SARPE Surgery

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#526 Post by **Selims** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 7:28 pm

4beauty4symmetry,

The oral leakage was something that caught me by surprise. I wasn't really prepared for it (i.e. I wasn't warned), which made it seem worse. After a few weeks it went, all that was left was a slight speech impediment. It really differs from person how quickly you adjust. If you read through the pages on this site, you don't see too many people complaining about this aspect of SARPE. I guess it also depends on what you do for a living, I talk a lot, so it was an unexpected hindrance. As I say, after about 2 weeks it was not really noticeable.

Selims

Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:24 am

Hi Selims,

Appreciate the response.

I did read everthing on this board that combined "sarpe" with "saliva"
which is one reason I wrote in. It looks like it took brandyleigh's mouth only two to three days to stop generating saliva, whereas with you it took two weeks!

I had my appliance in for a day and realized how intrusive it was, and that it meant starting a liquid diet even before the surgery--how long was it before you could eat somewhat normally?

I'm kinda floored my ortho didn't tell me any of this--just "oh your mouth will adjust." I'm self-pay, and fewer and fewer people are getting this kind of orthognathic ortho work done nowadays because insurance won't pay for it, so maybe he was afraid I wouldn't go thru w/ it if he told me. . . ?

Daphne

#528 Post by **Delag** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:58 am

I don' have an answer to you question, but thought I would pop in to tell you that my ortho believes dr. Wolford to be one of the best. He sends his very complicated cases to him, and I don't imagine he would take any but the best on as students. I am glad to hear you have found a great doctor in Latin America! Many people can't believe that you can find very good medical care down here. I have found care here to have a much more 'human' feel - JMO. May I ask how much you will be charged for your SARPE? I was quoted close to $7500 USD, but that is with the best (ie expensive) in my area of Mexico - not too different from the USA.

Fri Nov 17, 2006 12:37 pm

My SARPE will cost me 3500, including everything (tests, anaesthesia, etc). If I wanted to stay overnight in the hospital it would cost much more, but I think the less time one spends in the hospital, the better one's chances of emerging from a surgery infection-free.

Costa Rica has the best public health care system in central, and possibly latin america.

I consulted with this oms, Dr. Oscar Reiche Fischel, back in May. He has a very modern office, spent time w/ me showing me several before and after photos, and did that anatomical drawing tracings thingie showing the positioning.

I have an underbite and cross bite. After I wear the SARPE for hopefully no longer than a few months, I will have braces for hopefully no longer than a year to year and a half. Then I will need surgery on my upper and lower jaw. This will cost me 6k, all-inclusive--except of course, air fare and accomodation.

Had a lot of dental work done in Costa Rica last May. 10 cavities filled, two of them front teeth composite, plus exam and cleaning.

Cost me $530, and the best part was it was all done in one afternoon. Sat there about 3 hours straight.

The dentist who worked on me went to school at Boston University Dental School, whose teaching clinic I had gone to in the past. He and his asst wore gloves, mask, sterilized equipment, everything modern, etc etc.

I have become an evangelist for dental care in Costa Rica. Think I might get Lasik eye surgery done next time I go there--1700 for both eyes, exam included. The eye doctor is the brother of the dentist I just spoke of.

My own orthodontist rolled his eyes when I informed he I was going to Costa Rica for this surgery, and other health care professionals I've consulted with have been skeptical at my reports of the excellence of the dental care. Makes me want to throttle their smug selves.

#530 Post by **Selims** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 4:00 pm

4beauty4symmetry,

Eating was never really a problem for me (except after the op, obviously) but the expander didn't interfere with my eating.

I presume that the saliva response has to do with the shape of your palate. Also, I felt that my expander didn't fit very well, it was far from my palate ... which I think was the reason for the 2 week adjustment until the oral spraying stopped (but then who knows).

In truth, when I think back on it now, the time flies. When I was going through it I didn't think it would end.

Obviously, if you think that there is an issue, keep digging for information (I didn't find this site until I was 5 months into a horrible experience with my ortho - who didn't want to take the expander out for another 6 months ... a year with the expander, now that was ridiculous), but I wouldn't be too concerned for now.

Selims

#531 Post by **Delag** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 7:18 pm

That is very cool 4beauty! I am so glad you have had a positive experience. The best will be when your ortho sees what a bang up job you had done. I can't believe how inexpensive your surgery will be - if I didn't have two little ones to take care of I might just join you down there

Do you speak Spanish? I am sure you can get by as so many people speak English, but it is a help.

Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:21 pm

No, don't speak English--but my OMS in Costa Ric does. Still it would be a help to know a few words for when I'm in the recovery room at the hospital--you just reminded me to try to pick up a spanish phrasebook or costa rican spanish phrasebook.

Think it's a very easy country to get around in for non-native speakers--found "Ticans" unaccountably friendly and hospitable to us Americans, something that puzzled me considering how many Americans go there to party and buy real estate. I've been to Mexico a few times, Costa Rica is easier to get around in.

I feel quite lucky. My understanding is these two proceedures would have come to about 30k here in the US, tho it may be Boston, where I live, is more expensive than other parts of the country.

But I feel real lucky about the dental care. Hate the way going to the Dentist can be a part-time job. . .

If anyone else has anything to offer re: how long it took for them to stop salivating up a storm upon wearing the Sarpe appliance, feel free to chime in. My trip to Costa Rica needs to be scheduled around the wearing of this appliance, and my life needs to be scheduled to accomodate non-stop drooling--but for how many days? Sounds like it might depend on the shape of my palate--or maybe I should just assume three days, and begin wearing it five days before my surgery.

Jenn

#533 Post by **Greenidgurl** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 6:11 pm

Just wanted to let you in on my progress:

Before - This was right after I got bottom banded in mid-March this year.

After being expanded all the way - serious "ugly duckling" phase (May 21, 2006)... looks painful now I see it after the fact!

This is me today... still have a severe underbite and I'll be doing jaw surgery early 2007, but things are looking MUCH better.

Closed mouth view - you can see how off things are in terms of alignment still.

Crazy, huh???

#534 Post by **chopchop** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:28 pm

Hi, im new to this board, although ive read all the 37 pages of this sarpe thread. I had SARME (sarpe) on november 24th and found it to be no big deal, no pain, only a bit of swelling and numbness, and i feel pretty much back to normal a week and a half later. I am turning the RPE once per day for 20 days, which seems a bit more slower and drawn out then everyone else. I've done 6 turns and was wondering when should i expect to notice a gap?, as there isnt much to see atm. Also, my top middle lip is kind of droopy which means i look weird when i smile, has this happened to anyone else?

#535 Post by **chopchop** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 4:18 am

anyone?

#536 Post by **Selims** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:16 pm

Chopchop,

I think everyone's experience is slightly different. The only thing that seems common to all is that most people are happy with the end result.

I turned the key on the rpe twice in the morning and twice in the evening for 15 days. The gap appeared on day one, and got LARGE. I am not sure why some oral surgeons go slower than others, it may have something to do with the different reasons for the procedure.

I didn't have any issues with my lips.

It will be over before you know it!
Selims

Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:15 pm

Nobody has even mentioned an upcoming gap to me. Just go my RPE appliance yesterday, sugery next Thurs. After that I start the twice a day turning.

Think I'm going to finally lose weight. Eating is such a chore because of this thing that I'm going to be doing it mininally.

Had to cut an apple into little pieces today.Looking to buy toothpicks to clean out my appliance after meals. No spinach for four months. I was on the phone with lab today trying to say I need PPT tests--took four tries before they understood me.

Jenn

I will stop drooling soon, right?

#538 Post by **overseasmel** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:42 pm

Hehe yep you'll stop drooling in a short while.

(Unless some incredibly hot person walks by)

#539 Post by **jma295psu** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:54 pm

Attempting to share my progress pic...I am now two weeks post op with about one more week of expansion before I see the ortho again.

I am really hoping he will say on Thursday that I am done with the expansion process. My gap seems large enough to me, but I am not the ortho.

As for eating and such, the Ensure is still nice to have around as some days are worse than others. My stitches are slowly starting to come out now, so I have random sore spots as the stitches leave and the skin has to finish healing. I am eating about one meal a day. The Ensure allows me to get the calories and such that I need for the healing process and for energy without wasting so much energy trying to chew food.

That's all for now on my end. Hope all is going well for everyone else!

Jean

#540 Post by **overseasmel** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:57 pm

Hey Jean

You seemed to have expanded nicely! Here's hoping you get to stop soon. Watching that gap at the front close up is a nice reward after all that turning and surgery fun.

Mel

Metal Mouth Message Board

SARPE Surgery

Saliva

Kat's SARPE before and afters