New Torture Device---What have I done?!?

[england]

I got my bottom braces on Thursday and to my surprise...a palette expander!!! I knew they were putting in something up there, but she called it a pendax appliance and said it was a bar that would go across the roof of my mouth, to push my molars back. I was very surprised to find out I was getting an expander. I thought that was more for kids (I'm in my early 30's). I must say, when she put it in, I had my first moment of "OH NO---WHAT HAVE I DONE!". It's so huge and my mouth feels claustrophobic. I have a very tiny mouth to begin with, so with this new torture device, it feels even smaller. I've barely noticed the bottom braces because my attention is consumed by this thing.

So I've had it in for 4 days and I have a drooly lisp, my tongue hurts every time I talk and I can't eat anything without it getting caught in all the wires on the roof of my mouth (I have no idea if food is getting stuck underneath the "plastic" part). I've been living on smoothies because I don't want to spend a hour trying to dislodge stuff afterwards.

All in all it's really terrible. I know I sound like a big whiner, but I just had to get this all out and hopefully someone out there has had one of these and can give me some words of wisdom...and tell me it will get better!

Oh yeah, and I get to wear it for 6-9 months. Yea.

I decided to post a picture of this wonderful thing...

[Bracer215]

My Goodness! That is quite a piece of equipment. Didn't your ortho explain at your initial consultation that you would be getting an expander.

Hang in there though. Like all the treatment we go through we eventually get used to it.

[england]

She called it a pendax appliance...said it was a new thing...but I think she changed her mind and went with this for some reason. Either that, or they messed up and this thing was supposed to go on someone else (yikes!). I wanted to ask her more about it, but I found I could barely talk after I got it in, so I'll ask more next time I go in. She's a wonderful ortho, even teaches at the University of WA I believe, so I don't doubt that she knows what she's doing. I'm sure my smile will turn out better for having this thing, just hope the time goes by fast!

[klobird]

Hey England!

You must live in my neck of the woods! I live in the Pacific NW.....Wow, that's a piece of work! My sister had braces as an adult and had something like that, but at the time I wasn't interested in braces so I never even looked at it. Now at 55 all I want to do is talk about braces and my experiences, and all she says is "oh, that was so long ago, I don't even remember".
Her awesome teeth keep me going...

Anyway, I think most of us end up with some piece of junk in our mouths sooner or later. I've had elastics since day one, and around Thanksgiving I'm getting this appliance called a Forsus. Ya, that's a great one too...

Anyway, I don't think you're whining at all...Just looking at it makes me whine!! And when I get my Forsus, you will be almost done!!

Do something special for yourself--you deserve it--how 'bout a big chocolate sundae?!

(Oh, and when you see my ticker, I did not copy Bracer215!! Totally a coincidence!!)

[loradora]

I don't think I would like that at all. Good luck to you.

[sweetembraceable]

Oh man. I feel bad about complaining about the TPA I'm getting. But hopefully, it'll go by fast! Hang in there. It'll be okay!

[Jenn B]

I have a TPA and an LLA...I couldn't even speak properly after getting those in. I eventually got used to it but food definitely gets caught in it. Hopefully your mouth adapts as quickly as mine did! Good luck!

[BracedGeek]

Yikes. Can you take it out to clean it?

[Chicagogal]

I have had a TPA and a full palatal expander (plastic covering almost the entier roof of my mouth exactly as shown in the picture but my plastic went further back towards my throat). The TPA was annoying but feels like nothin' after the expander. I've never heard that version called a pendax.

The lisp goes away. I was horrified by it at first feeling like it never would, but after a week you'll be a pro at speaking again.

The food thing however is gross. It just is. Try shooting a waterpik stream through there if you can. Be careful with melted cheese, that gets WAY stuck, as do noodles and rice. when you get it out there will be buildup from food you couldn't get to, it's nasty. You can also try threading some floss through the middle area and sliding it side to side over the plastic to clear stuff.

[musiclady2340]

It seems that anything new..adjustment, appliance, wire...cause pain for awhile, but always diminishes. Just about the time I feel like "this isn't so bad" it's time for some adjustment or new thing. I have a tpa. First time I wore it was the worst. Couldn't talk. Couldn't eat. Felt my tongue was being cut to pieces. However this time around the tpa is just a nuisance. Your body adjusts...eventually. We just have to hold on and keep telling ourselves "it will get better".

[bedazzlemouth]

OMG! I feel sooooo bad for you. I will never complain about the hardware in my mouth again...I feel quite fortunate now. Sorry for your misery, but I'm sure you will adjust to it and it will all be worth it in the end. Hang in there!

[38Illinois]

I had a quad helix for 5 days and made them remove it. I would rather live with a functional cross bite than live 9 months with that device. After a year the arch wires have almost corrected the cross bite themselves.

[england]

Ok, I've had this thing in for about 18 days and I wanted to give an update. Things are much better!!! Hurray! It took up until about day 13 before the tongue pain went away. It was biting into my cheek for a few weeks too, but wax helped that and now it's totally fine. The lisp lasted about a week. Drooling has stopped

I bought a waterpik which has been a lifesaver! As I cannot remove this thing to clean it, I'm just being very careful about how I eat. Seems like everything wants to get mashed up in there (it is quite gross). My husband has had to turn the key 2 times now. It hasn't hurt yet when he turns it, but man does it bring on a headache within a few hours. It lasts about a day.

All in all, I've gotten pretty used to the feel of it. I don't feel that clausterphobic feeling anymore. I just wanted to update you all so that anyone else that will be going through this will know it gets better...much better!!!

[Crazy4Snow]

OW! Holy crap that does look horrible! It is a bit odd given your age that they're putting it in there as I have been told (and read) that it's nearly impossible to expand an adult's palette outside of breaking it. But, maybe that's why you have to wear it so long, maybe wearing it a long time will actually expand it.

Either way, I feel for you, it does look miserable, especially since I primarily use the roof of my mouth to chew my very soft food...because I still can't touch any teeth.

Hang in there!

[Lizbeth]

Hi All,

I am looking for some nonsurgical alternatives:

Chicagogal: Are you seeing an Ortho or Dentist with a specialty in Functional Orthodontists?

Was the purpose of the TPA and palate expander to expand your upper and lower jaw? Make room for crowded teeth? Align jaw? Was there a measurable increase in mm?

Thank you!!!