Palate expander?

[BaBY Girl]

Hi everyone!!

I am new to all of this and am so grateful for finding this site, so much information and questions answered and explained.
I have a lovely orthodontist , even though i've only meet in 3 times so far. first time at the consultation and twice since fitting bottom brace and palate expander? not sure if this the correct name for it.

Now i'm not sure if it's me or the Ortho but I feel i'm not understanding the whole process!

On my seconded visit he fitted my bottom brace and took moulds and all sorts done to my mouth ,we arranged another appointment and i was under the impression I was getting the top brace fitted but no,i got this palate expander.

As i have over crowding and need them pulled back this is needed, the hard plastic thing at the roof of my mouth with wires pulling back to my molars where there is big brackets ,which is causing me great discomfort. I think i would get over the pain and discomfort but it the way i now speak that is upsetting me i have a terrible lipse and one of my daughters asked me why i was talking funny!!

My Ortho did say that if I felt that i couldn't manage with that there were other options like a screw in my top gums pulling back the protruding teeth and i have two extractions to get done for this.

So i what to know what would you do or has anyone been through this with the palate expander ,did you choose any other options?
Or should i grin and bear it. is this what's it's like HE said it would be on for six mnts and my next appointment is not untill dec 17th?
what to do ?

[TBG31]

I too just got my braces on, and they put that 'thing" in the top of my mouth! This is driving me crazy, I can't eat, talk, or even read my daughter a goodnight story. I wanna know how long I have to have it, cause this thing has got to go!

[BaBY Girl]

Well if it is any consilation TBG31 i have mine on now nearly 3 weeks and i suppose i have gotten used to it but i still really do not like it!!!

The worst part for me is my speech and i am less concise of now, but i still have to repeat most things to people!!

My Ortho said i had to have mine on for 6 mnts !! but he also said they were other options like |(but not sure about this AS I AM OVERWHELMED WITH EVERYTHING HE SAYS TO ME) two screws in my top gum i think he called them orthodontic implants??

I am feeling your pain along with lipse (super sexy) and not being able to eat but nothing tastes of much as your taste buds are numbed by the thing on the roof of your mouth.

Anyone been through this??

[Duncan5]

Sounds similar to the plate I had at 16. It clipped onto the back molars and then had spring loaded hooks around the canines to pull them back towards the molars where they'd been pushed out and forward by the (extracted) first bicuspids. I've seen similar appliances on a couple of children at school where their teeth protruded too much for a fixed brace to be effective (the wire would not bend sufficiently to clear a particularly errant tooth). It was used for around four months to align the teeth sufficiently for the fixed brackets to be fitted.

If it's any consolation I had it for 18 months in various guises as the NHS didn't deem my bite sufficiently compromised to warrant fixed brackets. You get used to it. If the clips become loose, do not 'flip it' (suck it down a couple of mm and then push it back with your tongue) as the clips wear the enamel...

[teddy13]

Hi baby girl!

I feel your pain when it comes to the jaw expanders! How are you holding up and when do you finally get your braces on?