Non-Surgical Adult Expansion is work (26y.o)

[ged1ortho]

Hi All,

After much research into non-surgical adult palate expansion I struggled to find many adults with good experiences, or forums that only linked to the lack of research in this are. Posting this thread to hopefully help someone else & share the experience.

My ortho advised that due to a significant cross bite I would require SARPE then braces. He assured me surgery was safe and predictable with only 2-3 weeks down time. WHAT! This really was not what I expected walking into my consult, i thought it would be clear braces 18 months and done. No such luck. I really really REALLY did not want the surgery. I contemplated not going ahead with treatment at all. My lovely ortho however discussed with me the option of RPE without the surgery. He was really honest that it had a significant change of not working, but could potentially work, depending on my bone structure. Most articles advice the suture closes at a young age - however more modern thinking seems to say that expansion can be achieved in adults without surgery. I decided to give it ago...and it seems to be working.

Pre-Appliance Being Fit - First I had spacers fitted - 7 days of agony. Tiny little suckers that hurt so much, nerves very sensitive and could not bite down at all -The bands were placed on my 2nd molars and moulds taken in order to build the RPE.

WEEK 1 - Appliance fit really well, and no pain at all when having it put in. It felt HUGE so much plastic and metal and immediate saliva build up which seems pretty typical. I was a bit shocked so really didn't speak or eat much the first few days. I had the appliance put in Friday so I could take the weekend to get used to it. SPEECH is so difficult the first week. You sound ridiculous but people really are understanding. I was given instruction to turn once a day (0.25mm) for 6 weeks. No real 'pain' when turning just pressure on sides of teeth, a little around the cheeks & nose. Lots of PAIN on the tongue from it hitting the metal bar, this subsided about day 7, although I still see indents in my tongue! I guess I am just use to it. Mash potato & soups are your best friends. Heaps of water needed to help swallow. Absolutely miserable at this point.

WEEK 2 - My speech has improved a lot in this short time, but as I have had not time of work (recruitment & HR advisor) I find it exhausting to get through a day of speaking. I've got the hang of eating now, Shepard's pie, pastas, and more variety is possible. Bread is annoyingly difficult, but most foods can be eaten if cut up small enough. My RPE is bonded so all my back teeth are covered which makes eating in general less fun. Have lost 2-3 kg at this point! I notice ever so slight changes in my teeth, no gap yet, but it does feel quite easy to floss, as the week goes on my teeth start separating at the bottom.

WEEK 3 - At the end of week 3 my ortho wanted to check in, as it is half way through the active turning point. I am now able to speak close to normally, and manage eating most things /accept that food will get stuck and make the odd mess. On the day of my appointment my front teeth separated! I had been dreading this day but was SO EXCITED as to me it meant that it was working - Diastema or the Gap is a clear indicator that the suture is separating. My ortho was really happy with the progress, he took some measurements and was really thrilled. (It was at this point i realised how uncertain he was it may work).

WEEK 4 - My tooth gap is coming along nicely and tomorrow marks 1 month of surviving the expander. 2 weeks to go! My two front teeth are really sensitive and feel wobbly. Im starting to feel a bit self conscious with how big the gap might become in the final two weeks. It feels much more difficult to turn the expander and pressure lasts a bit longer and I struggle to find a bite.

Anyway, a bit of a long post, but I just want to reassure other adults consider expansion without surgery that you can get results, I will continue to post , and hopefully link some pictures as well for those interested. I go back to the ortho in 2 weeks where hopefully I can stop the active turning. I will need the expander to stay in for another 3 months before braces can be put on, in order to allow new bone to grow/fuse?! Crazy what the body can do and how well it can adapt.

[bach]

Hi Ged1orho,

Wow, Impressive results so far, the human body is indeed an incredible machine.
From what I have read, I thought that palatal expansion with adults wasn't possible without SAPRE.
Please keep us informed on your progress!

