Palate expander question/problem

[Kellydelly]

My daughter got a palate expander last Friday and it is tearing up her tongue . Are there any parents out there who have dealt with this problem who can give us some advice? The orthodontist's office was not open today so I couldn't call them for help. Nobody said a darn thing about this possibility or the fact that wax would help with the sides of her mouth being tore up too when they inserted it . (we found the wax we needed at Rite Aid). TIA if anyone has a way to save her poor tongue .

 

[J3nn78]

I had a palate expander when I was a teen and I also spent 8 years as an orthodontic assistant. I would say wax wherever it is rubbing. Her tongue will toughen up in time though.
Also, I learned this recently-L-Lysine (available in the vitamin/supplement aisle) is great at promoting tissue repair for things like canker sores and cold sores. So I imagine it might be helpful for this as well.

 

[Kellydelly]

She wakes up with impressions in her tongue from the hardware . I have another daughter going to get one in the next week, I am not looking forward to the discomfort this thing causes my kids . Are we supposed to cover the whole thing with wax ?

 

[mjkacmom]

I had 2 with them, and only had one with bleeding in the upper palate. Our orthodontist gave my kids everything - wax, rinse, electric toothbrush with remote timer (close to $7000 each child). No other issues, except when a bracket or wire broke.

 

[Kellydelly]

I had 2 with them, and only had one with bleeding in the upper palate. Our orthodontist gave my kids everything - wax, rinse, electric toothbrush with remote timer (close to $7000 each child). No other issues, except when a bracket or wire broke.

Our ortho is a little more budget than that! I am surprised that nobody gave us some wax at the very least.

 

[maelcu]

My daughter rinsed with warm salt water until her tongue stop being sore. She still has the impressions on her tongue in the morning when she wakes up but there is no pain.

 

[alaskagirlchrissie]

My son wore one, and my daughter has just had her's put back in for the second time. Neither has ever had any rubbing or discomfort from it. I have a little wrench and give it one rotation a night.
Now they both had some pain from the braces. Be it a wire cutting into their cheek or a sharp bracket.

 

[Junebugwv]

After one child had the expander I absolutely refused to let the next one have it. The other 4 kids did great with teeth extractions instead.

 

[daemom]

Warm salt water rinse, orabase on the sores, wax on the metal parts. I would call the ortho because there could be something rough that's rubbing sores. My sons never had problems with expanders though.

 

[mom2aandj]

my DD has a lot of pain and tearing up of her tongue from her expander when it was put in, I felt so bad for her! We did basically try to cover the whole thing with wax, but that really didn't stay on for more than a few minutes. After a few days she either got used to it, or learned to hold her mouth so that it didn't scrape so much. When I felt the expander, I really couldn't understand why they needed to make that middle section so rough??

I hope your DD feels better soon.

 

[itutorfortravel]

K

 

[Jeniferdwn]

I've never had an expander but I had braces and I have problems with biting the insides of my mouth until it makes a sore after biting it several times. I've found that after I brush at night right before I go to sleep, i will either pour some or use Qtips and coat my mouth with something like Mylanta. It has to be the white kind, not the gel kind. It will coat the sore places and you will be surprised and how much better they will feel the next morning. My mom has been a nurse for many years and she said it was OK to use this when I was a kid with braces. Use it last thing before you go to sleep so it will stay in your mouth longer.

 

[minnie56]

Okay my daughter had an expander and apart from the daily turns of the little key..she had NO issues with it! It didn't cut or make impressions anywhere..sounds like it needs adjusting bigtime!!!!!

Poor kid...

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

Your daughters tongue will eventually get used to it, I remember when I had mine I was miserable for awhile but the wax helped, and rinsing with warm water and salt as well.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Your daughters tongue will eventually get used to it, I remember when I had mine I was miserable for awhile but the wax helped, and rinsing with warm water and salt as well.

Rather image OP's problem is long over by now. Thread started 6 years ago.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

Rather image OP's problem is long over by now. Thread started 6 years ago.

oh.. whoops. my bad.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

oh.. whoops. my bad.

BTW you have a great username for someone discussing palate expanders.