Metal Mouth Message Board

My orthodontist said he was going to use an expander for my upper palate. I always thought this is what the SARPE surgery was for? I'm 26...has anyone used just the expander with good results? I'm just curious.

You'd think this would be a "settled question" by now, but it isn't. Controversy on the stability of adult expansion (especially without lifetime bonded retention) is ongoing. Some orthodontists (and studies) claim significant stable adult palatal expansion is possible, other studies show massive relapse over time after the archwires come off.

Personally, I think both groups may be suffering from at least some "selection bias." Since you can't do a double-blind study on something like orthodontics, the person selecting patients for treatment may select cases (unconsciously) to prove their point. An investigator that thinks it doesn't work may have looser approval criteria for entry into a study, while one that believes in adult expansion may exclude cases for the study (even ones they might ordinarily try to treat) that are marginal.

Nobody does this sort of thing on purpose, but it means it takes a LONG time for orthodontic practice to change, and there end up being a lot of "blind alleys".

As a layman, I'm guessing the answer is somewhere in the middle; some stable expansion may be possible without surgery, but other cases make surgery unavoidable. And it may depend on factors that are impossible to measure (at least non-invasively); for instance, bone thickness...

I've had my Quad Helix in now for roughly four months now and have seen an increase in my upper area of 5.5mm. Although this doesn't sound a lot, my ortho now says she isn't going to expand it any more and that she is happy with the expansion. In this sense I'd say they're successful

However I'm not allowed to have the quad out yet since, if they do, my ortho said my upper area might collapse...which wouldn't be so successful

I've heard of a few people having a Quad Helix, Corrinne is another on here, and I think they're relatively successful. Relapse however I cannot fully comment on I'm afraid

I'm so sorry I didn't realize I posted this question already! Agh! Sorry Archwired...

Thanks for the comments. AntWalkerCook, I think I've seen Corrine's blog. I might ask her some specific questions. My appointments for spacers and all of that don't start until October. I'm kind of in a weird limbo until then. I'm really anxious about the expander and eating.

[quote="kpw818"]I'm so sorry I didn't realize I posted this question already! Agh! Sorry Archwired...

Thanks for the comments. AntWalkerCook, I think I've seen Corrine's blog. I might ask her some specific questions. My appointments for spacers and all of that don't start until October. I'm kind of in a weird limbo until then. I'm really anxious about the expander and eating.[/quote]

You'll get used to it The main problem I found with mine was actually speaking, need a week of repeating 's' words to make your speech better

Keep in mind that the key isn't expansion achieved over the course of treatment. (As in, stories here of "I got x mm of expansion in y months!" here are interesting to read, but not a good basis for a decision.) The only useful measure of expansion, especially adult expansion, is how much of the expansion remains 5 and 10 years down the road. ALL expansion (even surgical expansion) relapses to some degree.

[quote="kpw818"]My orthodontist said he was going to use an expander for my upper palate. I always thought this is what the SARPE surgery was for? I'm 26...has anyone used just the expander with good results? I'm just curious. [/quote]
Theres a person on here (HeadgearJoe) who said he achieved 1/4'' WITHOUT surgery and hes 49!!! There is hope!!

Just an update: I've been in the expander since 11/19. I was told to stop turning around 12/18. I did achieve a small amount of expansion and a gap, but I think my teeth were tipping. It may be due to the type of expander used (I had a hyrax). My understanding is that there can be some expansion achieved during surgery.