orthodontics for the second time. I had braces when I was younger but my teeth moved as i didn't realise how important my retainer was! I'm 25 now and so decided to give it a second go. I've been tothe orthodontist and I got spacers put in the other day which is to be followed by palate expander next week. I noticed a lot of talk on the forum about the palate expander with some people saying it works for adults without surgery and some saying it doesn't. What i'm wondering is there anyone whos had postive results on here with one?

[Ciara]

Can't answer your question about the expander but welcome! There are quite a few of us on our 2nd time round, some on their 3rd!

[cartman]

Thanks Ciara! I'm planning on this being my last time tho! haha

[teddy13]

Hello,

Rapid jaw expanders have worked for me after 7 months of putting up with it haha. The process to me felt SOOOO DARN SLOW, but it's all about mind over matter. Just search "rapid jaw expanders" in the search field on this forum and several of my posts on adult jaw expansion should pop up along with posts from many others

[LadyJennifer]

I'm having slow expansion. It's only been three weeks though, so there's not a ton of change. I do see a gap in the appliance though, so it must be working.

[cartman]

Hey so I'm a little confused and was wondering if anyone could help. I was fitted with braces today along the font of my teeth but also what I thought was going to be a rapid palatal expander. Didn't realise till I'd left my orthodontist that the "expander" looks nothing like any of pictures I'd seen of one. Could anyone clarify what this is and will it do the same thing as a rapid palatal expander?

[oldfart]

In your first post you said you would be getting a palate expander. Isnt that what that is? Looks a lot like my sons quad helix is which is a type of expander.

[JumpTheDitch]

Hi Cartman, it looks like an A.L.F. expander :: http://www.google.com.au/search?q=palat ... B659%3B496

Advanced Lightwire Functional expanders :: http://www.icnr.com/articles/ALF-reduce ... lapse.html

I think the idea is that if they expand your palate more slowly (as opposed to RPE), your bone will keep pace with the expansion by growing new bone into the 'holes' created by the continuous, light pressure. Hopefully this approach prevents the hotly debated issue of palate expansion in adults causing tipped teeth rather than true exansion (due to the age of the patient and the subsequent fusion of the bones). According to the second link I posted, it's supposed to be less prone to relapse than other forms of expansion - I'm hoping they're right!

A number of members of the forum have had/are using slow expansion; I may be wrong but I think Okate has an ALF, Lady Jennifer is undergoing 'slow expansion' (not sure which expander exactly), and Diesel (no longer active but you can search for his posts) had both upper and lower ALFs (with great results). Lady Jennifer has a good link on her "Our Braces" blog to a paper about slow expansion in adults.

I'm seeing my NM dentist tomorrow to get my schedule for Phase II TMJ therapy which includes ALF expanders and braces over the next three years. I'm not looking forward to having orthodontics again but I can't wait to get started on the road to better dental health.

Good luck with your treatment, I'd be interested to hear how it goes for you

[JumpTheDitch]

Oops, I posted without re-reading the other replies, sorry Lady Jennifer I see you'd already replied! Your posts came to mind in terms of slow expansion treatment, I should have seen you'd already posted

[Okate]

Yip, that looks like an ALF to me. Yours looks better than mine! After 2 or 3 days I was fine and I could talk properly. Eating is a little tricky but I'm still managing to swallow it all down!! Good luck with everything : )

[cartman]

Thanks JumpTheDitch and everyone else! I had been beginning to worry over the last couple of days about what treatment I was actually getting! Definatly more relaxed after reading these comments.

[LadyJennifer]

Oops, I posted without re-reading the other replies, sorry Lady Jennifer I see you'd already replied! Your posts came to mind in terms of slow expansion treatment, I should have seen you'd already posted

Not a problem at all:-)

[beetboard]

Hello!

In my experience, the RPE HAS worked for me. I am 18, turning 19 very soon.
I got it in on March 1st and didn't work until this week.
Now I have a gap about this big: puu [ dot ] sh/2uaAc (I apologize for the pixelation)

I think it depends on you. If your palate has already fused, then it won't work.

Pretty 50/50, I would say.

[cartman]

For anyone worried if ALFs work don't be! They do work and here's the proof in attached photo. The ALF came out around 3months ago then I got braces off last week. I did get a small fixed wire put on the back off both upper and lower teeth so teeth won't move again and also sleep with a plastic retainer in at night.

[Jimson134]

I am about to use an ALF so would be interested to hear how people get on, can it expand the maxilla forwards? the alternative is orthognathic surgery as I have cants, but the alf dentist reckons he can fix them