Tooth movement after 2 days of expander

Message

#1 Post by **ssfw** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:54 pm

I got my Quad Helix expander placed on 1/20/06 and the orthodontist had informed me that I may have some discomfort after 2-3 days - I thought the discomfort would be from the bands being around my molars. When I woke up yesterday, 1/22/06, I felt I had some discomfort around my molars and didn't think much of it - I just thought it may have been from not moving my mouth while sleeping. When I looked in the mirror, the teeth on the side with my crossbite has moved a little - I couldn't believe something could happen in 2 days. Do teeth with an expander usually move so quickly? It just moved a little but I do see movement.

I am so glad that my orthodontist convinced me to get the expander placed 11 days earlier than I had planned - I had initially planned to get it placed on 1/31/06 because I have to attend a special event at the end of this week and didn't want to deal with any expander/discomfort problems from the expander. My orthodontist said people usually adjust in about a week and I should be fine. I had a slight problem with talking on the very first day and I adjusted very quickly to the hooks from the bands poking in my cheek (I didn't even use any wax) and my tongue is a bit sore from just having the expander in - my tongue mainly sits under the expander, hope this doesn't so any harm to the expander but my tongue has nowhere else to go - my tongue has adjsuted to the slight discomfort.

I'm just hoping the rest of my ortho. treatment goes as smoothly as the past few weeks.

I think orthodontics is such an amazing specialty.

ssfw

#2 Post by **dena** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 9:32 pm

yea! that's great!

#3 Post by **katy** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:33 pm

Congratulations on your progress... it may seem small now but in a couple of months you will be amazed at how much your teeth have changed. Good Luck with your expander, luckily that's something that I didn't have to experience!

Katy

#4 Post by **Haas** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:49 pm

wow, movement in two days. Thats awsome.
Ive had my expander in for a week now and I don't really notice any movement. today I stopped in and asked the ortho if it was going ok. and why I don't have a gap between my teeth yet. He said every turn widens the expander a quarter of a millimetre. Mine is a bonded haas so maybe it just works slower then your type of expander!
glad were not racing

#5 Post by **ssfw** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 5:24 pm

Hi Haas,

No, I don't think anyone on this board is racing. I think we all have the same goal for each other, to get through the ortho treatment and be happy with the results.

My expander is a Quad Helix - it's bonded and the most of the wire is near the teeth but there is one wire that is U-shaped that goes across the roof of the mouth, near the front teeth - you're probably familiar with hoe this expander looks. I had the choice of getting the one with the key (RPE), with the same type of outcome, but the expander with the key looked so uncomfortable, it sitting in the middle of the roof of your mouth, not that my expander is the most comfortable, but I've had a fairly easy time (for now) and hope it continues. I may be wrong about the comfort level of the RPE.

What type of expander is a Haas? From your post, I know it has a key. Mine doesn't have a key and I will be getting my adjustment from the ortho in about 6 weeks.

I noticed some movement only because of the crossbite that I have on one side. It wasn't alot of movement, but it was something.

I hope you haven't had much discomfort with your expander. Do you have your braces yet? How long is your ortho treatment?

Take care and keep us posted.

ssfw

Haas wrote:wow, movement in two days. Thats awsome.
Ive had my expander in for a week now and I don't really notice any movement. today I stopped in and asked the ortho if it was going ok. and why I don't have a gap between my teeth yet. He said every turn widens the expander a quarter of a millimetre. Mine is a bonded haas so maybe it just works slower then your type of expander!
glad were not racing

#6 Post by **Haas** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:31 am

Hello, My expander is bonded to my molars, and has a thin metal box close to the roof of my mouth. I don't think I have to have any adjustments on the expander, just 20 turns and then I keep it on until mid april. No braces yet! I get them when this comes off, but I think Ill give it a couple days so I can really really really enjoy I good meal. ( burgers, steak, cookies,.......... drool
All together my treatment is supposed to be between 18 and 24 months. He also says that is an overestimate and thinks it may be closer to 14!! ( I pray )
Quad Helix...sounds like a good name for a rock band
bonded haas....well .....sounds like something else

#7 Post by **ssfw** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:56 am

Hi Haas,

Your expander sounds like the expander that was my other choice. I hope you're adjusting well to it. Regarding eating your favorite foods, don't wait, eat some of your favorites today. I found with meat, cut it up into smaller pieces. I found since the band was on the 2nd molars, I have found chewing to be easier on the very back molars. I haven't eaten any cookies yet because the cookies I like are very crunchy, I may have to dunk some in coffee. To get over my craving for sweets the other day, I ate some ice cream and just rinsed my mouth after I ate it.

My orthodontist told me I will have my expander on for about 4-6 months, then get my braces, but said I will have to keep the expander in for a few more months to stabilize the expansion.

Good luck and keep us posted.

ssfw

Haas wrote:Hello, My expander is bonded to my molars, and has a thin metal box close to the roof of my mouth. I don't think I have to have any adjustments on the expander, just 20 turns and then I keep it on until mid april. No braces yet! I get them when this comes off, but I think Ill give it a couple days so I can really really really enjoy I good meal. ( burgers, steak, cookies,.......... drool
All together my treatment is supposed to be between 18 and 24 months. He also says that is an overestimate and thinks it may be closer to 14!! ( I pray )
Quad Helix...sounds like a good name for a rock band
bonded haas....well .....sounds like something else