For those of you that were NOT braced before SARPE

Message

#1 Post by **chicago29** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:52 pm

Hi,

I have a question for all of you that had SARPE done and you were NOT yet braced.

How long post-op did you go before you were finally braced?

I just talked to my Ortho today, and my banding date has been set as the first week in May, and even then it will only be the upper teeth. That will be just about 3 complete months post-op.

That just seems like a long time to me, and I was wondering what others' experiences are. I realize every case is different, so I know I can't necessarily draw from others but it will be nice information to know.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Regards
Chicago29

#2 Post by **crazybeautiful** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:19 pm

6 whole months

#3 Post by **crazybeautiful** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:21 pm

* I had tops and bottoms on at the same time, though + I wore the TPA until only a couple of months ago. Forgot to add

#4 Post by **sauerkraut** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:48 pm

7.5 months. Top & bottom. Is that a record

??

#5 Post by **chicago29** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:38 pm

WOW! Maybe I'm not as bad as I thought.

Sauerkraut and Crazybeautiful, do you have any insight into why it took so long for you guys to get banded? Was there something your OS and/or Orthodontist mentioned as to why there was so much time from the SARPE?

As I said I was under the impression most patients are often braced 1.5 to 2 months post-op.

Thanks Much,
Chicago29

#6 Post by **K Willie** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:33 pm

Hey Chicago29. I know your question was just for the folks that had the surgery before they had their braces. I guess I am kind of in the middle. I have the braces on both top and bottom but, the bottoms are the only ones that have the arch wire. All I have on the top are the brackets, no wire. I guess my Ortho thought it would help me during the adjustment to everything. I did ask him during my last visit how long it would be before we atarted to bring everything back together on the top and he said it could be 4 to 6 months. I assume that the palate has to have time to heal after the expansion before they put much pressure on it. I may change my mind but as of now, I want to make sure that everything is stable before they install the top arch wire and start moving teeth around. The thought of another surgery at the expense of my impatience would make me want to slit my wrist.

Hang in there man.

#7 Post by **sauerkraut** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 4:49 am

hi chicago29, yes I think kwillie's right: the ortho just wants to be sure everything's healed up properly and that the bone has re-formed to fill the gap. I think in my case I had a bit more of a "hole" in my palate than usual, because as well as the expansion they had to remove a ridge of excess bony growth (which had formed at the join when my palate fused, however many years ago).

Plus my ortho is super-cautious. He said right at the beginning that the expander would have to stay in "at least 3 months" after the op, and every time I saw him after that he kept adding a bit to be on the safe side. He wanted the expander out before he fitted the brackets (no idea why, sorry!) so I just had to wait... and wait!

And don't worry kwillie: however frustrated you might get when the time comes I doubt very much your ortho will let you push him into premature action. I think orthos must take a course in resisting impatient patients

PS congratulations on the banding date, by the way, chicago 29

#8 Post by **crazybeautiful** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:08 am

Again I think my ortho didn't want to put the braces on with the expander still in my mouth. And she wanted to keep the expander in for quite a while!

I was wondering perhaps there is more caution when the expansion is quite big? But I don't know how much you guys expanded. Mine was 10mm, anyway

I had the TPA in for about 8 months, too..!

#9 Post by **shari** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:39 am

I had my SARPE on Sept 15, 08. Had my upper braces installed on December 2, 08 and lowers on March 18, 09 (expander removed). My ortho's reason for the delay was to make sure everything healed nicely. Also I could not imagine dealing with the pressure of the braces any sooner after the surgery.

Shari

#10 Post by **badbite** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:09 am

I had SARPE in Jan and didn't gt my tops until May. My ortho wanted to wait until the expander was out. I got my bottoms I think four months after that. It seemed long at the time, but now I am starting to forget. Oh just look at my sig. Now I am already approaching my second surgery, scary!

#11 Post by **chicago29** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:41 am

These stories are very helpful, and definitely put me at ease that my doctors are doing the right thing. It is hard to have your teeth such a mess, as mine are moving every which way since they have all this new space. The spaces are not as bad as they were right after expansion, but let's just say I don't like to smile right now...

Also, my front teeth still feel loose and are very hard to use in chewing, so I just think the longer it is for the braces, the longer I have to go before my teeth feel "stable" again.

Patience is a virtue!! Thanks again for everybody's input.

-Chicago29

#12 Post by **K Willie** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:50 pm

Hey I just thought of something else. When I said that I had my top brackets I forgot to mention that i have 14 teeth on top and just 8 of them have the bracket for the arch wire. The two back teeth and #4 dont have brackets and #3 does.. I think this is becase of the RPE cant be installed when all of the teech have the brackets. It is all making sense not.

1. surgery
2. Expansion, drooling, bleeding, ect,
3. healing
4. orthodontics.

Does that sound right?? If you are lucky!!!!

#13 Post by **overseasmel** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:10 am

8 months!!!

#14 Post by **overseasmel** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:11 am

Ooops I can't count - 7 months!

#15 Post by **sauerkraut** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:53 am

You had me worried for a minute there, overseasemel. I thought you'd beaten my record

(PS If I win this contest do I get a prize?)