How do they make sure your teeth don't come out when taking the palate expander off?

[MunchkinLand]

Ok, seems like a silly question, I know.. but I am getting my hyrax expander on in 2 days. After watching videos of the process it seems like getting it on is no big deal but I am hearing mixed reviews about when it comes off.. some coments say it hurt so bad, others say its just pressure and they felt no pain at all. Then theres the ones that said it felt like their teeth were going to come out with it! I was already wondering the above mentioned question and it makes me more nervous now!


P.s. sorry if this post should be elsewhere.. I couldn't figure out which thread was best and since I am planning on invisalign after my expander, I stuck to here..

[oldfart]

They just wiggle it out. Honestly have never heard anyone having teeth accidentally removed by taking off orthodontic appliances or bands. I'd be more worried about talking

[EWUgal15]

It looks like it just attaches to the inside of molar bands, so I think the reviews were based on the removal of the molar band not just the expander. I had molar bands removed prior to jaw surgery and I was in the camp that I felt a lot of pressure and that my teeth were going to come out with the bands. In my case, that wasn't such a bad thing because those teeth were coming out anyway (during surgery) except that I didn't have any kind of narcotic to help with pain. It was super uncomfortable and, on a scale of 1 (being not painful) and 10 (holy crap, give me drugs), the pain was a 2. It was nothing that a few Advil couldn't take care of after. I think that stemmed from the fact that my molars have always been really tight and I figured that if the bands were hard to get in when I started treatment (which they were), they'd be hard to get out when it was time. I also had a fairly new and young tech that I don't think had ever broken the cement bonds and removed molar bands before. I'm glad she learned, but I do slightly wish I hadn't been her guinea pig. She's shaped up into a really good tech though, so it's pretty cool to be part of her learning process.

[MunchkinLand]

Thats reassuring but I still don't get how they break the bands from the cement without hurting/damaging or pulling the tooth haha.