Welcome na2r4,
I'm glad this board was helpful to you. I'd love to take some credit for it, but you had your surgery before I started posting.
I'm also glad to hear things are going well with you. It sounds like a complicated case.
I wish I knew how quickly your gap should completely close. I had my surgery the last day of May. A week later I started expanding for only 8 days. I expanded 8mm. My gap has closed significantly, but not completely yet. It seems to depend on so many factors: how much you expanded, how quickly you are prone to healing naturally, when you get your braces, how (or if) your OD uses the braces to to close the gap, where your teeth were to begin with, etc.
I was told I'd wear the expander for 3-6 months. Last appt was at three months and I clearly was not ready. Hopefully next month, but I'm prepared now for the full six months. I've lost lots of weight and when people ask me how, I always say that my weight loss solution is to have someone break my face.
Here's to your continued progress.
Ward
SARPE Surgery
Moderator: bbsadmin
Thank u wardenclyffe for the very warm welcome.
Lol! My ortho does call me just that "complicated case"!! However, when i go for check ups, he's always pleasantly suprised, so thats a good thing! Lol!!! So u were spot on. I actually started expanding they day after my surgery, my OS had turned it twice while i was still in the OR, They were just very slightly overlapped on the bottom corner pre-op, but that night i got home after the surgery & saw a slit already. I had my top braces put in a month later. I think I heal very quickly, my body really does seem to take care of me. Everybody around me can be dropping like flies, but i'm usually still standing (m'A)! Lol!
I don't think my ortho is closing my gap at the moment though, I guess he's trying to get those teeth from my palate into the designated spots. One tooth is almost there, next time I go he should be breaking my spring (the one he used to push both teeth on either side of the palate teeth apart) in half & attatching a bracket to the farthest back tooth (now, that folks is the only really uncomfortable part, wow! Does it make u're toes curl!! Only for a second though! Lol!). Once those are in their places they should further push my front teeth together. I think only then will he put on powerchains, if need be.
I do wish every1 the best with this & hope they recover as fast as i did. I wonder if there is any1 on here who's case is very similar to mine?
Lol! My ortho does call me just that "complicated case"!! However, when i go for check ups, he's always pleasantly suprised, so thats a good thing! Lol!!! So u were spot on. I actually started expanding they day after my surgery, my OS had turned it twice while i was still in the OR, They were just very slightly overlapped on the bottom corner pre-op, but that night i got home after the surgery & saw a slit already. I had my top braces put in a month later. I think I heal very quickly, my body really does seem to take care of me. Everybody around me can be dropping like flies, but i'm usually still standing (m'A)! Lol!
I don't think my ortho is closing my gap at the moment though, I guess he's trying to get those teeth from my palate into the designated spots. One tooth is almost there, next time I go he should be breaking my spring (the one he used to push both teeth on either side of the palate teeth apart) in half & attatching a bracket to the farthest back tooth (now, that folks is the only really uncomfortable part, wow! Does it make u're toes curl!! Only for a second though! Lol!). Once those are in their places they should further push my front teeth together. I think only then will he put on powerchains, if need be.
I do wish every1 the best with this & hope they recover as fast as i did. I wonder if there is any1 on here who's case is very similar to mine?
Wanted to post pics, so that u can see my lovely expansion.
Upper 2 weeks 3 days post-op.
Lower 2 weeks post-op.
Inside of mouth 2 wks post-op
4 weeks 3 days post-op (notice how the centrals are not level at all, this happened after SARPE, but has now been corrected)
After removal of #21 & 27 Aug 5th 07
Sept 6th 07, going to be moving those 2 bottom front teeth back behind the top.
I do have braces on the bottom side teeth now, not on the front 4 though. He is rotating those canines & then moving them back, they have power chains attached to them right now & I have a lovely bumper (lip guard) across my front teeth. he will then go on to move those front 4 teeth back. (The only teeth on my whole bottom jaw that are just outside my top jaw are the front 2 teeth, so due to these, I am still a class III, hopefully not for much longer! Woo-hoo!!!) Will update with a picture once i see some significant movement there.
