Trouble with pallet expander

[okck]

To all you moms out there whose child has had a pallet expander, HELP! My dd who is 10 got her expander put in 2 weeks ago. I had been turning it once a night for the first week no problem. Then I could not find the hole went to the office they "fished" it out and it turned again for a few days. Now we are on vacation and it happened again. Has this happened to any of you? I am very careful when turning but I still lose the hole and the ortho seems to fish is back fine but I can't. If there is nothing I can do will waiting 6 days until we are back home and can go back cause any big problems for her? Thanks for any answers.

 

[tekmom]

To all you moms out there whose child has had a pallet expander, HELP! My dd who is 10 got her expander put in 2 weeks ago. I had been turning it once a night for the first week no problem. Then I could not find the hole went to the office they "fished" it out and it turned again for a few days. Now we are on vacation and it happened again. Has this happened to any of you? I am very careful when turning but I still lose the hole and the ortho seems to fish is back fine but I can't. If there is nothing I can do will waiting 6 days until we are back home and can go back cause any big problems for her? Thanks for any answers.

there should be "two" holes, this way when you make one turn, the other hole is exposed.

Just bend your 'hook' toward you, put it at the back of the expander and you should find the hole to make the turn, exposing the other one. If you're losing the hole, it's not making a complete turn. Good luck.

 

[XYSRUS]

Agree with PP. When you turn the key you should make a visual of the next hole in the line. You're not rotating the device a full "turn". Ask the ortho tech for a tutorial/refresher "how-to". And on a side note, if your kid is not crying out in pain with each turn you're not doing it enough! HEHEHE

 

[tekmom]

Agree with PP. When you turn the key you should make a visual of the next hole in the line. You're not rotating the device a full "turn". Ask the ortho tech for a tutorial/refresher "how-to". And on a side note, if your kid is not crying out in pain with each turn you're not doing it enough! HEHEHE

word.

 

[padams]

BTDT
Tekmom's right. You are not turning it far enough. Have your child lay on the bed with her head tilted back off the side of the bed (preferably near a lamp for good light). You should be able to either see the hole or find it with the stick by gently running it from front to back so it catches in the hole. If you can't do it, let your child try. I struggle to see the hole but DS (he just turned 11) can usually find it himself. When you get the stick in the hole, push it back as far as you can so that you can see the new hole up front. Good luck.

When the expander is fully expanded, it won't turn anymore but that will take months.

 

[tekmom]

How long did the Ortho say to turn it for, if you've been doing it for two weeks? We only turned DD's once a day for two weeks and then nothing for the 6 months she had it in her mouth.

 

[okck]

Thanks for the replies. I push down as for as I can, dd gags easy and has a hard time. I go down as far as possible but will try harder. Do any of you know what to do once the hole is lost, and is waiting a week to go back to the ortho going to undo what has been done?

 

[okck]

Just figured out how to fish out the hole and got it back!! Thanks for all your advice and hope it will go better the rest of the time. The ortho said I need to turn once a day for 28 days. Have a good nite all.

 

[tekmom]

Thanks for the replies. I push down as for as I can, dd gags easy and has a hard time. I go down as far as possible but will try harder. Do any of you know what to do once the hole is lost, and is waiting a week to go back to the ortho going to undo what has been done?

she can wait, it will be fine...no damage done. I worked for an Orthodontist before, now just a regular dentist.

 

[teacups]

OK I have a mildly weak stomach and a 9 yo who is going to need one of these along with braces. Is it as horrible as it sounds here? I am going to faint when they put those trays full of goop in and it slips down her throat and gags her. My now grown son had that happen but I was tougher back then.... Poor kids. What they have to go thru for this stuff.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Ya, I can not stand the taste of veggies either, my wife keeps saying I need to expand my pallette.

MIkeeee

 

[tekmom]

OK I have a mildly weak stomach and a 9 yo who is going to need one of these along with braces. Is it as horrible as it sounds here? I am going to faint when they put those trays full of goop in and it slips down her throat and gags her. My now grown son had that happen but I was tougher back then.... Poor kids. What they have to go thru for this stuff.

I know, the impression material can really suck. If your daughter is a gagger, just tell them to not overload the tray and put it in a the last minute before it sets. If they tilt her head forward, chin down, breathing through her nose(WHEW!!!) she'll do just fine.

 

[tekmom]

Ya, I can not stand the taste of veggies either, my wife keeps saying I need to expand my pallette.

MIkeeee

 

[phinsphan]

No help on the expander as my son had an auto expander put in so we didn't have to deal with turning it. As far as the impressions go........I agree with the poster who said to make sure they put it in last minute and to have your child lean forward. Also I had my son drink a slim fast instead of eat breakfast so if he did hurl *first time he did* that it would be easier.

Best of luck. My son had an awfully crowded mouth and needed spacers, pallet expander and then braces for what felt like forever. Now at 14 his teeth are beautiful and straight and he just wears a retainer.

Phins