My journey (expander, then braces)

[Featheryy1221]

wow your teeth looks very white good luck

Thank you, headbanggg. I think my camera and the lighting when I took that photo made my teeth look a lot whiter than they really are in real life.

Good luck! I hope the expander will work so that you don't need surgery. I don't think your crossbite is too bad, so I think you will be fine.
I already think your teeth are beautiful and I am sure they will be really great when you are done!

Thank you, Anna5! I cannot wait to see how my teeth will look after everything is done and over with! I'm sooo impatient.

And hopefully you're right! I didn't think my crossbite was too bad either, and my orthodontist thought the same.... until he saw my molds. ha. He's seen worse though, and seemed pretty confident the expander will work, so that's good.

Fingers still crossed. Only a few more days until I find out if it's working properly! I'm kind of nervous! Ah!

[Featheryy1221]

Little bit of an update: my teeth are fairly sore today. Which is kind of annoying. I've had to stick with softer foods. I've been noticing too that it seems like my face is changing. Like I feel like when I grin now, I have chipmunk cheeks. haha. This makes me wonder how different my entire face will look after my treatment is done with.

But I'm super excited right now and wanted to share these photos. Call me crazy, but I think this thing is actually working!

(The top photo is the one I posted before, bottom photo is from today)

[Featheryy1221]

So I had my orthodontic appointment today. It was pretty dead in the office, it was just me and one assistant orthodontist. She took me in and had a look at my expander. And guess what? I WAS RIGHT! IT'S WORKING! That's right! My palatal expander is working!

YAY!!!!!

She said something about "we're at 8 right now." So I'm guessing it's moved 8 mm?

Except here is the bad news, I have to keep turning it for another 30 days! 30 days!! Ugh. lol. Which means I won't get my braces on until at least May. This thing stays on for 4 months afterwards, and then I have to get my wisdom teeth out before he braces me.

But I'm going to focus on the positives of this. At least all this occasional pain and suffering, and looking/sounding like an idiot is worth it.

[Featheryy1221]

Bit of an update in case anyone was curious...
I've been dealing with some pain. My expander actually has started to jab into my cheek. At first, it wasn't too big of a deal and I thought I could just "tough it out," since I'd hate to bother my orthodontist. But yesterday I gave in because the pain was starting to get worse. When I saw them today they bent the wire on my back teeth so now it's not cutting into my cheeks. I'm kind of nervous about it though. I feel like it's going to happen again.

And I'm also concerned though because she measured my expansion and I'm only at 11. I should be at about 13, I think (if I did the math right). I really hope that the expander is still working. :/

[Featheryy1221]

Guess what guys!

I'm FINALLY done with the first stage!!

Today they tied up the expander, so no more turns are needed! Now it's just a waiting game for getting my bone to grow in. Hopefully it just takes the four months, because I'm SO ready to get my braces on! I'm already starting to think of color combinations. haha.

Here's some pictures though. The first one is from about 13 turns, the other two are from today. My jaw has expanded 15 mm in a little over two months.

I'm super happy with my progress.

[Anna5]

WOW, what a great progress!!!!
I am so happy for you that the expander is working so well. I am sure your teeth will look perfect when you are done!

[Featheryy1221]

WOW, what a great progress!!!!
I am so happy for you that the expander is working so well. I am sure your teeth will look perfect when you are done!

Thank you so much!

[Matilda]

Wow! What a difference!

[saycheese9]

Hi:

I too had my palatal (bonded) expander put in about 4 weeks ago. I experienced most of Featheryy1221 had except I didn't have any pain except maybe my bottom molars for a day or two. I like to think that my upper jaw is expanding somewhat but I am not really sure. I do notice that my front teeth are tipping a little. I also notice that my bite is slightly better (I have overcrowded teeth and crossbite). My ortho told me to turn it once every other day for 30 days so I am looking at 2 months of turnings. I am scheduled to see him in Feb so hopefully all will work out and I don't need to have jaw surgery or teeth removed to make room.

Thanks for your posts. It's comforting to read another person's journey.

Good luck.

[Featheryy1221]

Wow! What a difference!

Thanks!

Hi:

I too had my palatal (bonded) expander put in about 4 weeks ago. I experienced most of Featheryy1221 had except I didn't have any pain except maybe my bottom molars for a day or two. I like to think that my upper jaw is expanding somewhat but I am not really sure. I do notice that my front teeth are tipping a little. I also notice that my bite is slightly better (I have overcrowded teeth and crossbite). My ortho told me to turn it once every other day for 30 days so I am looking at 2 months of turnings. I am scheduled to see him in Feb so hopefully all will work out and I don't need to have jaw surgery or teeth removed to make room.