Upper 2 weeks 3 days post-op.
Lower 2 weeks post-op.
Inside of mouth 2 wks post-op
4 weeks 3 days post-op (notice how the centrals are not level at all, this happened after SARPE, but has now been corrected)
After removal of #21 & 27 Aug 5th 07
Sept 6th 07, going to be moving those 2 bottom front teeth back behind the top.
I do have braces on the bottom side teeth now, not on the front 4 though. He is rotating those canines & then moving them back, they have power chains attached to them right now & I have a lovely bumper (lip guard) across my front teeth. he will then go on to move those front 4 teeth back. (The only teeth on my whole bottom jaw that are just outside my top jaw are the front 2 teeth, so due to these, I am still a class III, hopefully not for much longer! Woo-hoo!!!) Will update with a picture once i see some significant movement there.
Welcome na2r4!
Those pictures are great. Isn't it amazing how fast the changes come. I had my surgery June 1st, the day after Ward. We are actually on a pretty similiar schedule. The one big difference has been, my Ortho. has me using a power chain. It could be because I have been asking for one since the day I stopped expanding. He finally put a small one on my two front teeth August 14th and it helped with the gap considerably. It's mostly closed except for the very top by my gumline.
My next surgery will be a Lefort I to correct an open/over bite. Not the same as yours but, we can still support each other just the same.
Take care and I'll hopefully chat with you soon.
I know I need to post some updated pics.
Michelle
Those pictures are great. Isn't it amazing how fast the changes come. I had my surgery June 1st, the day after Ward. We are actually on a pretty similiar schedule. The one big difference has been, my Ortho. has me using a power chain. It could be because I have been asking for one since the day I stopped expanding. He finally put a small one on my two front teeth August 14th and it helped with the gap considerably. It's mostly closed except for the very top by my gumline.
My next surgery will be a Lefort I to correct an open/over bite. Not the same as yours but, we can still support each other just the same.
Take care and I'll hopefully chat with you soon.
I know I need to post some updated pics.
Michelle
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science teacher
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:31 pm
- Location: kansas
sarpe
Most of you currently reading this thread won't know me. I had SARPE on 11/23/06. I wore the expander until May and then had a TPA placed which will be coming out on the 25th. So I've had something on the roof of my mouth for 10 months.
I expanded 8.5mm in 4 weeks. My gap closed with the help of powerchains on June 13th. It was a great day!
I have had amazing changes with the way my mouth works since the surgery and don't regret it at all.
Kim
I expanded 8.5mm in 4 weeks. My gap closed with the help of powerchains on June 13th. It was a great day!
I have had amazing changes with the way my mouth works since the surgery and don't regret it at all.
Kim
SARPE 11/23/06
Expansion over 12/18/06 8.5mm
Brace day tops 1/15/07
Brace day bottoms 3/19/07
all expansion devices removed 9/19/07
science teacher,
I can't imagine 10 months. Wow. My RPE has been in 4 months and I still hate the thing! When I started on here in May or June, I read the whole thread so, I do remember reading about you. It's good to hear you are doing so well. Do you have any upcoming surgeries?
na2r4,
I hope we answered some of your questions. It will just take a little getting used to. I definately don't like having it in but, I deal with it.
Ward and Lisa,
How are you guys? It seems like we haven't talked in a while. I hope you are both doing well. When are your next appt's?
I had a cleaning on Monday, it went okay and the hygienist said I was doing a good job. The only downfall to the whole thing was that the Ortho's office couldn't put my wire back on until the next morning. My teeth hurt horribly!! My husband was surprised, he said wow, I thought that it would actually feel better without it. Just the opposite!! I couldn't wait for that wire to be put back on. My teeth feel so much better now.
