Metal Mouth Message Board

I had my first ortho adjustment on Monday. At this appointment, I was really counting on hearing the words "let's take the expanders out in a few weeks".

Instead, I got "at your next appointment, we'll hopefully set up an appointment to get your expanders out at the next visit". I'm in Damons and will average 7 to 8 weeks between adjustments for the rest of this year. So, that means it will be the very end of August before we discuss the removal of them, and potentially late September or October before they are actually removed.

I am trying not to get frustrated, but I hate these things and the thought of having them in another 2+ months honestly makes me sick. For those of you that don't know, I have upper and lower expanders, so my situation is a bit worse than those that only had to have SARPE. Eating with two expanders and braces flat out sucks, and to be honest I hate eating!!!

Part of me wonders what the hell I need these in there for...Surgery was 5 months ago so I would think the bone has healed. I really don't get why I need to have them so much longer.

Anyway, sorry for the negative post but I really need to vent, and this is my outlet of people that truly understand what a blow this is.

Hope everybody else is doing well. I know it could be worse, and I should be happy things have already moved a lot in my first 8 weeks in braces.

-Chicago29

oh man I'm really sorry to hear that chicago! hope for your sake the rest of the time that you are in expanders flys by for you that way you can get rid of those pesky things. I can imagine how much harder it would be to eat with the expander in. I have a splint in right now that is holding my upper jaw together and its definetly a pain in the butt even though i can't chew at all right now so I can imagine how you are doing!

Chicago...That sucks... I have only had my expanders in for a month and am sooo looking forward to getting them both removed in Oct as expected. I don’t have my braces yet, but I will be in the same boat as you very soon!!!
Hopefully time fly’s for you!

I can feel your pain. They left my expander in for half year and even now, I have this wire thingy on my palate which hinders eating and speaking properly and I really hate it. Just try to endure, it will be worth it!

Really sorry to hear that chicago and I TOTALLY understand your frustrations. Although I'm not dealing with the expanders, I was supposed to get my braces off about 4 months after surgery. Well, it's now been over 5 months and yep, I'm still a metal mouth. The worst part is, I'll be ready to go in for another adjustment in 1 1/2 weeks, BUT the ortho is so busy they can't get me in until August 27!!!!!! Can I just say GRRRRR. Alright, sorry to use your post to vent my own anger, but the moral of the story is, you're not alone in the long frustrating post-surgery journey. Hang in there! It'll all be worth it in the end and soon everything will be just a memory...

Skitters...don't worry about piling on. One of the great things about this board is it is a place to throw a tantrum and know you are reaching people that TRULY UNDERSTAND. I know it sounds weird, but sometimes that means everything. Family and friends help of course, but it doesn't match talking with people that have been there with you.

Thanks everybody for their words of encouragement...I know I'm being a big baby and I know that it will all be worth it and that I'm almost "home" from surgery #1. I can already see such a difference from the way my mouth was before I started all of this. In fact, at the Orthodontist on Monday one of the assistants showed me my pictures before I started any treatment. I literally pushed the pictures away and said I don't want to look at them...I can't stand looking at the way things used to be, and a mouth full of expanders and braces beats that, no matter how much I swear at the expanders every day!!

Thanks again, everybody...

Funny actually my ortho showed me my old molds from before SARME and I was like holy hell my jaw looked like that? It looked totally bizarre. She was showing the assistant and they both agreed my teeth look amazing now and I will have fantastic results from my next surgery (which should be in December) which cheered me up a bit.

It's all about ups and downs, this game