Thanks for your posts. It's comforting to read another person's journey.

Good luck.

If they're tipping outwards you might want your ortho to check on it and make sure that the expander is working properly. I think sometimes tipping is okay, but sometimes it's not. I know in the beginning one of the ways I figured that my expander was working was that I could see a white line down the center of the roof of my mouth (where the palatal bone separates). I don't know that everyone can see that though. Good luck though. Hope it works out for you!

[hukillmommy]

I'm not able to see the pics you posted, so I was wondering, did you get the gap between your teeth? I am 40 and had the expander placed on December 3, and 20 turns later I have a great gap!! I saw the ortho today, and to my surprise they placed both upper and lower braces. I dont think they really thought the expander would work on me! I M glad to hear it worked for you

[Featheryy1221]

I'm not able to see the pics you posted, so I was wondering, did you get the gap between your teeth? I am 40 and had the expander placed on December 3, and 20 turns later I have a great gap!! I saw the ortho today, and to my surprise they placed both upper and lower braces. I dont think they really thought the expander would work on me! I M glad to hear it worked for you

Nope, I never got the dreaded gap. haha. I think it might depend on how crooked your two front teeth are (one of mine overlaps slightly over the other). Had my front teeth been straight, I might have gotten the gap. That's awesome that yours worked though! Congrats!

[Featheryy1221]

Today I had an appointment with my ortho to just do a check on the expander. When I walked in and sat down, the assistant didn't seem to know what I was there for. She actually went up to the other assistants and was like, "I don't know what she's here for right now. It's already tied up." Then the other assistants were like, "Oh she must just be here for a check up, because it's too soon to take the expander off."
So then my ortho came over and looked at my mouth. After he was done, he said, "I'll see you in 6-8 weeks to get this out. Probably 8 weeks to be safe." I walked over to the front desk and another assistant (the first girl I had when I started this whole journey) said, "Did you get it out yet?"
"No. I have 8 weeks left." I said.
"8 weeks! Ugh. You poor thing. That's so long."

She then said, "After you get the expander out, we'll wait a week, then place the spacers in, wait another week, and then get your braces on." "Oh, but I have to get my wisdom teeth out before I start braces," I said. "Oh.... well... then let me just schedule this one appointment then. We haven't made an appointment for that yet, so in two weeks you'll have to call." I'm pretty sure she's meant call the oral surgeon. But I don't see the point in calling until i'm sure that this expander is out for good. I'd hate to schedule a consultation appointment date and then the expander's not out yet.

Anyway, she then scheduled me an appointment to get the expander off, but she gave me the date March 31st. Which I realized after I left is only 7 weeks from today. Now I'm not sure if I should call and change the appointment. I asked my mom what she thinks and she said, "don't call, it's their fault. Now you'll be done sooner." But I don't want to go there and then my ortho says, "you still have a week to go." That's just a complete waste of my time and theirs.

The other problem is that when my ortho looked at my teeth said that there are a few spots on my gums that are red and swollen and he asked me if I'm brushing good enough.
I brush after every meal (3 times a day total). So now I don't know if I should get a waterpik/water flosser. Like maybe that would help me out? When I asked my parents about this too, they seemed to think that the spots were no big deal, since they know I brush a lot.

I don't know, I'm just feeling somewhat frustrated today.

[Featheryy1221]

So today I got my expander off!

YAY! I'm SO happy to finally be done with that stage! You all have no idea. haha.

Getting it out was somewhat painful. My ortho had to do it himself because he didn't trust the assistants. Apparently they made it too smooth and he had nothing to grab onto. Soo... he had to like cut it into pieces and use these metal tools to pull on it. Idk, it was kind of awful, to be honest. And my gums were not happy about that. So now I have to rinse with saltwater every day because they're extremely sensitive and a bit swollen still. When I saw my gums, I felt like crying. But apparently they'll get better now that i can actually brush them easier. Ugh. I don't understand why I can have so much trouble with this, but then other people don't take near as good as care as I do, and they get no problems. Grrr. (Sorry just a tiny rant).

On another note apparently now my ortho has decided that I can get my braces on and then get my wisdom teeth out. Uhmm... what? I don't understand how that's going to work. He won't even be able to place spacers between my bottom teeth if I can't get my wisdom teeth out til later. I guess he'll just have to figure that out or maybe I'm just getting the upper braces first?

Either way, I have a spacers appointment for April 22nd. Crazy...


I'll post pictures one day when my mouth feels better.

[Anna5]

congratulations, I am so happy for you as well!!! Now you can go up to the next stage. I am looking forward to seeing your pictures!