I'm still counting the days until my next appt. I want to see what that stainless steel wire can do!!!
Take care
Michelle
I can't imagine 10 months. Wow. My RPE has been in 4 months and I still hate the thing! When I started on here in May or June, I read the whole thread so, I do remember reading about you. It's good to hear you are doing so well. Do you have any upcoming surgeries?
na2r4,
I hope we answered some of your questions. It will just take a little getting used to. I definately don't like having it in but, I deal with it.
Ward and Lisa,
How are you guys? It seems like we haven't talked in a while. I hope you are both doing well. When are your next appt's?
I had a cleaning on Monday, it went okay and the hygienist said I was doing a good job. The only downfall to the whole thing was that the Ortho's office couldn't put my wire back on until the next morning. My teeth hurt horribly!! My husband was surprised, he said wow, I thought that it would actually feel better without it. Just the opposite!! I couldn't wait for that wire to be put back on. My teeth feel so much better now.
I'm still counting the days until my next appt. I want to see what that stainless steel wire can do!!!
Take care
Michelle
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science teacher
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:31 pm
- Location: kansas
SARPE
MGood,
I am not facing anymore surgery. My whole problem was that my top jaw was too narrow and causing joint issues. They are mostly resolved at this point and it is now training myself not to dislocate my jaw when I open wide.
I was told 18-24 months start to finish and 12 months will be up the last of november. I don't ask how much longer. It doesn't matter, I"m in this until the end. Personally I hope by next summer.
Kim
I am not facing anymore surgery. My whole problem was that my top jaw was too narrow and causing joint issues. They are mostly resolved at this point and it is now training myself not to dislocate my jaw when I open wide.
I was told 18-24 months start to finish and 12 months will be up the last of november. I don't ask how much longer. It doesn't matter, I"m in this until the end. Personally I hope by next summer.
Kim
SARPE 11/23/06
Expansion over 12/18/06 8.5mm
Brace day tops 1/15/07
Brace day bottoms 3/19/07
all expansion devices removed 9/19/07
Lol! Thanx for the feedback everyone. I'm definitely used to it by now, don't even mind my gap so much anymore, because i see all the positive changes going on in there, that are pretty awesome. The only time I get annoyed with this whole thing is when i'm at work (I have a british accent but live here in the US). I'm constantly on the phone with american clients when at work & oh my goodness, sometimes i have to work extra hard to make sure the understand the words i'm saying!! Lol! Like my yorkshire accent wasn't hard enough as it is, without all the hardware! Lol! Puts extra pressure on my joints in my jaw, but other than that, pretty easy!
I might sound silly to some, but I am really enjoying this experience, cuts, bruises, jaw pain, swelling and all!! Lol! I like seeing the changes taking place & can't wait for the end result. Fortunately, I'm a very patient person, but I was just a little curious as to when I might see that gap disappear. I know some people have already seen theirs almost gone. Mine is still very evident. I think in the next month or so, i should see more movement with it. My tooth that has been anchored to come forward is almost in its spot!! Yay!
Anyone thinking about this surgery, don't think a minute longer. I debated so long about this surgery, 10yrs (I know some of the people on here, waited even longer) & regret not having it done when my dentist told me t take my form home & have it signed by my mother. That form never came home with me, it went in the garbage, big mistake! Lol!
I might sound silly to some, but I am really enjoying this experience, cuts, bruises, jaw pain, swelling and all!! Lol! I like seeing the changes taking place & can't wait for the end result. Fortunately, I'm a very patient person, but I was just a little curious as to when I might see that gap disappear. I know some people have already seen theirs almost gone. Mine is still very evident. I think in the next month or so, i should see more movement with it. My tooth that has been anchored to come forward is almost in its spot!! Yay!
Anyone thinking about this surgery, don't think a minute longer. I debated so long about this surgery, 10yrs (I know some of the people on here, waited even longer) & regret not having it done when my dentist told me t take my form home & have it signed by my mother. That form never came home with me, it went in the garbage, big mistake! Lol!
