lisabees Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 DD9 has a palate expander. Everything has gone smoothly until now. I guess I didn't turn it a whole turn; now half of the hole is hidden. I can't fit the key into it. I know there should be another hole but I can't fit the key in that one either! Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I had that happen once but I was eventually able to find the hole. Can't remember what I did. Can you put it in the old hole and turn it the rest of the way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 If you can see the hole at ALL, then you can stick the key partially in and give it a push --just be sure to not apply so much pressure your hand slips and you stab the kid in the mouth. Otherwise, head back to the ortho--they've had it happen tons of times. :D Hang in there, it's medieval, but it works!! And you WILL get better at it (of course at the time you need to stop cranking it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 You are all wonderful! I will try again, even with a paper clip or something (being sure not to stab her). The ortho is 35 minutes away, so I'd rather avoid that trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted February 17, 2013 Author Share Posted February 17, 2013 Bumping before I try again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Try looking from the top of her head down. More like the dentist would when they're sitting behind you. You can see a lot better that way. And if you can't turn it until you get to the ortho on Monday it's really NOT that big of a deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted February 17, 2013 Author Share Posted February 17, 2013 It worked, it worked! I sat at the top of her head and pushed with the key on the edge of the hole. It took a minute, but it worked. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I'm so glad you got it!! :hurray: That was a great tip about sitting the way the dentist/orthodontist does. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Not to high jack but at what age do they start palate expanders??? Dd has a narrow palate like dh and I both do. We know we have to save for some orthodontic expenses (ok maybe alot) and would like to know when the expenses might start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeciecup Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Not to high jack but at what age do they start palate expanders??? Dd has a narrow palate like dh and I both do. We know we have to save for some orthodontic expenses (ok maybe alot) and would like to know when the expenses might start. My kid got hers at 7 1/2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted February 17, 2013 Author Share Posted February 17, 2013 DD is nine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasRachel Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Dd was 8. They start early before the bones fuse together permanently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Ok so I got a good 3 years yet I guess to save for dd :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea1 Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Does the ped dentist tell you to go to the ortho because you need it or do you need to check with an ortho? I have one who might need one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 My ds had one at 11 1/2 before he started braces and it worked great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jacreekmore Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I was just told my dd age 6 needed an ortho consult for this. We went to the consult and he agreed she will need a palate expander...he is going to wait another 6 months though to give her palate a little more time. My husband had one of these when he was young and my niece. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Oh so now maybe only 2 years??? Oh boy better start saving. Any idea about costs??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 My dd had her first ortho consult right before she turned 7. She was just losing her first tooth. He wanted to see her back in a year when she had more permanent teeth. I didn't take her back until she was about 8.75 because she was really slow to lose her teeth. She got her expander then. Our dentist mentioned her crossbite whe she was 6.5. I was already aware of it and had planned to make an appointment. Our cost was about $3,000 (no ortho coverage on our dental insurance). That included a top expander, bottom expander, and braces on her 6 front teeth, top and bottom. Our ortho offered a very small discount (I think 3%) for paying it all at once. I opted to make payments, $200 a month. I think that's a pretty common arrangement for most orthodontists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katnorman Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Our dd got her palate expander 3 months before she turned 7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in SJ Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Just as a funny palate expander story.... You know when you buy a button that has a shank on it it has the little plastic fastener through the shank that looks like a tiny bobby pin to hold it on the display card? Well, I have purchased one such a botton & it had come off the card with the plastic bobby pin thing still through the shank. My dd picked it up and popped it in her mouth. I have no idea why. Somehow she managed to get part of the fastener looped over the wheel of her expander & the other part of the fastener stuck through the hole you put the key in . The button was dangling from the roof of her mouth swinging freely! It was 9pm and Dh was on a business trip in China. It took a ridiculous amount of contortion and tools to deal with that one. Amber in SJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Oh so now maybe only 2 years??? Oh boy better start saving. Any idea about costs??? The whole thing--expanders and braces are costing us 6000 a kid. 3k up front, payments on the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Our 14yo ds had a palate expander before his braces were put on 6 months ago. We did have an ortho assessment 3 years earlier, and just decided to wait until he went through much of his growth spurt. Everyone's situation is different. :) But it never hurts to start saving now, and most orthos give free assessments. (Ours does it annually.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 :hat: I got my palate expander when I was 23. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriewillard Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 My 11 year old has one he got several weeks ago. His is an A.L.F. and thankfully doesn't require a key Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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