Non Surgical Expansion - Progress Pics

[amandad09]

Here are some before, during and after pics of my time with an expander - no surgery. Let me know if you can tell any difference! I think I can! I am not expecting a huge difference, just A difference! =]

BEFORE


DURING


AFTER - mouth is in the raw/healing stage

[amandajane]

Looks like a torture device, hmmm..... I suppose it makes a little difference. The changes are little.

my story : viewtopic.php?t=31380

[uvraise]

I think amandajane was busy looking at your teeth and not you palate. What a huge difference in your palate. It looks as if it was very narrow and misshaped on the left. But now it looks normal, but sore! Now it's time to have those braces move the teeth around to their final resting place!
JOHN

[katiekate]

I can definitely see a difference!

[BellaSam]

I can definately see a difference. Looks great.

[amandad09]

Thanks everyone!
I can't wait to see where my teeth end up. Move teeth, mooooove!

[dentalguy]

Hi, Amanda

The expansion in your palate has been amazing for there to have been no surgery. I'm assuming you're not an adult otherwise the bones in your palate would have presumably fused by now, making an non-surgical expansion like this impossible. Or maybe I'm wrong - are there some adults were the joint in the middle of the palate is weak enough to pull apart or where for some reason the bones haven't yet fused (don't know what the real word for that is)?

Also, something I'm interested in is the vertical shape - if you get what I'm saying - of a palate that has failed to grow properly widthwise. I've read about a vaulted palate (sometimes refered to as a cathedral palate) that can/or does result from a narrow upper jaw.

I think the theory was that the bone in the roof of your mouth has to go somewhere and if it isn't spread out above a normal/wide jaw it'll grow up into a steep arch. Like squeezing the ends of a playing card between your finger and thumb - squeeze a little and the card stays wide with a gentle arch; squeeze a lot and you get the narrow vaulted effect.

This would mean the floor of your nasal cavity would be higher up making it more difficult to breath through your nose.

Can anyone confirm if any of this is true or just urban myths?

[crazybeautiful]

Hi, Amanda

The expansion in your palate has been amazing for there to have been no surgery. I'm assuming you're not an adult otherwise the bones in your palate would have presumably fused by now, making an non-surgical expansion like this impossible. Or maybe I'm wrong - are there some adults were the joint in the middle of the palate is weak enough to pull apart or where for some reason the bones haven't yet fused (don't know what the real word for that is)?

Also, something I'm interested in is the vertical shape - if you get what I'm saying - of a palate that has failed to grow properly widthwise. I've read about a vaulted palate (sometimes refered to as a cathedral palate) that can/or does result from a narrow upper jaw.

I think the theory was that the bone in the roof of your mouth has to go somewhere and if it isn't spread out above a normal/wide jaw it'll grow up into a steep arch. Like squeezing the ends of a playing card between your finger and thumb - squeeze a little and the card stays wide with a gentle arch; squeeze a lot and you get the narrow vaulted effect.

This would mean the floor of your nasal cavity would be higher up making it more difficult to breath through your nose.

Can anyone confirm if any of this is true or just urban myths?

I don't know the exact science, but from my own experience- my top palate was/is very steep and nose-breathing at night for me was impossible before I had SARPE (10 mm expansion). That being said, I still can't breathe through my nose well, but I do need further surgeries on my jaws which will have some impact

Non-surgical expansion is known in adults, although I don't believe the effects are huge. If you don't need a lot of expansion, then it can work, but it tends to just tip the teeth outwards than expand the jaw itself (because as you rightly said, the palate is fused and therefore cannot go far!)

[Sleclerc]

I do see a difference... WHy is your palate so raw? Is that what happens on removal? PLease say NO, I hope to have mine removed soon!

[amandad09]

I do see a difference... WHy is your palate so raw? Is that what happens on removal? PLease say NO, I hope to have mine removed soon!

Yes, that IS from the expander. It wasn't painful so don't worry about it too much. It just took a few days to feel/look more normal. All healed up now! (1 week later)

Good luck! Be prepared for your mouth to feel oh so good yet oh so weird! haha

[amandad09]

Hi, Amanda

The expansion in your palate has been amazing for there to have been no surgery. I'm assuming you're not an adult otherwise the bones in your palate would have presumably fused by now, making an non-surgical expansion like this impossible. Or maybe I'm wrong - are there some adults were the joint in the middle of the palate is weak enough to pull apart or where for some reason the bones haven't yet fused (don't know what the real word for that is)?

Also, something I'm interested in is the vertical shape - if you get what I'm saying - of a palate that has failed to grow properly widthwise. I've read about a vaulted palate (sometimes refered to as a cathedral palate) that can/or does result from a narrow upper jaw.

I think the theory was that the bone in the roof of your mouth has to go somewhere and if it isn't spread out above a normal/wide jaw it'll grow up into a steep arch. Like squeezing the ends of a playing card between your finger and thumb - squeeze a little and the card stays wide with a gentle arch; squeeze a lot and you get the narrow vaulted effect.

This would mean the floor of your nasal cavity would be higher up making it more difficult to breath through your nose.

Can anyone confirm if any of this is true or just urban myths?

I don't know the exact science, but from my own experience- my top palate was/is very steep and nose-breathing at night for me was impossible before I had SARPE (10 mm expansion). That being said, I still can't breathe through my nose well, but I do need further surgeries on my jaws which will have some impact

Non-surgical expansion is known in adults, although I don't believe the effects are huge. If you don't need a lot of expansion, then it can work, but it tends to just tip the teeth outwards than expand the jaw itself (because as you rightly said, the palate is fused and therefore cannot go far!)

dentalguy & crazybeautiful - I am an adult (25) and was not expecting much from non-surgical expansion. I think I achieved around 3-4mm. I did get a slight gap in my front two teeth so some skeletal expansion was achieved, not only tipping of the teeth. My ortho was very careful of this. I cannot comment on the other parts of your post (vertical shape, cathedral palate, etc.) As these are not things I've discussed with my ortho nor researched.

[alliecat77]

wow, this is inspiring for me! thank you. it looks great!

on the rawness of the roof of your mouth....i had to have mine taken out after the first two months as a band broke, and when it was out my mouth looked the same way. but it wasn't the look of it that bothered me, it was how it FELT against my tongue. it was all bumpy and swollen where the expander was. although i can't wait to have it removed (for good) in three months, i'm not looking forward to that feeling again! how long did it take for you to heal?

Allie

[naenae137]

you can totally tell !! congrats
Nae_Nae

[ray11]

Really great smile now :D
Congrats.

[AlfredoS]

[quote="katiekate"]I can definitely see a difference! :D[/quote]
The rear teeth seem to be forming more of a straight line. The front seems to remain the same though.