Kind regards,

Bach

[softtissue]

Hi, I just created this account and I am unable to message you for some reason. I would like to ask who is the orthodontist you are being treated with and where are they located? I'm 24 years old, and just spoke with an orthodontist in Boston who refused to perform non-surgical palate expansion on me. Thanks!

[softtissue]

Please reply to my comment.

[ged1ortho]

Hi,

Sorry for delayed response -

I'm based in Melbourne, Australia so I cannot offer a local ortho for you.

WEEK 5 I broke my expander & I could not get into my ortho before my 6 week check up - However when I did he was really happy with expansion, however I have had to remove the fixed device ( a gross, smelly uncomfortable experience) but YAY freedom for my teeth.

Today I go back and have to have a removable expander put in which he says will still be uncomfortable and will hold the expansion in place so bone can solidify? -I can see my top palate is noticeable wider and more of my teeth are visible, I also have a better bite, with a good reduction in my former underbite!

[Aj245]

[quote="ged1ortho"]Hi,

Sorry for delayed response -

I'm based in Melbourne, Australia so I cannot offer a local ortho for you.

WEEK 5 I broke my expander & I could not get into my ortho before my 6 week check up - However when I did he was really happy with expansion, however I have had to remove the fixed device ( a gross, smelly uncomfortable experience) but YAY freedom for my teeth.

Today I go back and have to have a removable expander put in which he says will still be uncomfortable and will hold the expansion in place so bone can solidify? -I can see my top palate is noticeable wider and more of my teeth are visible, I also have a better bite, with a good reduction in my former underbite![/quote]

Hey! I'm in Melbourne too! Who is your ortho?

Mine is Dr Tardic from Footscray Orthodontics. I'm in the process of having my expander put in without surgery. I just had my spacers put in yesterday, which are beyond uncomfortable! So glad to find an adult who has had a successful expansion without surgery. You give me hope! haha

[katcar0001]

Complete newbie here with tons to learn. I am grateful for your post because I am starting out with expanders upper and lower next month. In my case, I am quite old for this (53), but I just am not willing to do the jaw surgeries as I am terrified of nerve damage and worsening of my TMJ. I think it takes longer and/or is harder for older adults to recover from these types of surgeries, based on what I've read so far. And, due to several surgeries for breast cancer and reconstruction, I am just tired of surgeries in general--have had 5 in the past 2 years.

That said, who knows where this path will lead me. My orthodontist really thought I should get jaw surgery, but he is willing to try to get me a little more space with the expanders and braces. He is a specialist in Orthotropics and has studied with Dr. John Mew, so I trust his expertise. So my issues include: long face, narrow and vaulted palate, large tongue, class II overbite, narrow smile, mild tooth crowding, slightly recessed chin, mild sleep apnea (reduced to 5 incidents per hour after having UPPP surgery and septoplasty years ago) and TMJ. Clearly, I would have benefited from double jaw surgery had I only known when I was much younger. Truthfully, I do not care that much about my overbite--people even think it's cute, but I do care about more room for my tongue and having a wider smile.

Anyway, just hoping to learn as much as possible in the upcoming weeks by following others' journeys such as yours.

[softtissue]

[quote="ged1ortho"]Hi,

Sorry for delayed response -

I'm based in Melbourne, Australia so I cannot offer a local ortho for you.

WEEK 5 I broke my expander & I could not get into my ortho before my 6 week check up - However when I did he was really happy with expansion, however I have had to remove the fixed device ( a gross, smelly uncomfortable experience) but YAY freedom for my teeth.

Today I go back and have to have a removable expander put in which he says will still be uncomfortable and will hold the expansion in place so bone can solidify? -I can see my top palate is noticeable wider and more of my teeth are visible, I also have a better bite, with a good reduction in my former underbite![/quote]

Hi, any updates on this? Is there a way to determine (via x-rays) whether your bone actually expanded from this treatment or whether all the changes made were only dental?

[ged1ortho]

Hi All,

I see Sam Park @ East Bentleigh Dental Group. I don't have X-rays following the expansion. But the good news is i Finally get to stop the expansion phase, I am not in retention and wearing my plate for a further 2 months before I get my braces.

