Getting an expander at 40+ years old

[mattt]

Thank you for the pictures, very informative! Also, impressive hygiene, your teeth seem to be in an incredible shape, good job!

[ShawnT]

It’s official! I’m getting a lower removable expander a week from Monday. Nervous but excited. This bite is the last step.

[Bryce24]

Very interesting treatment. I'm in a very similar situation. Glad to hear an expander works on adults

[ShawnT]

Tomorrow 3-18 is lower expander day. Nervous and excited!!

[mattt]

looking forward to seeing how that looks! good luck!

[Linda1]

I have an upper and lower expander. They are both quite uncomfortable, esp because the top one hangs low and blocks my tongue. Turning the key also hurts. Mine caused a gap to form between my front teeth and eventually I had to get extractions but still have the expanders guided with braces, elastics, and headgear. Ugh

[ShawnT]

Lower expander.....have already turned it all I need to now just have to wear it until my teeth are more stable in the correct position. To power chains again to start closing gaps caused by the expander. I’m on the down hill slide i think. Working on posting a pic..

[ShawnT]

Finally a pic of the lower expander. If I take it out for even an hour, it’s super tight going back in. I made the mistake of leaving it out for 4 hours on Thursday......need to get these teeth stable now.

[gorillatoad]

It's certainly an interesting treatment path that you've been down. Excellent work on getting this far!

You have me both anticipating and dreading my near future, which will be a Hyrax style expander at the age of 38. More anticipating, to be honest. I'm excited to get more of the planned treatment in progress.

[ShawnT]

Hang in there!! It’s really not awful like you read from some people on here. Obviously some adjusting to eating etc but I wanted this so making the best of it. Look forward to seeing your treatment progress.

[mattt]

Thank you for sharing a picture!
Does it affect your speech? Also, do you remove it while eating and how are you handling the elastics+expander? Must be quite a task each time to assemble everything

[ShawnT]

No, I take it out to eat but wear it pretty much all the time other than that. Speech was a tiny challenge at first but got better pretty fast. I’ve been wearing elastics in one way or another for at least 2 years so no big deal.

[Saskia77]

Hello everybody,

Just got my hyrax expander in today and I'm 41 because of my posterior crossbite and narrow arch in my upper jaw. It takes some time to get used to the swallowing part as well as pronouncing the t-tje-s-th but I'll keep practicing. I notice pressure on my front teeth allready. I have to turn the key ones a week. Next appointment next week. Keep you posted.

[Saskia77]

[quote=ShawnT post_id=507572 time=1558313267 user_id=29987]
No, I take it out to eat but wear it pretty much all the time other than that. Speech was a tiny challenge at first but got better pretty fast. I’ve been wearing elastics in one way or another for at least 2 years so no big deal.
[/quote]

So how are things moving on Shawn?

[ShawnT]

Thinks are going GOOD! Braces coming off December 18 and will be getting Hawley retainers.