Metal Mouth Message Board

In short, my story is that I am about to get braced for the second time, because the first time they had to pull my 4 premolars and retract everything, which resulted in a narrow smile and pushed back lower jaw, so now I found an orthodontist who will expand my arches (to a U shape instead of a V shape) and rotate my teeth in order to reduce the narrow smile.

I had my spacers in for 2 weeks, they hurt a little bit the first week but I got used to them afterwards. Yesterday I had my appointment, the ortho removed the spacers, and put some kind of expander in. It's attached to one molar on each side of my mouth only so I don't know what type of expander it is. Also there are no keys to turn it, and I am supposed to have it for 1 or 2 months.

After he put the expander, he told me I will feel a lot of pressure for 2 days, but it will get better later. My problem is I don't feel anything at all, no pressure, no pain, only that I have trouble speaking (especially my Cs, my Ss) and the wires of the expander are poking my inner cheeks like crazy.
I am afraid that it might not be working, especially that I can't speak well, eat well, I don't want all the trouble to result in nothing! Is that normal?

Ehhh good ol palatal expanderhuh? I had one when I was a kid(the AWFUL one with the key - torture, inhumane torture that scarred me for life, lol)

However, a friend of mine just got one on as well (no key just the expander) and I asked him as well if it hurt or if he had any pain - he had it on for about a week at that point. His reply was identical to yours. No pain, no pressure but talking and eating were driving him mad.

I didn't have pain or pressure when I had my actual braces on for several weeks. However, it IS working, and it IS doing its job. Consider yourself lucky because you aren't experiencing discomfort at this point.

It will come my friend...oh it will come.

thank you! I actually discovered that I am wearing a Quad Helix Expander.