Adult Non-Surgical Palatal Expansion

[SixFootToo]

[quote="expansionprocess"]I am currently having my prior ortho treatment reversed (as much as it can be reversed). I was convinced by a dentist in 1997 that I "needed" braces. Without any knowledge and trusting the orthodontist I went to that he is doing a needed and experienced orthodontic treatment on me, I went ahead. He extracted 2 upper bicuspids and retracted my teeth. I was 45 years old at the time. During the retraction process I started noticing my sleep was disturbed by choking dreams. By the time the retraction was complete, I was waking up with full blown gasping at night. I told my primary doctor who said to me "it could be nighttime anxiety". She was a top doctor in San Francisco so I trusted her judgement. I was tired all the time - I had just moved and was commuting 70 miles round trip a day so I attributed it to that. A few years went by and I developed diabetes type 2. Then I started developing heart palpitations - svt and atrial fibrillation. I started researching and put all of the pieces of the puzzle together. (I was exhausted and just trying to stay healthy enough to get to work and back and keeping up with the doctor appointments so researching time was not a lot). After putting the pieces of the puzzle together all signs pointed to sleep apnea. I asked my new primary doctor (I had changed the "top doctor in SF" because I felt like my health was going downhill and she was doing nothing for me) for a sleep test which confirmed upper airway resistance syndrome/mild sleep apnea. Now, there is nothing mild about "mild sleep apnea". I told my sleep doctor that I think that my orthodontic treatment contributed to my sleep apnea problem and he said yes that could be. And, sleep apnea can cause diabetes type 2 and heart palpitations, as well as other major issues. How I wish I never had that ortho treatment!!!! After more research, I had 2 tongue radiofrequency treatments done to shrink the base of tongue with little success. So, this year I decided to find a functional orthodontist (after more research) and reverse the damage done to me. I am in my second month of treatment and spaces are opening with the sagittal appliance I am wearing. I am feeling a difference in my sleep with just the little that has been done. This is a two year committment. I will post my journey for anybody else who thinks they may have my type of problems from prior orthodontic treatment. Just remember - NEVER have extractions and don't let anybody push your teeth back into your mouth only to crowd in your tongue. You may find yourself with problems you would never believe.[/quote]

I never had teeth extracted but I did have my teeth moved back and now i have the EXACT same sleep apnea you mentioned!!!! What type of sagittal appliance do you wear as id like to have my Orthodontics revearsed!!!

[SixFootToo]

[quote="bottlecap1990"][quote="sjs8906"]For those of you who have had success with non-surgical palatal expansion, how long was it until you noticed movement? Specifically, how many turns (if you remember)? I have to turn my expander once every three days which I realize is not very much compared to most others who have to turn theirs once or twice daily. I assume maybe it is because I don't need a whole lot of expansion. My ortho said he wants to take it slow.

I am very nervous that I am going to get a noticable gap between my front teeth - but I figure if I do, at least that means it's working. If you developed a gap, do you know how many turns before you noticed it? Yesterday was turn 6 out of 20 for me and today I noticed the floss sliding through my front teeth very easily, with no resistance. Typically flossing there is very tight.

Although I know it is different for everyone, I'm just wondering what to expect...and what timeframe to expect it in!

Thanks!![/quote]

I got my RPE about 2 months ago. I have seen a little movement but not significant. But my ortho had told me to stop turning it ( I turned it about 30 times). I think I will have it on for at least 6 months.



how old are you and your brother

my brother had the helix expander and got a very good expansion(he wore it for 9 months).


good luck.[/quote]

[expansionprocess]

There is no brand for the sagittal I wore - it's just called a "sagittal" that the ortho makes. The spaces that have been opened are the bicuspid spaces where the bicuspids used to be. When orthodontics are finished, implants will be put in where the original bicuspids were. I no longer have sleep apnea. I am 60 years old and had the original braces (with the teeth extracted) when I was 45 and by 48 treatment was complete - sleep apnea and all. So for 12 years I lived with sleep apnea caused by the botched ortho treatment I had. I decided that even though I am older I will get this done and I'm so glad I did because I no longer need cpap. Now I can travel and not bring along that machine. Sleep apnea is a devastating disease that causes a cascade of events to make you a sicker person sooner than you should be.

[JumpTheDitch]

I had my extraction spaces reopened with a sagittal expander called a 'CD Advancer'. I wore it for 6 months & it worked very quickly & very well. It pushes the front six teeth forward, opening up the spaces where the second bicuspids would normally be, so your front six teeth remain mostly together, moving forward in a group. No key turning, no big gap between front teeth. It's activated by the dentist/ortho compressing the springs on the sides, & locking them into place with a wire screw. I think they're manufactured in the US by the designer, my dentist said before it was developed she had to use reverse-pull facemasks to achieve the sagittal expansion. I'm glad I didn't have to wear one. You can find a good pic & spec sheet if you Google it. Good luck.

