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#1 Post by **edie** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:06 am

I may be the oldest poster here, I have been lurking, and reading alot of posts. I am 51, and finally taking the plunge to a beautiful smile.

My concern is, things seem to be moving very very slowly in my treatment. I chose my ortho, based on a recommendation from my dentist who I trust (plus he was right accross the street from my dentist..easy to find) As I have read, most have had spacers in for about a week, maybe two. Mine (the metal spring type) went in November 17, and stayed in for close to 2 months! I thought they were coming out Dec. 6. but all that happened was a fitting for some brackets to hold in these wicked expanders. They put new ones right back in. Then I thought they would come out at my next appt. Dec. 19. I was partially correct, the top ones came out, an expander went in. The bottom set of spacers remained. The good news was, I was so focused on the expander, I no longer noticed the spacers! On Jan. 17, I went back, got the lower spacers out, which were replaced with a razor sharp lower expander. I have gotten pretty good at waxing! (although the other night at work, some came lose and I spit it accross the room)

I do not return to the ortho, until February 28, at which time I was told, they would measure the "new space" in my upper palate...no mention of anything further.

Here is my big concern (besides not being able to speak properly..or say my own name!) Will these expanders really do much without surgery? Has anyone else ever had them in so long, with no further treatment? I think I may hold the record for time in spacers

I do like my ortho, and his staff is awsome. I think part of my problem is, I went to my initial consult in May, then did not go back until November for actual treatment, and had perhaps forgotten everything they told me. I am just curious about the experience of others, since most of what I read on here, it seems to move along much more quickly than mine is.

Thanks

#2 Post by **Attagirl2** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:25 am

Hi Edie and welcome. Well, I got you beat on age, but not by much - 52 here. As for the spacers and expanders. My spacers stayed in anywhere from a week to 10 days. I do know that my molars were very slow to move- actually caused me very little pain because of it. I have not had any experience with expanders, so I can not help you with that question.

I wish you well on your journey through braces.

#3 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:44 am

Edie,
I think I would seriously talk with my Ortho. I'm 41, I get spacers this Friday for 10 days, go back the 13th to be braced, and then on March 3rd I go in for a surgically assisted rapid palate expansion. I was told that once you reach my age that this is the only effective way to really expand the palate. The bones become fused and solid once you are an adult, and are not pliable and easily moved as they are when we are children. They will surgically be releasing these bones for me, and I will wear the expander for roughly 4 months after I have turned it daily for a week or two and reached the desired expansion width (until the bone fills in and solidifies again.) There are many others on this board much younger than I who have had this surgery too.
Wearing an expansion appliance without the SARPE surgery was not even an option for me because of my age (according to my ortho.) Can you get a second opinion some where?

Brandy

#4 Post by **Betty Bat** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:12 am

Edie,
I can't comment on your treatment either, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm another "older" reader - I'm 53 and I've been in braces since October 26, 2005. My braces (and the rest of my dental treatment, including implants) are part of a retirement present to myself. I retired in April and it took several months for all of the consultations and initial investigations.

Weldome!

#5 Post by **krennen** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:50 pm

Just wanted you to know that I am an older patient. It is nice to hear from people like you. I had been contemplating braces for years but with three kids I just couldn't see putting money in my mouth! Finally the kids are out of braces so it is my turn. It has been an adventure so far and I know I have a long way to go. I can't wait to see what the end result will be for me!

[img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/ ... 1271/event

#6 Post by **ingyandbert** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:12 pm

45 here! Just got braced a week ago. Things are going smoothly; can't wait to see some progress!

#7 Post by **Orth-ohno!** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:17 pm

That sure seems like an awful long time to have spacers in. I had 8 put in and they are supposed to only be in for 2 weeks. Two of teeth were so close together that they couldn't put in the rubber spacers and went with the metal springs. Those come out in a few days and the rubber ones will go in. Knowing that my teeth were exremely close together and should still be ready to have the spacers removed in two weeks makes me suspicious of the time you have had them in. I would pin down the ortho and get some answers if I were you!

#8 Post by **edie** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:08 am

Thanks to everyone who responded. I don't feel so all alone now in the world of adult orthodontia. At the office, all of the other patients have their parents come in with them!

I have looked online, and the closest thing I have found to what I now have installed, is a RPE with the keyhole. However, mine has a couple of additional springs attached, which I now remember I was told were to push the teeth back, once they have been pushed out as far as they should be. (At the time, I was just coming from a 12 hour shift at work, and had only slept for about 2 hours the day before, and was perhaps not as "sharp" as I could have been!) The tech also told me that they could put the braces on right now, but treatment would be longer, if the molars were not in good position first.

I suppose I am just anxious to get this going, after waiting for so long. I am sort of glad though, that all of the current technology exists, and the end results should be excellent.

My ortho (way back in May '05) did show me pics of another adult patient of his (with the patients permission) whose teeth were actually much worse than mine, and his results were phenomanal.

This ortho was on a very short list that my dentist gave me, of who he trusted to do the work that would give us the results we both wanted.

Again, thank you thank you to all who replied.