SARPE Survivor

[megster]

Hey Everyone!! I wish I would have found this board before my surgery. I have enjoyed reading everyones stories/questions all the information has been wonderful.

I'm 25 and I had SARPE on October 16th they also removed my wisdom teeth (all 4). The surgery went very well it took an hour and a half. I think I was in the recovery room for a few hours. When I started to wake up my tongue was introduced to my new friend I call RPE. That thing sucks!!

Recovery went well the first week until I had to start turning the key. My OS had me go into his office and he showed me how to turn it. I was required to turn the key two times a day. The second week started off kind of scarey when I had a bloody nose and then it started coming out my mouth. But when I spoke with my OS he said that is normal, I wish I would have known that before it happened.

I'm glad I had the surgery. No regrets! The only thing that is not so great is my self-esteem because of the gap between my front teeth. I'm at 10mm right now and the gap between my front teeth is like 9mm. I keep asking my ortho if there is anything he can do and he handed me some wax to put between my teeth.

I took a month off from work for my surgery because I'm a trainer for a large company and when I talk it sounds like I have a mouth full of food. So my month is almost over and this gap between my teeth is getting bigger and bigger. I can't return to work the way I look. Any advice??

[Brandyleigh35]

Hey Megstar,
Wish I had some great advice to give you. Wax is about all you can do. If you warm it up real good, and press it on from behind, you can shape it pretty well to fill the gap. Most people will not notice when you are talking with it there. I expanded 9mm and was lucky I did not get a huge gap (my teeth have separation anxiety and don't like being apart LOL) But the gap I did get was large enough and made me feel rather unsightly and self conscious. I have learned through this whole process that you really just need to learn to love your gap. As soon as you have reached where you need to be and your doctor starts closing the space, it won't take long for it to close up. It really is a relatively short amount of time you will have it (in the big scheme of things) and the end results will totally make it worth it. I have talked with lots of people, and have several others who have had SARPE listed on my blog. Wax is about it for cosmetlcally hiding it....I can tell you that you are far more self conscious about it and notice much more than others will. MIA had a big gap for quite awhile and she said she became expert at hiding it with the wax, and that even her really close friends didn't notice til she pointed it out to them. I had not thought about pushing it on from behind until she suggested it, but did find it to work pretty well until my dr could start closing it up. Sorry!

Brandy

[jsenigaglia]

No worries about the gap! I had one too, but your braces will take care of that in no time. Just grin and bear it Its not as noticeable as you think... Its just you getting used to a new face you havent seen!

Good luck with the rest of your recovery

Joe

[lemonlyme]

i love you guys. lol.

I didn't have sarpe but i have an expander and a huge gap in my front teeth, i use wax to disguise it too!!!! I'm SO happy i'm not the only one!!! Soon hopefully i wont have to cus i'm getting my wire on top, we'll see!!1

[csblackburn]

A great friend of mine had a SARPE a year ago and will be undergoing Orthognathic Surgery in the new year. I know how much she hated the Expander (or Ekthpander, as she called it) and the pain that it was. Including the gap, how the expander would chew up her tongue, the food that would get caught on it and how it made her talk. The amazing thing is that after the expansion was done, it didn't take long for the gap to close at all. In fact, they had to put braces on early to avoid the gap closing too quickly.

If you are interested, she's been keeping a blog and you can check back on everything she went through - including pictures. Her blog is at http://www.hurricaneweb.net/amy . I know she would love answering any questions you may have.

Cary

[phil]

Megster,

I had SARPE in late July. My gap closed pretty quickly, although I had only 6mm expansion.

Hang in there, and don't let the cross-eyed stares bug you! Before you know it your gap will be closed.

[megster]

Thanks for all the great ideas and information. I'm glad there are people out there that can relate to what I'm going through.

I went to my ortho on Tuesday the 14th and we stopped turning the key. YEAH!!!!! Now I just hope that my front teeth start moving together. So far it has been a couple of days since I have turned the key and my teeth haven't moved at all. I do not have braces on yet, my ortho said he wants the expander to sit in my mouth for a month so new bone can form. I asked if we could put braces on and have the expander and he said that if we rush things and my front teeth move together to fast they can fall out because there is no bone there to support them. I can't have that happen.

So he is making me a retainer thing that will have a fake tooth in it. I don't know what's worse having a gap or having 3 front teeth. But I have to go back to work soon and the gap between my front teeth is around 11-12mm that is a lot!!

I just try to keep my attitude positive but some days are really hard.

[megster]

Well here it is...I think I have everyone beat for the biggest gap.