Hello everyone,
I am sure, much like scienceteacher, that you will not recognize my username. I had surgery done 2 days before Thanksgiving of 2006. I expanded, then thought I was finished. In March, the ortho made me expand again. That was painful. I had to break my jaw again as it had started to fuse already.
My ortho doesn't use TPAs, so I had to keep the expander in. On the plus side, I had the expander for less time than Kim (scienceteacher) had her expander and TPA combined. My expander was removed on June 26th.
Just wanted to post a picture update since it's been a while.
The first picture is from a couple of months before the surgery. 9/16/06
The next is after the original expansion. 12/14/06
Top braces were placed, and we started closing the gap. 01/23/07
The gap was closed a good bit, and I was happy. 02/25/07
Then the ortho made me turn again. 03/08/07
The second time closing the gap was much slower. Not as much progress was made nearly as quickly. 06/27/07
After arguing with my ortho, he gave me stronger chains to make the gap close faster. It has been almost a year, and I am tired of the gap that the surgery made. This one is from today. Ignore the wax, I am being poked on both sides since the gap is closing, and I cannot make it to my ortho as he's 3 hrs away. 09/24/07
Sorry for writing a book, but I know how much this thread helped me when I was anticipating and going through the SARPE process. Thankfully, I am done with surgery on my mouth now, and I am just letting the braces do their job.
Jean
I am sure, much like scienceteacher, that you will not recognize my username. I had surgery done 2 days before Thanksgiving of 2006. I expanded, then thought I was finished. In March, the ortho made me expand again. That was painful. I had to break my jaw again as it had started to fuse already.
My ortho doesn't use TPAs, so I had to keep the expander in. On the plus side, I had the expander for less time than Kim (scienceteacher) had her expander and TPA combined. My expander was removed on June 26th.
Just wanted to post a picture update since it's been a while.
The first picture is from a couple of months before the surgery. 9/16/06
The next is after the original expansion. 12/14/06
Top braces were placed, and we started closing the gap. 01/23/07
The gap was closed a good bit, and I was happy. 02/25/07
Then the ortho made me turn again. 03/08/07
The second time closing the gap was much slower. Not as much progress was made nearly as quickly. 06/27/07
After arguing with my ortho, he gave me stronger chains to make the gap close faster. It has been almost a year, and I am tired of the gap that the surgery made. This one is from today. Ignore the wax, I am being poked on both sides since the gap is closing, and I cannot make it to my ortho as he's 3 hrs away. 09/24/07
Sorry for writing a book, but I know how much this thread helped me when I was anticipating and going through the SARPE process. Thankfully, I am done with surgery on my mouth now, and I am just letting the braces do their job.
Jean
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
Hi again. I posted earlier about starting out on expansion, and having the expander fitted during surgery. I'm a bit nervous about reporting back here actually, as I've ignored the advice i received earlier. Sorry folks. 
I asked my ortho why he wasn't cementing in the expander before surgery, and he said the surgeon reckoned it would get in the way during the operation. Then I remembered that the surgeon doesn't just need to do the expansion. He also wants to remove some excess bony growth that I have along the roof of my mouth. I used to think that everyone has a great ridge from front to back of their palate like an inverted stegosaurus but when my surgeon started beckoning his students over to have a look at something they wouldn't see again in a hurry I realised this is not the case
.
Anyway, at the appointment with my ortho we tried the expander for size and although it was only in for a short while it didn't feel too bad, though I noticed my mouth filling up with saliva immediately! So I chose not to leave it in (uncemented) but to awake to the full joys of it after surgery. I have to confess that the idea of enjoying just one more pack of chocolate coated peanuts before maybe months or years of abstinence did influence my decision
I'm off to the hospital tomorrow morning so if I come back whingeing, you'll be able to say "I told you so!!"
