Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi I am new here and will be having SARPE. I don't have a date yet, since I had to switch my insurance plan.
I do have a question, does everyone get a gap in the front teeth and nose bleeds? I don't remeber the os saying anything about it.

Thanks, Jessica

I had sarpe on 11/13/06. Yes you will get a gap but the size varies. I got an 8.5 mm gap but I think it was Brandy that didn't get a large gap. I didn't have any problems with nosebleeds after about 6 hours. I had an NG tube which may not have been mentioned. It goes down your nose to your stomach to pump out blood. That was by far the worst part but I only had that tube for 12 hours.

there is a great thread on sarpe and also you need to check out some of the blogs. They are a wealth of information.
Kim

Hey Jessica,
You will get a gap, but how bid just depends. I only got a 3mm gap and I gained 9mm of space in my palate. Most it seems are a bit larger though. Never had any bleeding at all once getting home from surgery, and no nosebleeds. A lot depends I think on how your doctor performs the surgery and how skilled he or she is at it.

I blogged my whole experience from beginning to end with lots of pics. You can check it out.....just click on the blog link below and go to the March archive on the right hand side. Then scroll all the way to the bottom and work your way up. I think it starts like 2 days before my SARPE. Anyway....good luck to you! It really isn't near as bad as you imagine it to be.

Brandy

Hi Jessica - I just found this blog the other day that also is a SARPE case... http://shontelly.blogspot.com/
Welcome aboard - hope you have nothing but smooth sailing.

I just had a Lefort 1 and Sarpe done last wednesday. My nose starting bleeding just before i left the hospital. it would just start and stop on its own it did that for a few hours after I got home and that was it- at the hospital they gave me gauze and tape to make a " moustache dressing" to catch the blood. I just starting turning the key last night- there is a little, little gap. The size depends on the person and how much expansion you need. But it should close up quick afterword--- being ugly for a few weeks is a small price to pay. I hate my "before" teeth anyway. Just think of how nice your smile will be afterwords.

Hi everybody!
I am new to this site also. I too will have to under go the upper and lower jaw surgery and I must say that I was not that scared reading about it until I watched the you tube link-OUCH!!!!!!!! I am scared to death now. But I know that it is necessary. I have no clue when I will actually have my surgery b/c I am changing insurance company's to one that will pay for it. Until then I am in the pallate expander and it is not fun. Not that it hurts but it is extremely difficult to eat and to put that little rod in the hole to turn it.
I will continue to read everyone's post. This is an informative site.
Thanks

Thanks for the advice and I will definitely keep the visusal images to a minimum. I will be on here alot. I need to read everybodies post and look at the other links that were given. I am doing alot of pre-op reading also. I want to be well informed.

kristiano8, you had Lefort 1 AND Sarpe at the same time? I didn't know that was possible. I should have both of those in the future, and my ortho told me it was impossible to do both at the same time. Was your Lefort an impaction, an advancement, a lowering or what?

Depending on the issues in your mouth you can have what is called a 2 or 3 piece Lefort 1, where they actually go in and separate your maxilla in 2 or three pieces. Thus if they do a 2 piece they can expand at the same time.

Sometimes it not do-able though depending on what needs to be accomplished.

I had SARPE, and will be having a 1 piece Lefort 1, along with lower jaw advancement and genio on May 24th.

Brandy