SARPE Surgery

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#556 Post by **jma295psu** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:51 am

Hey Everyone!!!

Just wanted to post a little update on my progress. I am slightly concerned as the ortho told me on 3/1 that he wanted me to expand more. I have not turned the key since mid-December.

So, I have been in much pain since Thursday. I spent most of the weekend in bed as my mouth was just throbbing. I never hurt this bad during the first round of expansion. They took my archwire away and everything and I have to call after 7 turns to tell the ortho about my gap. Apparently, I have to measure it and then tell him how much space I have gained. Although, that's only a measurement at the front gumline....

Not so comfortable with the way things are going right now. I am trying to trust the ortho, but it's getting harder.

Anyway, hope all is going well for the rest of you guys

Jean

Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:51 am

Jean,
How not cool was that. I hope that your reexpansion is short. I would insist that the ortho ties off your expander when you finish.

Kim

#558 Post by **jma295psu** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:08 pm

Hey, guys!

Well, as of today, I am tentatively done with my reexpansion process. I am back to just over 5 mm between my two front teeth. (First it was 8.5, then down to 3, now back to 5 btw) Man, I definitely didn't miss the feeling of my lowers hitting metal, my jaw feeling loose, or the sores on my tongue from the expanders wires that go to my canines. My poor tongue is screaming right now, and I can't even think about what to eat for dinner. I guess it's a good thing I don't mind Ensure...

This definitely hasn't helped my semester at school either. I just finished bombing a midterm worth 1/3 of my grade as I couldn't concentrate no matter how hard I tried. I just feel like someone punched me in the mouth.

Hope everyone is doing well with the braces progress and the upcoming surgeries I have seen posted from a few members.

Jean

#559 Post by **mia22** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:05 am

Hi Everyone!!

#560 Post by **mia22** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:06 am

Hi Everyone!!

Well I finally posted pictures today

I have about 6weeks of braces left, at that time I will be finishing my implant and having my front two teeth and right lateral tooth either bonded or veneered. Everytime I think I'm done it's like I have to throw another $5K into my mouth. Insurance is not covering any of this next part... that stinks but they are saying it's cosmetic. I figure it I went through the whole SARPE procedure and throw the implant procedure, then I will finish with PERFECT teeth... i mean seriously... i didn't come all this way for them to be "ok"

Jean,

I'm so sorry that you had to reexpand!! WOW, and right in the middle of midterms! That has to be rough!! I went through my expansion toward the end of my semester last year so I understand how hard it is... luckily a year will fly by and you can kinda forget the pain a little

Good luck!!!

Brandy,

I'm so sorry I didn't post sooner! I know you have your second surgery soon and I hope all goes well!! I always check your blog and I wish I had kept up with mine this whole time... I'm just glad i documented the gap process as that was the most difficult phase for me! I finally posted some new pics today so when u get back on-line you can finally see an update! You're son is quite lucky and soon enough you will be done and it will be worth it. I keep telling myself that too! It's funny that I have like 6wks left and it feels like the 6wks is going SOOOOO slow compared to the year I've alreayd gone through!!

Good luck with the surgery! I'll keep you in my prayers!!

Hope everyone else is well!!

ciao
Mia
xoxo

#561 Post by **mia22** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:07 am

Hi Everyone!!

Well I finally posted pictures today

I have about 6weeks of braces left, at that time I will be finishing my implant and having my front two teeth and right lateral tooth either bonded or veneered. Everytime I think I'm done it's like I have to throw another $5K into my mouth. Insurance is not covering any of this next part... that stinks but they are saying it's cosmetic. I figure it I went through the whole SARPE procedure and throw the implant procedure, then I will finish with PERFECT teeth... i mean seriously... i didn't come all this way for them to be "ok"

Jean,

I'm so sorry that you had to reexpand!! WOW, and right in the middle of midterms! That has to be rough!! I went through my expansion toward the end of my semester last year so I understand how hard it is... luckily a year will fly by and you can kinda forget the pain a little

Good luck!!!

Brandy,

I'm so sorry I didn't post sooner! I know you have your second surgery soon and I hope all goes well!! I always check your blog and I wish I had kept up with mine this whole time... I'm just glad i documented the gap process as that was the most difficult phase for me! I finally posted some new pics today so when u get back on-line you can finally see an update! You're son is quite lucky and soon enough you will be done and it will be worth it. I keep telling myself that too! It's funny that I have like 6wks left and it feels like the 6wks is going SOOOOO slow compared to the year I've alreayd gone through!!

