how long to close a gap?

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#1 Post by **chipmunkcheeks** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 1:07 pm

i had SARPE surgery on 7/10. i started to expand the next day...and will stop after only one week. i only needed 6 mm and surgery alone gave me 4...i was lucky. however, i am wondering how long after you stopped expanding did it take to close the gap. i am looking for several answers that way i can best mentally and emotionally ready myself for how long i will have a gap. i am in a wedding at the end of september, so i was wondering if 2 months would close it more specifically. your personal experiences are much appreciated...

#2 Post by **MGood** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 2:29 pm

I had my SARPE surgery on June 1st. I expanded for a couple weeks and then had my top braces put on this past Wednesday. The gap has closed a little but, I still have a ways to go. If I can figure out how to post pictures, I'll show you.
I think I draw more attention to my gap because I always put my hand up when I smile and talk. I'm sure you will look just fine at the wedding.

Take care
Michelle

#3 Post by **chipmunkcheeks** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:56 pm

hey michelle,

it looks like we have about the same situation. i will be done expanding this week. then bottom braces, then top braces, i think...anyways, are you having any other surgeries? next summer i will have upper, lower, and genio done. I am 25 from NY. let me know how it goes for you and thanks for replying about your situation!

lisa

#4 Post by **science teacher** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 8:08 pm

My ortho is very conservative. I had the surgery 11/23, expanded until 12/18 and he didn't even start closing the gap until april. It closed completely on 6/13.

However, if your gap is not large it may close very quickly. I looked like I was missing a tooth and a half.
Mia used wax between her teeth to hide the gap she thought is was very sucessful. if you read the sarpe thread that is about 40 pages you will find how she did it.

kim

#5 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:44 am

Well I have read a lot of SARPE blogs, and info regarding gap closures, as well as have several blog buddies who have had SARPE. Most gaps can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 4 months. I was lucky with my gap. I expanded twice a day for 17 days and we got 9mm of space, but my gap never got really huge. It was only about 4mm, it did take about 7 weeks to totally close up though.

Brandy

#6 Post by **chipmunkcheeks** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:09 am

i had read a lot from your page, as it has a lot of useful info and links to others with the gap...my gap isnt that large right now compared to some photos i have seen of others and i only have two turns left. so i presume that once i get braces, it will close pretty quickly. my ortho is pretty aggressive from what i see, he had me turning the key less than 24 hours after surgery- so im pretty sure he wants braces on as soon as possible. we will see, as i got back to both the OS and ortho on wed. thanks for the help!

#7 Post by **chipmunkcheeks** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:10 am

i had read a lot from your page, as it has a lot of useful info and links to others with the gap...my gap isnt that large right now compared to some photos i have seen of others and i only have two turns left. so i presume that once i get braces, it will close pretty quickly. my ortho is pretty aggressive from what i see, he had me turning the key less than 24 hours after surgery- so im pretty sure he wants braces on as soon as possible. we will see, as i got back to both the OS and ortho on wed. thanks for the help!

#8 Post by **MGood** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:13 am

Hi Lisa,

I uploaded some pictures to imageshack last night but, I wasn't able to post them to archwired for some reason. Hopefully I can show you soon. I am 36 from NH. My ortho. seems pretty aggressive too which suits me just fine. I want this gap closed so bad.
I'm not sure when, but I will eventually be scheduled for a Lefort I. I'm guessing sometime next year. I'm already dreading it.
Between the RPE, the braces and my bite being so weird, this is all really trying my patience right now.
How is your eating going? I'm still only able to eat soft stuff on my left and my right side isn't touching and when I try to chew on it, it feels like I hit a nerve. Hopefully everything will settle down soon.

Take care.
Michelle

#9 Post by **MGood** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:35 pm

Lisa,

The first one is right after I finished expansion. The second one is 3 weeks later, right after my braces went on.

It has closed a little, I wish it went faster!!

Michelle

#10 Post by **MGood** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:38 pm

Lisa,

The first one is right after I finished expansion. The second one is 3 weeks later, right after my braces went on.

It has closed a little, I wish it went faster!!

Michelle

#11 Post by **chipmunkcheeks** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:28 pm

Michelle,

Nice gap! You should have seen the people in my summer class tonight. They were like it looks so painful just to open your mouth since I am only 6 days out of surgery. My mouth really gets sore when I talk for long periods of time, so I try not to. I will be uploading pictures on Wednesday probably and you can see my gap. So far it is about as big as your gap with braces, but i dont see it getting much bigger because i only have two turns left...we should hope. Im sure i will get braces by the beginning to middle of august on the top. Since I have lip incomptence, whereever I go, everyone can see the gap. I have gotten over that part because i know it will eventually be gone, but obviously like you, the sooner the better. Eating is ok for now. I am starting to get experimental because i asked the surgeon when i can chew and his response was, when i tell you. so i am on a no chew diet until ?????? and i only weight about 100 pounds to begin with as i am only 5' 1" tall. i am fighting to keep the weight on at this point, being an athlete i know im just going to lose muscle, and we dont want that. anyways, i have to go take some meds and eat something so i will keep you posted. thanks for the pix!

Lisa

Thu Jul 19, 2007 10:41 am

Hey chipmunkcheeks,

I had my sarpe surgery on June 20th, started expanding on June 26th twice a day for a week then once every other day for another week. I stopped expansion on July 9th and then got brackets on my front two teeth on July 12th. So far I have not seen any change in my gap, which is big enough for me to fit the tip of my pinky finger in it. I figured once I got the brackets on those teeth that I would see a change soon but nothing yet...bummer. I have elastics on as well so yesterday I tried putting one of those around the two brackets to just give them a little encouragement...hopefully that will help without screwing anything up for my ortho.

Here is my blog if you want to see some pics: http://hollysbraceface.blogspot.com/

Good Luck!

Thu Jul 19, 2007 10:45 am

One more thing....I understand your difficulty with eating...I am 5'5" and weighed 108 before the surgery....I have lost about 6 pounds already. I used to drink a lot of Ensure but I am sick of that already. I'm doing everything I can to get the calories that I need but it's really hard.

Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:38 pm

Just to clarify, I am not on liquids only

, I was just drinking Ensure to try and get some extra calories since I was not eating as much as I normally would. I am eating lots of different solid, semi-soft foods....its just that my portions are very small. So I still feel hungry throughout the day. Plus I have a couple of sores in my mouth so that really turns me off from wanting to chew anything.

Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:00 pm

You are absolutely right Meryaten...I think part of it is laziness and also just really busy with work and trying to sell our house that I really don't put the effort into finding new recipes or creative ways to get my calories. But I know that I need to....guess I may have to take a trip down Amazon.com lane....

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