Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi Guys,

I'm 27 years old and five months into treatment. I have to wear my quad helix expander for another 6 weeks and then I start on Invisalign. I am already more confident when I smile. The gap might not get much better due to the way my jaw is positioned - but at least my teeth will be straight in the end. I had my doubts that an expander would work as an adult but so far so good. While the quad helix hasn't been that bad to wear, I cannot wait until it's removed.

August 13, 2008



January 23, 2009

hello i see that you have an expandeer and was just wondering if you needed surgery along with it? also how was it to wear? i was told i would probabl need to wear one during my treatment thanks for any reply trw2

trw2 wrote:hello i see that you have an expandeer and was just wondering if you needed surgery along with it? also how was it to wear? i was told i would probabl need to wear one during my treatment thanks for any reply trw2

Nope, no surgery.

I'll admit, the first week was bad. It was difficult to eat and I was lisping terribly. After about the second week my speech improved a lot and eating was back to normal. I'd say it took a full month before I felt my voice was 100%. However, I don't think other people noticed the lisping - you are more critical of your own voice. The expander will do it's job well, at first you will hate it, but you will quickly get used to it. Remembering that it's a means to an end, and how great things will look when your treatment is over, will make things a little easier. Good luck!

Wow, what a difference already, Zipp!!!!! I had my expander for 6 months, and it worked well, but I never got used to talking or eating with it.

chicklets wrote:Wow, what a difference already, Zipp!!!!! I had my expander for 6 months, and it worked well, but I never got used to talking or eating with it.

Looks like mine will come out at about 6.5 months - I'm not only counting the days I'm counting the hours until it's removed!

wow your progress looks amazing already! I'm also 27 and about to begin the same treatment as you, quad-helix for 6 months and then invisalign. I'm really really nervous about the expander. I'm not sure how i'll be able to deal with the speech thing. Did you have to take any time off work? Did you find yourself having to explain the lisp to everyone. I heard there will be a lot of spitting drooling the first week and i can't imagine going into the office like that.

junkee wrote:wow your progress looks amazing already! I'm also 27 and about to begin the same treatment as you, quad-helix for 6 months and then invisalign. I'm really really nervous about the expander. I'm not sure how i'll be able to deal with the speech thing. Did you have to take any time off work? Did you find yourself having to explain the lisp to everyone. I heard there will be a lot of spitting drooling the first week and i can't imagine going into the office like that.

I called in sick two days when I had the quad helix "installed." No one seemed to notice my lisp, I think I was my hardest critic. Give it two weeks and it'll be old hat. There's relatively no pain, in the beginning your tongue will get irritated but it'll get used to the metal wires. I don't recall my mouth generating more saliva than usual. I really think 2-3 weeks is the break in period. After that your voice is back to normal, eating is simple, and your tongue is used to the apparatus. The orthodontist may try to sugar coat it, but I want to be as honest as possible. Let us know how things turn out!