SARPE Surgery

[Hyrule]

Update : first visit post surgery to my OS. Everything is healing very well. My surgeon seems really happy with the outcome of the surgery no numbeness except at the tip of my upper lip. Also first visit at the orthodontist. Started turning yesterday. the gap between my front teeth seem already bigger. I have to do 22 turns in total + the 8 already made by my OS. That's 10mm in total.

[rizomona]

To begin, thanks for all your info... it really helped me get through this crazy process. A little regret when I look in the mirror (huge gap). My name is Angela and I had the expander and braces put on wed, then I had SARPE on Thurs April 29, 2010. I met with my ortho five days later who expanded 12 turns=3mm during first office visit. It felt tight. He wanted to be aggressive with the turning as I am on a timeline and need the gap to close by Sept when I am in a wedding. He suggested to turn 4 times a day=1mm a day. I felt it was too much, but if it was ok then why not. I expanded 4 turns for the next two days, by the third day my palate was blood red. I felt we were expanding too much and I took the red palate as a sign to slow down, but of course by then it was Friday when all orthos are off and I could not call them. So I made an executive decision and only expanded 2 turns a day for 2 more days and by Sunday i felt a sharp point at the roof of my mouth. I had felt it after surgery, I just assumed it was a staple or stitch or something. Well I took a pic and realized it was bone sticking out of my palate. I kinda freaked so on Sunday we only expanded 1 turn. Then Monday I called the surgeon and he told me we were expanding too fast and it causes the bone to die and come out. AHHHHHHHHH so tomorrow I go see the surgeon and he said he will cut it off and sand it down and hopefully that will take care of it. Has anyone had this happened?
My face is numb on the right side and my upper lip appears paralyzed and does not move. The good thing about that is that it covers the gigantic gap that is as big as a giant tooth. The expansion has created such a huge gap that one of the front teeth is climbing over another one. It is crazy!!!! Also did you guys experience fluid like/ air filling in their sinuses? I can feel this horrible pressure on my right sinus area and the cheek is swollen some and you can feel it moving when you touch it. Weird feeling!!!! I don't know how to get it to go away. I am sick of liquids.. and I am always hungry. I have lost 8 lbs and can't afford to lose more. Please I would appreciate any info on my questions. I am kinda regreting things right now just because I am so worried and I look horrible!!
Thanks again for sharing.
Angela

[CoastieAsh]

Angela,

I am sorry to hear that you are having such a rough time! I couldn't even imagine expanding by 12 turns in one visit! I honestly don't think I would have allowed that, I would rather take the slower, safer route. I myself have just come to accept the gap for now. The way I think of it is that soon enough I will have braces to bring them back together. Think of the end package. In my case I call it my million dollar smile. Everyone in my life have been really supportive of me. Of course I have my moments of self conciousness, but the ones I love, love me just the way I am. I hope you start feeling better!

a2hopper,

I am glad someone else has posted on this! I am done turning my expander. When I look in the mirror though, to me it looks as if one side my upper jaw comes down more at an angle than the other. It's not very noticeable, I have been the only one to notice it. I havn't been to my Ortho in almost a month so I havn't had the chance to ask if it was normal. I go in next week so maybe I will be able to find out.

Another quirk that I have noticed is that in between my two front feet, the gum seems to come up a little higher on one tooth than on the other.
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Toodles!
Ashleigh

http://acoastiesorthognathicadventure.blogspot.com/

[BracketRacket]

CoastieAsh -- good to hear from you! It must be a relief to be done expanding!

If I can be nosy, how are you feeling? Any swelling still? Numbness? Did you have any pain while you were expanding?

Thanks -- I'm getting close and pretty nervous! When do you get braces?
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[CoastieAsh]

BracketRacket,

Thanks! I have been busy since I am back at work now. It is a huge relief to be done with the expanding! It has been almost a month now since I have been tied off. I go back in next week just for a check up. I get braces on my bottem teeth in June and hopefully by July or August I will get braces on my top!

It really wasn't that painful expanding. I felt very little pressure and then it subsided within minutes!

I don't really think I have any swelling left at all. I still have a few differnt numb places mostly in my upper lip. It doesn't really bother me though.

Good Luck with your upcoming procedure! It's a large step towards a million dollar smile!
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Toodles!
Ashleigh

http://acoastiesorthognathicadventure.blogspot.com/

[zeira]

I've had my surgery a year ago, and I just wanted to post some photos to show where things are now. I'm very happy with the results! I think it was totally worth it (I had to pick between an ortho that recommended the surgery and one that was 100% against it), and I'm glad I went with the surgery. I still had to get teeth extracted to make space, which was a bummer. The photos might not show the full extent of the expansion because my top teeth had moved outwards to compensate, and since then they've fixed the cross-bite with elastics. I can't believe how wide my smile is now!


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RPE 7/30/09 SARPE surgery 7/31/09
expansion 8/7/09-8/24/09