[Cutea]

I'm 29 and currently having successful non-surgical upper expansion using a Schwartz appliance. I've had it for 3 weeks now, and a space has developed between my two front teeth, as well as several other front teeth. I was originally instructed to turn it everyday, but I was getting jaw pain and too much discomfort, so I switched to every other day, and that worked. My orthodontist says she sees expansion, and it's working! I will wear it for 6-8 weeks and then I get braces put on. My ortho said the reason the expander will work for me is because I only need a small amount of expansion. I had braces/palatal expander/headgear/lip bumper as a child, so I only have it for a cross bite now.

[herecticx]

HAS THERE BEEN ANY SUCCESS??

[supurge]

i'm very interested in knowing the success rate in adult palatal expansion without surgery.
I'm wearing a twin block at the moment, and turning the screw every seven days. Only 2 turns so far, so i haven't noticed any expansion yet, will have to wait to see how well it works i guess.

[expansionprocess]

Today is December 16, 2015 and I am through with the expansion process and braces. The spaces where my original bicuspids are open and I have one implant in and ready for the crown. My next implant is next month. This was a very expensive learning lesson in life. I could have bought a new car with what I've spent on 1) braces and sagittal 2) four new crowns on lower to fill in gaps 3)two upper bicuspid implants 4) two upper crowns to go over the implants. I started this February 2013. By the time I'm done it will be summer of 2016. I was 45 when they first pulled the bicuspids and pushed my teeth back. I am 62 now. I spent 15 years total with sleep apnea that was created by what they did to me. But now, after all the time and expense, I am sleep apnea free. I sleep just like I did prior to the removal of my bicuspids and original ortho treatment. I've had a sleep test a few months ago to prove it. I knew all along that what those two dentists in South San Francisco did was the cause of all my health problems brought on by sleep apnea brought on by extraction/retraction. Those type of dentists/orthodontists shouldn't be doing this to people. Would they do that to their mother or sister? I think not. By the Grace of God - I made it through.

[djspeece]

Wow what a saga. Congratulations!

[expansionprocess]

Thank you! I was a long journey and I feel like my old self again - minus the 15 years of living hell........

[jake1241]

Has anyone had any long term success with non-surgical expansion? I am 21 years old and am looking into expanding a narrow upper palate.

[Rocks58]

This thread started quite a while ago and I know it's a hotly debated topic, but the common theme seems to be that adult palate expansion can be successful of it is done very slowly and with a dentist who will really pay attention to the movement happening over time.
Have people who have gone through palate expansion as adults experienced this?
Anybody do this and then have a palate relapse in the future? My main concern is the long term outlook.
Expansionprocess seems to have had great success, and over about a 3 year period.
I have TMJ and a minor cross bite. After addressing the jaw alignment issue/TMJ symptoms, the doctor I have consulted with has suggested a palate expander and then braces. So I'm very curious and anxious.
Any thoughts? Updates? Opinions?

[Woohoo068]

Hi who have you seen?

I am seeing Andre hedger in Surrey and I'm just about to start this processs....

[blueWaves]

Hi, it has been about 1.5 years since someone posted in this thread. I want to see if attitudes are changing towards what can be done non-surgically. It sounds like some professionals now think that the upper palate suture can be expanded non-surgically. Is this issue still controversial?

I'm asking because I have a posterior crossbite and am not sure what to do. Many orthodontist I've consulted with have recommended SARPE, which I'm trying to avoid. However, recently two board certified orthodontist said that non surgical slow palatal expansion is possible in my case. I was told a non-surgical approach won't expand as wide as surgery, but could achieve about 2.5mm of skeletal expansion, and then my upper teeth could be tipped outwards to camouflage the rest, since they are currently tipped inwards.

I'm not sure how many orthodontic professionals even read these boards. But I'm curious if surgical expansion is indeed not as necessary as once thought.

[djspeece]

The mid palatal suture is the line you feel running down the middle of your palate. This denotes the location of an opening between two bones and becomes fused during puberty. The goal of expansion is to move these two bones apart. After fusion, the upper jaws are not able to be separated from each other without surgery. As such, only dental tipping is possible.

Dental tipping in a buccal direction, as mentioned, is not true jaw expansion, but can be considered dental expansion. Keep in mind that the teeth can only be tipped out so far before the supporting structures, such as the gums and bone, are compromised. Long term stability is also of great concern.

This is as sure as night and day .