Dental ?? - Arch Expander

[ZebraStripes]

Does anyone have a child who has had to have a palatal or arch expander? I knew my DD8 was headed for braces (3 teeth pulled, 2 more coming out soon), but the orthodontist talked about an expander first to fix a cross bit. Just wondering how 9-10 y/o's have dealt with this devise.

 

[my3kids]

No problems with the expanders. One had an upper. One had both the upper and lower. The lower seemed a little more "in the way" than the upper. In my 8/9 year old, the actual expander part stayed in about 7 months, then was replaced with just a wire across the roof of the mouth to hold the arch until braces come down the road.

 

[Allie322]

My daughter had a palate expander when she was 8. We had no big problems with it. Her mouth was a bit sore for the first couple of days so she had Tylenol and ate soft foods. THe only other issue we had to deal with was chewed food getting caught between the expander and the roof of her mouth. That was gross! I ended up keeping a pair of tweezers with me at all times to remove the debris!
The palate expander worked well for her and we've seen little to no 'collapse' of her palate. That was 3 years ago and we are headed onto the braces road next month with her.

 

[bananiem]

My 7 year old has a wire across the roof of his mouth (a TPA but I can't remember what that stands for!) to correct a cross bite. He's had it about a year and has about another 6 months to go. He's been such a trooper! He has been great about knowing what he can and cannot eat.
Will your child have the kind with the wheel to turn? Both our niece and our godchild have had those and did fine. TO be honest I think it depends on the child's temperament and personality. Some are just easier going than others. With our son he did say he didn't want it but I said he didn't have a choice-this was going to fix his teeth. That was the end of it.
Good luck!

 

[tkyes]

I had one when I was about that age - they called mine and Appliance. I had a key that I inserted and then pushed back, thus spreading the Appliance.

I'm not traumatized from it, so it must not have been too bad. I remember stuff getting stuck up there too, I just used my tongue to push it out.


Tamie

 

[Joyciemc]

I had mine when I was 14. It was a little traumatic because I was a freshman in HS... b/c the appliance was on the roof of my mouth, I couldn't make an 'E' sound. In geometry, the teacher asked me to identify a shape, and the letters we B, E, C, D... it was mortifying! I figured out how to talk with it eventually, but that is one of my most embarassing stories. I'm willing to bet younger kids would have an easier time.

The expander didn't really hurt, just when the key was turned, and only briefly. I think it was helpful, because my teeth spread out and fixed themselves a bit, so when I got braces, I only had them for 9 months.

 

[christinou]

Both of my daughters have one, they started when they were 5.5, and 7.7. My oldest one is now nearly done with her, she had a cross bite, my little one has both a cross bite, and an under bite, and it is taking more time. They are both doing great with it. They have the kind that comes off, so easy to clean, and turn, but also easy to loose. Fortunately we have always found them, but I am sure that my husband will never forget digging through the trash in the Magic Kingdom, when it went in the garbage with the food left over on the tray.....
The girls have been great about it, it did really help to get both done at the same time.

 

[tmq2766]

My DD8 Had her expander put on the very beginning of this past April and had it removed in August..... She currently has top braces and a bottom expander in..... It has made a WORLD of difference!!!!!! I never realized how bad her teeth were until I look at picture from last year!!!!!!
She is not the toughest kid in the world so I was a bit nervous.... She is handling it great......
The top expander we had to turn the key every night but the bottom one is only twice a week.....

 

[DisneyMim]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents. My son had one and didn't have problems with it. It actually sounds much worse than it is. I was terrfied (notice I said ME not HIM!!), but he adjusted just fine. KIds are better at this stuff than we are sometimes!!

Good Luck and believe me your daughter (and you) will be fine!

 

[ZebraStripes]

Wow. Thanks for all the responses! I appreciate everyone's feedback. Its made me feel better. My daughter is a worrier so I wanted to be able to prepare her, though, once it is over she's usually fine with things. She was a trouper when she had her teeth pulled. She is actually excited (at this point) about getting braces.

 

[gshoemate]

Wow....I feel so old, I fogot all about having one of these until I seen the post. i had one in my younger years and it was no big deal. It makes you sound a little funny until you get used to it and food does get stuck every now and then. I also had a key that I had to use in it to make it expand....it sounds terrible but it was nothing, even to a teenager.