Metal Mouth Message Board

Posted: **Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:02 pm**

Hi, Has anybody had to wear their expander this long or as long as I have to? Just wondering if anybody is in my miserable club! Every post that I have read has been on for less time than mine.

Renee

Posted: **Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:16 pm**

I guess nobody's in my only-lonely club. I'm really bummed out at this point that it hasn't gotten taken out yet. 1 year and a half and this darned thing needs to come off. It's making my life miserable and I was hoping that at least one person out there was part of my club

I must be the worst crowding case on this entire website

Oh well, maybe next month

Posted: **Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:30 pm**

I have won mine for 3 months now, hopefully ill get it off in 3 more months

ren, hang in there!

Posted: **Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:25 pm**

I never had an expander, as I had extractions instead, though expansion surgery was mentioned for me but fortunately wasn't necessary. But just posting here to give you some encouragement!! The expander got to come out someday, right??!! And think of the beautiful smile you will someday have!!

Posted: **Sat Feb 04, 2006 9:32 pm**

Well, I had my expander in for six months, then I had a break of about seven, and now I am getting a new one!!! Right now I have 3 spacers in because they have to re-fit bands and everything. It's terrible because I know FIRST-HAND how horrible it is to talk with that damn expander. At least you must have gotten your speech patterns down after one and a half years! About the crowding... I thought my crowding was horrible until I saw some pictures here. But then I see people with perfect teeth and I think my crowding is horrible, even after almost a year in braces. So just think, of the improvements you have made and those future improvements. Won't it be NICE when everything is out of your mouth except TEETH???

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:46 am**

thanks for the encouragement! It's hard to live w/this thing this long-but I agree w/sue from nj it has to come out someday! You're right-someday all of this will be taken out!!!! I just get so discouraged sometimes-esp. when I have bad days.

Marguerite did you say your going to be on your 2nd expander? OMG-hopefully the break wasn't that bad. we're part of the crowding club! I'm finally uncrowded but it took 1 1/2 yrs!

thanks again everyone,
Renee

Posted: **Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:58 pm**

I have both top and bottom expanders, and I have had them both for 10 months, and will probably have them until I am finished my treatment (a year to a year and a half). They are quite annoying, so I'm hoping that it will be worth it in the end!

Posted: **Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:43 pm**

I just got a top expander in yesterday, destined to come out in 3-4 months.

Posted: **Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:28 pm**

Hi ren,

Your orthodontist should have given you some timeframe for wearing the expander and if it is past the time, s/he should tell you why you have to wear it longer.

My orthodontist said I would have to wear my upper arch expander for 3-4 months before my braces are placed and will have to wear it for an additional 3-4 months after the braces are placed (to be sure everything is stabilized). If I have to wear it longer than that I'm sure he will tell me why, if not, I will ask - the two orthodontists in my office are so easy to talk to that I don't hesistate to ask questions - it makes going through the orthodontic treatment kind of pleasant. It's nice to see the orthodontic changes and learning alot at the same time.

Once you get some answers I'm sure you will no longer be as frustrated.

Good luck.

ssfw

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 10:07 am**

jaws -thanks for your post! It looks like you're kinda in the same situation as me. Someone else is in my club!!!

Has your orth told you if you have to wear headgear?? Cause I have a feeling when the expander comes off then I'll have to wear the headgear-but am too afraid to ask him cause I've heard headgear is aweful! Thanks again for you post

ssfw-my orth has never given me a timeframe from the beginning and still won't let me know if I'm over/under the timeframe. I honestly don't know why he's always withholding this information from me everytime I ask. I feel that I'm paying him $5,500 and he should give me an answer-it's too frustrating. He has told me why I need to wear it this long though-so at least I know that. He said if he takes it out or moves it up (so it isn't as much in the way) then it will "compromise the progress so far". I just try to hold onto the thought that when braces come off-no more everything except a retainer!!! You're always so helpful-thanks! I've also learned (the hard way) that I need to ask questions!!!

Renee

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:15 am**

I'll have to wear the headgear-but am too afraid to ask him cause I've heard headgear is aweful

I wear high pull headgear and have been since august 2005 and it was only supposed to be for 6 months, now it looks like it will be about a year before i am free of it. I dont like it but im supposed to wear it for 14 hours a day but i had soom good advice from a family friend who is a dentist who told me 8 hours would suffice. So ive been wearing it for 8 and today she commented on how good it was looking and that i must be wearing it alot. Oh well.

Yes it can be uncomfortable but its not that bad and my bf thinks that i look cute in it. Sleeping in it takes a little getting used to but now its okay. I hope you can avoid the headgear but if you get it, its not the end of the world.

Posted: **Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:52 am**

hey Dark_angel

thanks for the tips on the headgear....how would you compare the elastic pain to headgear pain?? Hopefully I can adjust to the sleeping with it-I have issues w/waking up in the middle of the night. thanks again. renee

Posted: **Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:09 pm**

Ren,
I thought I was the only one who had to put up with an expander for such a long time!

I'm in the same boat as you. I've had mine since September 2004, so it's exactly one and a half years.

I cannot wait to get rid of it, it's driving me crazy!!

Posted: **Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:14 am**

ren wrote:hey Dark_angel

thanks for the tips on the headgear....how would you compare the elastic pain to headgear pain??

Elastic pain is worse than the headgear pain. With the headgear only my back molars ache a little when i wake up but with the elastics its my whole mouth

Im sure that my teeth will gradually get used to having the elastics on them and i wont even notice them.

Posted: **Sat Feb 11, 2006 6:03 am**

ren wrote:jaws -thanks for your post! It looks like you're kinda in the same situation as me. Someone else is in my club!!! :D :D Has your orth told you if you have to wear headgear?? Cause I have a feeling when the expander comes off then I'll have to wear the headgear-but am too afraid to ask him cause I've heard headgear is aweful! Thanks again for you post :)

ssfw-my orth has never given me a timeframe from the beginning and still won't let me know if I'm over/under the timeframe. I honestly don't know why he's always withholding this information from me everytime I ask. I feel that I'm paying him $5,500 and he should give me an answer-it's too frustrating. He has told me why I need to wear it this long though-so at least I know that. He said if he takes it out or moves it up (so it isn't as much in the way) then it will "compromise the progress so far". I just try to hold onto the thought that when braces come off-no more everything except a retainer!!! You're always so helpful-thanks! I've also learned (the hard way) that I need to ask questions!!!

Renee

good morning, yep it seems that the orthodontist kinda know how an what your teeth should do , in my case expander was never talked about , but after months of trying to pull things with elastics an my darn long rooted teeth an expander was installed an the headgear is to be worn , i've been in headgear for ever an it realy don't bother me now , but haven to wear my headgear more now because of the expander pressure my headgear is needed more for pain relief i guess , i need 5 1/2 mm of movement with the expander est time to get that movement max 5 months will see , all aboard +=+=+=+=+=+=+== the braceland express , headgearjoe,

Metal Mouth Message Board

expander on 1 1/2 yrs & counting`

expander on 1 1/2 yrs & counting`

Encouragement!