Good luck with the surgery! I'll keep you in my prayers!!

Hope everyone else is well!!

ciao
Mia
xoxo

#562 Post by **spayurpets** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:12 pm

I was thinking I might just print up flyers explaining what I am doing and handing them out when I start getting questions

LOL

#563 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:20 pm

Hey Mia,
Your teeth look fabulous! I posted on your blog comments, but man...they look soo good!

I'm so happy for you!

Brandy

#564 Post by **soulaghra** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:53 am

I'm not sure if anyone has posted this website yet, but it is so fantastic! Really excellent source of information. Thinking back, it sounds like my ortho was reading straight off this website, except this is better because it includes pictures!
http://www.orthonj.com/rpe.html#expect

#565 Post by **mia22** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 5:00 pm

Thanks Brandy!! It feels like just yesterday we were both in this weird place about to get this thing called "SARPE" and now you're half way done and i'm just about done... we've both been through a great deal, and you have a little bit more left, but it will be SOOO worth all the years we'll get out of it!!

I won't be on for a while, but i'll keep you in my prayers

#566 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 6:25 pm

Hey Mia,
If for some reason you come back I wanted to ask you if you have an email address. There was another girl looking to talk to you regarding her teeth the other day and I told her I had no way of knowing how to get ahold of you. Do you have an email you could post on your blog?

Brandy

#567 Post by **mia22** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:57 pm

Hi Brandy,

If someone wants to send me an email, you can send it to mia22mia@yahoo.com

Let me know if you need anything

xoxo
mia

#568 Post by **Selims** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:52 am

How did your ortho close the spaces following the expansion? Could as many of you reply as possible so I get a sense of the "standard procedure".

The reason that I ask is that my ortho is closing the spaces tooth by tooth, whereas in many of the postings you talk about your ortho using a "chain" closing many teeth over at once. They have been closing my teeth over for 9 months now and I face another 6 to 9 months of this snails pace.

Looking forward to your replies. Thanks in advance.

#569 Post by **wardenclyffe** » Tue May 29, 2007 9:49 pm

Hi,

This is my very first post, but I've been reading the board for the past two weeks from the very beginning messages on. I will confess that I could not get to all of them so this question has probably been answered.

I had my SARPE today at one pm. It seemed to go off without a hitch. I'm very much awake and hope to make it to midnight so I can take my second penicillin tablet.

I mostly feel fine and have not taken a pain pill. But swallowing really hurts. I don't know if they put a tube down my throat during the procedure and my doctor stuck around long enough to see me wake up, but not long enough for me to really recover enough to ask questions. I'm spitting pink saliva (which is probably good) simply because swallowing hurts but the rest of my mouth (where they actually cut) is not so bad.

I'm swollen (no surprise), but the swelling seems to come from wounds on the inside of my cheeks. I don't think the surgeon did any deliberate cutting there. It seems more like he maybe used my cheeks for leverage and really tore up the insides on the brackets of the expanders. It's not even comfortable to put ice on it because that just digs the brackets back into the wounds in the cheeks. I'm not really complaining that much. I am not miserable. If I could swallow instead of running to the sink to spit all the time, I'd be a poster child for post-SARPE. at least 7 hours post-SARPE.

This board has been very helpful to me in outlining what to expect. Thank you all,
Ward

#570 Post by **wardenclyffe** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:50 pm

thanks for the welcome. i'm fighting to stay awake another hour and 15 minutes. I will take some OTC ibuprofen before going to bed. My sister-in-law claims that ibuprofen helps reduce swelling. She is an Occupational Therapist. I will also take my 2nd penicillin pill and I have some sort of prescription mouthwash that I'm supposed to use before bed and first thing in the morning. I will attempt to use that, as well. My left cheek is a little swollen, but my right one is out of control. Only real pain is in the big cheek and the joint between the upper and lower jaw on the same side and swallowing---also on the right. None of the pain is constant. Only when swallowing or touching the cheek or moving the jaw around. I'm doing a lot of sitting quietly.

Thanks for keeping me awake,
Ward

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