This is the place to post general questions and comments about all areas of orthodontic treatment. Before you post a question, use the forum's SEARCH tool to see if your question has already been answered!
New Members: YOU MUST MAKE A POST WITHIN 24 HOURS OF REGISTERING OR YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED. In other words, don't sign up unless you plan to actively participate in the message board immediately. This is necessary to keep out spammers and lurkers with bad intentions. Of course, you can read most forums on the board without registering.
DO NOT POST FULL-FACE PHOTOS or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.
My mold appointment is 03/23/06, and my official "installation" is 03/30/06.
My treatment time is 24 months, and I am supposed to have a pallatial expander (not sure if thats what it's called) of some sort. Let me know what to expect. Do I get the expander the same time I get spacers? My teeth are crowded and I have really bad TMJ. At times it already feels like I've been hit in the mouth with a hammer
I got braced on March 1. I can't answer your question about expanders and spacers, as I didn't have either of those things. But rest assured, the "installation" is not bad at all. I was pretty nervous, but it ended up being a breeze.
I have an upper arch expander. If you are getting spacers then I think you will probably be getting bands on your molars (this is what I had done). I got my spacers, then a week later I was fitted for the bands. I went in again to get the spacers reinserted about 4 days prior to getting my expander installed. I will be getting my braces placed in about 2 months because my orthodontist wanted to wait until the full expansion was done. Once the braces are placed, my expander will remain for another 3-4 months to stabilize the expansion. My orthodontic correction is to correct a crossbite and an overjet. The process of getting the expander placed was no problem. It does take a couple weeks to get use to having the expander inyour mouth - no pain, just adjusting to talking and eating. If the expander begins to irritate your tongue from constant rubbing, be sure to use wax and warm salt water rinses. The warm salt water rinses help so much. KK's ortho advised her to use warm saltwater rinses throughout her orthodontic treatment.
I hope this info. has helped. Don't be nervous about the installation of the expander - easy appts. Of course, every orthodontist does things differently and it may depend on what orthodontic correction you need and the type of expander you are getting (I have a Quad-Helix expander).
I am getting braced on MARCH 9!!!! I haven't had my extractions yet- which I don't get why I am getting my braces before the extractions- I don't have any room in my mouth for the teeth to move at all. But I will let you know how it goes.
i got braced today (all ceramic)! extractions of 4 first bicuspids was done last week by my oral surgeon friend. he waived all co-pay from my insurance, i'm so grateful. so far things seem to be healing nicely.
it's nice that the wire is thin for the first few months...makes it less noticeable. they don't look as bad as i thought they would. but i can definitely feel a tension headache coming on.
I was braced on 03-02-06. This expander (quad helix) is horrible. I thought I would go nuts with the pain in my tongue. The wax doesn't like to stick very well, but make it stick! I guess I'm a total baby! I've had them on a week now and I can finally do without the wax on the expander. I didn't think I would get my tongue toughened up, but I did. I have a canker sore on the tip of my tongue right now. Other than that, my teeth aren't really achy and I can finally floss my teeth. The only thing I have a real problem with is talking. I sound like Cindy Brady. I can't even say my own name properly. I've had to take time off from my band, I can't pronounce certain words to be able to sing yet. Thank God this is only 6 months on the expander. I have some positive news. My palate has already flattened out and widened. It feels weird! My teeth are also moving into place really fast. It's odd to see movement after only a week. I didn't expect that. I also thought the expander would only be tipping my teeth out to correct a crossbite. I thought your palate would not change unless you were young. Well, it's working. Maybe I can get it off early. You have my sympathies. BTW, try a sucrets for your tongue if it gets sore. It helped me immensely. Good luck to you.
yea count me in to ,braced today,not too bad .Glue tasted realy bad.I cant complain very quick,not as bad a you would think.Now on the other hand the expander is HORRIBABLE .I hated it from day 1 and still hate it.I can't wait till it is OUT already.Had it in for months already.Just think you are not alone ,I know that makes me feel better.
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE GETTING BRACED IN MARCH !!!!!!!!!
Hey everyone, I got my uppers on March 6 and I'll be getting my lowers by the end of the month. I've got Damon 3's on top, and the lowers will be Damon 2's. Sounds like I really dodged a bullet with expanders. My teeth are still pretty sore, so I'm pretty much on a soup/soft food diet. I've been gradually trying more "normal" food, and the soreness does seem to be going away a bit. I'll probably be just getting over all this by the time I get my lowers in and have to start all over again!
I can't answer your question about expanders and spacers, as I didn't have either of those things. But rest assured, the "installation" is not bad at all. I was pretty nervous, but it ended up being a breeze. 