I do have some pictures as I so have the diastema between my front teeth which indicates expansion from the suture not just dental tilting!

Exciting times & good luck to all going through this less then gracefull process as an adult

[Whythelongfacenay]

Relate to a lot of what has been said in this thread - would love to know how everyone is getting on?

I'm a 37yo (from Melbourne too), I have moderate sleep apnea, a ‘long face’, gummy smile and some infrequent jaw pain/TMJ issues all connected back to an issue of my very narrow upper jaw I believe being allowed to develop following some orthodontic work involving extraction and traditional braces in my teenage years.

I’ve found a dentist in Melbourne who works very closely with a chiropractor and has recommended maxillary expansion in the form of semi-rapid palate expansion over the next 6-8 months, combined with cranio-facial chiropractic work, followed by another 18 months or so of invisible or self-litigating braces along with myofunctional training and more chiro work.

The theory is that expanding the palate should make more room for my tongue to fit the top of the mouth – at the moment my upper jaw is vaulted and so narrow I have no space to fit anywhere near my whole tongue against the roof of my mouth. Because the tongue can’t fit there, it’s pushing back and restricting my airway at the level of the soft palate, which explains the sleep apnea/snoring. And so having more room for my tongue at the top of my mouth will reduce pressure on the soft palate, making it easier to breathe when sleeping as well as possibly providing some small improvements to aesthetics in terms of widening my smile.

I've just finally made a decision to go through with this, but I'm still apprehensive and hoping for some success stories to hang on to get me through what appears to be a painful spacers and initial expander palate experience. I'm booked in to get spacers next week, and the ALF palate expander after that.

[DoubleJawOrthoCrowns]

I would love to hear how your treatment is progressing and if you have been able to successfully expand your palate as an adult without undergoing surgery.

[DoubleJawOrthoCrowns]

I see you were told to turn your palate expander .25mm for 6 weeks so it looks like .25mm per day x 42 days would give you 10.5mm of expansion. Did this happen? Do you happen to have images? I am extremely inspired by your story. In my experience, it has been very difficult to find orthodontists in California who are willing to undertake the challenge of non-surgical palate expansion in an adult. Please keep us posted!

[DoubleJawOrthoCrowns]

Hi ged1ortho!

Would you be able to please show some before and after or atleast a current picture that show the expansion changes and diastema? I would love to see and show my orthodontist here in California. So many orthos don’t think it’s possible without surgery.

Many thanks!
Patricia

[hoixhoix]

Hey! I'm greatful for this thread. What is the name of the appliance?
Did anyone use a Hawley expansion or do you have any experience/opinions about it? I would greatly appreciate it!

Background story:
I'm 30 and I've been going around for way too many years trying to figure out what treatment would be the best to mend my crooked teeth and hopefully win some breathing abilities at the same time. I was convinced about ALF because I have understood that my jaw and all is too small and the ALF seemed like the most natural and well working appliance. Then I visited one ALF dentist who told me that it was unnecessary for me to spend that much money and that I could do the expansion by my self by using the tongue right, and correct the alignment with Damon braces. The dentist seemed very nice and recommended me to find a local dentist that uses Damon so I wouldn't have to travel abroad (because he and other ALF dentists are not in my country unfortunately). So, then I found a "holistic" dentist close to where I live who also seems nice, but now she is recommending me to expand the palate first with Hawley expansion. Yet again I'm confused. I don't know if I need an apparatus to expand or if the result would be better with one. But I also don't know anything about the Hawley and that's where I'd like to hear other peoples opinions/stories. I just want to get started but I feel like it might be a waste of money and time if i start with the Damon if I really need the expansion first, or the other way around, that it will just take longer and be more expensive if I start with the expansion.

I appreciate any help I can get!
Thanks!
Anna

[noctilucentnikki]

Hello ged1ortho,

Not sure if you still visit this site, but which type of expander did you use?

Thank you for sharing!
Nikki