I asked my ortho why he wasn't cementing in the expander before surgery, and he said the surgeon reckoned it would get in the way during the operation. Then I remembered that the surgeon doesn't just need to do the expansion. He also wants to remove some excess bony growth that I have along the roof of my mouth. I used to think that everyone has a great ridge from front to back of their palate like an inverted stegosaurus but when my surgeon started beckoning his students over to have a look at something they wouldn't see again in a hurry I realised this is not the case
.Anyway, at the appointment with my ortho we tried the expander for size and although it was only in for a short while it didn't feel too bad, though I noticed my mouth filling up with saliva immediately! So I chose not to leave it in (uncemented) but to awake to the full joys of it after surgery. I have to confess that the idea of enjoying just one more pack of chocolate coated peanuts before maybe months or years of abstinence did influence my decision
I'm off to the hospital tomorrow morning so if I come back whingeing, you'll be able to say "I told you so!!"
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
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wardenclyffe
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 9:34 pm
Good Luck, Sauerkraut. It makes sense if the surgeon needs to do extra surgery. Now I understand why you are getting the expander during the surgery. You will have so much going on in your mouth after the surgery that it will be hard for you to tell what's what. The advantage that the rest of us had is that we had a few days, at least, to get used to the expander. That way, we at least could differentiate the feelings of the expander from all the other craziness in our heads. You will just have a little extra unexpected craziness. It won't be fun, but you'll survive. Once again, good luck.
And I haven't posted recently because there really has not been much to post about. My gap seems to have stalled in an almost closed position and my next appt. is still 3 weeks away.
Ward
And I haven't posted recently because there really has not been much to post about. My gap seems to have stalled in an almost closed position and my next appt. is still 3 weeks away.
Ward
Hey there jma295psu,
My top teeth looked almost similar to yours before surgery, except behind my two front teeth there was a little more crowding! What a difference eh?! U'res look great, sorry you had to turn again. Seeing yours made me realise the immense changes that take place.Were u told you just had to have the SARPE done & nothing more? Thats gr8, i was told, i would need the lower jaw surgery, but after seeing the results of the SARPE, my ortho told me I won't need the bottom jaw surgery, I am very relieved about that. Good luck with the rest of your journey.
Hey there Michelle & Ward
Thank u for the support, really appreciate it. I'm seeing my gap close some more. I actually did a double take in the mirror yesterday & and am sure it's getting smaller & smaller, going on the 11th for my next visit to the ortho, he'll want to start to bring the tooth that is the farthest in the back to its position hopefully. That should make those front 2 teeth miss each other a little more! Lol!
Sauerkraut,
Yh the expander had me dribbling for the 1st couple of hours & sucking my saliva, lol!! Not a very pleasant thought, lol! It did only last that day though, if i remember correctly. Hope everything went well on your visit to the hospital.
Naz
My top teeth looked almost similar to yours before surgery, except behind my two front teeth there was a little more crowding! What a difference eh?! U'res look great, sorry you had to turn again. Seeing yours made me realise the immense changes that take place.Were u told you just had to have the SARPE done & nothing more? Thats gr8, i was told, i would need the lower jaw surgery, but after seeing the results of the SARPE, my ortho told me I won't need the bottom jaw surgery, I am very relieved about that. Good luck with the rest of your journey.
Hey there Michelle & Ward
Thank u for the support, really appreciate it. I'm seeing my gap close some more. I actually did a double take in the mirror yesterday & and am sure it's getting smaller & smaller, going on the 11th for my next visit to the ortho, he'll want to start to bring the tooth that is the farthest in the back to its position hopefully. That should make those front 2 teeth miss each other a little more! Lol!
Sauerkraut,
Yh the expander had me dribbling for the 1st couple of hours & sucking my saliva, lol!! Not a very pleasant thought, lol! It did only last that day though, if i remember correctly. Hope everything went well on your visit to the hospital.
Naz
Last edited by na2r4 on Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.