LBC Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 My 8 yo dd has a very small mouth, and there's no room for her teeth to come in. The orthodontist recommended a device that fits across the top of her mouth. Because the roof of the mouth still has cartilage at this age, the jaw can be widened, and then held in place while the bone forms to keep the jaw wider. She had the appliance "installed" five days ago. Every day I'm required to adjust it so that it widens by 1 millimeter per day. Dd is having so much trouble with it. Her jaw is constantly aching. She's finding it difficult to eat, and she's already below average weight. I bought some Ensure drinks for her yesterday. She loves them, but they're chocolate with sugar, and she was bouncing off the walls while I tried to teach her math this morning. By the time we were half way through her spelling list, she was falling apart emotionally, and sobbing (she loves spelling, so I let her spell the words out loud, and that helped her to complete the list). She has to wear this thing for 4-6 months. I would assume it would get better, but I'm not sure if she'll be able to adjust if I keep making it tighter each day. She has to have it adjusted by 16 mm before her next orthodontic visit. They told me that by the time she is done, she will likely have a space between her front teeth the size of a drinking straw (which will close when her teeth grow in). Has anybody had experience with this sort of thing? Will it get better? Are there some soft foods that a picky eater will enjoy that aren't full of sugar? She tends to react to food dyes a bit, too. This makes it difficult to give her pain relievers to help take the edge off (all the children's pain relief seems to have artificial color/flavor). Any advice would be appreciated. I feel so bad for her.:sad: Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabeline Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I am so sorry she is going through this. I had a very similiar experience growing up. Could you maybe make up your own milk shakes using yogurt and lots of ice. The cold will help with the pain. Dos she like soups? Those can also be very noutritious. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxMama Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 It does get better! But my dd did need some Tylenol to take the edge off while we were in the "turning the key" phase of the process. Tylenol does have a dye free liquid... Adult regular strength tylenol( 325 mg)-----not the extra strength which is 500mg!----- is also dye free if she can take a pill.......( for reference 2 jr. strength tylenol 160 each so a total dose of 320mg) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 My dd had this when she was around that age. I remember lots of soup and macaroni and cheese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Our dd had one at 8yo, also. We got a recipe for pizza soup from the orthodontist's office: Pizza sauce with whatever toppings you like. Heat up, serve with moz cheese. We sometimes put rice in it. It's worth it all in the end. My dd is 13 and doesn't need braces now! woohoooo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I'm sorry :( Dd had major pain issues with her retainers and tightening them in the beginning. The first week was the worst - hopefully it will get easier for you both. Have you tried the Learning Factors smoothies? You can get the powder at health food stores and it's protein-rich with lots of other good things. The powder doesn't taste very good so I put in much less than they recommend. I usually do our smoothies in the blender with the powder, ice, yogurt, frozen fruit and juice or milk. The kids like them best when they're the consistency of frozen yogurt - then it's like eating a dessert. Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 My niece had one. I agree with a little tylenol and keep working on the food. If it continues to cause too much pain ask about maybe turning it a little less or every other day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBC Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks everybody. I called the ortho office, and they said it would be okay if I spaced her tightening turns a bit further apart, as long as she still gets a certain width by her next scheduled appointment. I'll try to get the dye free Tylenol, and maybe just mix it in with a smoothie, since she hates the taste. Thanks for some of the great food ideas, too. Time to get some writing done. Hopefully the news that she doesn't have to "endure the turning" today will encourage her, and help her to focus on school. Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elohcin Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 My daughter 10, just got hers off. The results after 6 mos (after looking at the before pics and now) are pretty amazing. So hang in there. Everyone has given you great advice. It's just one of those "hang in there it does get better" kinda things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginger Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 We have to go through the process of getting one of these beginning next week. Thanks for the heads up of what I am in for. My poor dd. I'm wondering now if I should delay going through with this until summer. She wants to try for Memory Master in Classical Conversations (which will be around the beginning of April). She gets every thing installed March 4th. I'm wondering if by then she will be adjusted to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaof2andtwins Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 One of my dd's had one from April 2008 to October 2008. She was 8 also. The first month was challenging. Once the key stops turning it doesn't seem to bother them that much except for the big annoyance of having food stuck above it. Will she go into braces in when the expander comes out. Carolyn is in braces now. I think those will come off in April. Then she will have a retainer. She was able to find relief with Ibuprofen. Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 My youngest dd had an expander when she was nine or so. Yes it was painful during the twisting stage but did not hurt during the 6 months 'letting it set' stage. It was well worth it. It improved her bite 100%. We would not have been able to get this kind of results if we had waited and done the standard braces later. I remember giving her motrin, letting her have popsicles for the coolness and heating rice socks for warm comfort. This stage doesn't last and is worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Are you (and the docs) sure there will be enough room for the teeth after this treatment? My ortho considered this treatment for my youngest, but then realized that there's no way he'd have enough room for all his teeth even with the expander. He had to go through serial extraction (they took out 8 baby teeth and then 4 permanent teeth). He'll have plenty of room now. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readwithem Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 My dd lived on smoothies, grated cheese, applesauce, yogurt.... I can't remember what else - so maybe that's it. She first had a removable appliance (sort of like a retainer) which we all LOVED - she could take it out to clean it, and she could advance it herself - then in phase 2 of her palate expansion, we moved and I couldn't find an orth who would do a removable one. So then I had to turn it to advance it.... Unlike other posters said, she did need braces but she didn't have any permanent teeth extracted (other than her wisdom teeth last summer :) ) so we consider it worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBC Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Are you (and the docs) sure there will be enough room for the teeth after this treatment? My ortho considered this treatment for my youngest, but then realized that there's no way he'd have enough room for all his teeth even with the expander. He had to go through serial extraction (they took out 8 baby teeth and then 4 permanent teeth). He'll have plenty of room now. Ria I've been told that she will still require braces at some point. They will put some sort of device in her mouth to prevent her jaw from moving back after her current appliance has done it's job. When she's in her teens they will figure out the next step. My oldest dd has braces right now, and had to get one tooth extracted. I wouldn't be surprised if the youngest needed a few extractions, too. Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBC Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 We have to go through the process of getting one of these beginning next week. Thanks for the heads up of what I am in for. My poor dd. I'm wondering now if I should delay going through with this until summer. She wants to try for Memory Master in Classical Conversations (which will be around the beginning of April). She gets every thing installed March 4th. I'm wondering if by then she will be adjusted to it. Delaying it is definitely something to consider. Dd is having trouble speaking clearly. The appliance prevents the tongue from touching the roof of the mouth. She just joined a musical/theater production. The auditions were on Sunday, which was only three days after having it installed. She had a pretty hard time with the audition, and said she almost cried because the kids started to laugh when she stumbled on her words.:glare: She's a trooper, though, and kept on trying. Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 It will stop hurting sooner if she chews on hard things. Our orthodontist gave dd a hard rubber thingy to chew on, to help with the soreness. She also recommended raw carrots, and other hard things. Just as a little baby will chew on things when her teeth are coming in, chewing on hard things with an expander will help the soreness go away faster. Seems counter-intuitive, and you may have a hard time convincing an 8yo, but it worked with my dd. Her expander stopped hurting after the second day, even though I still turned it twice a day for 10 days. It seemed like, once the initial "breaking free" of the palette, the further expansion was no problem. I hope your dd feels better soon. It will get better eventually, even if you only give her soft foods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in AL Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 My son had his on in fourth grade, and did great with it. He had it put on Friday before spring break (he was in PS), and by the time he went back, he had a huge space between his front teeth, and the kids asked what had happened. (oddly, I was just looking at those very pics today!!). The space slowly filled in, as his teeth had room to stretch out, and he is now 13, and doesn't need braces. We are happy about that! Dd, however, is another concern... The speech will improve, too. They learn to "talk around" the appliance fairly quickly. Ds's friend had one installed about a year after my son, so they got to share stories about their speech difficulties, etc. After a short while (maybe two or three weeks for my ds and his friend), it's like listening to someone with a retainer or dentures....a slight difference, but not too noticeable. Also, the pain went away after the turning stopped. Motrin was a big help! As for the stuck food, we bought a water-pik, to clear out the gunk. Ds, would make sucking noises to get the stuck food out after eating. Yuck! Not only did the food get stuck in the crevases, but between the appliance and the roof of his mouth. The water-pik was a lifesaver. Also, if you don't remove the food, it will stink :ack2:---brushing alone isn't enough to get the food out of all the crevases. (ask me how I know! :lol:) My son often says he misses his palatal expander, because he used to scratch his tongue on it. :001_smile: Good luck----another week or so, and she should forget it's in there. (the other) Heather in Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfarm Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 We also went through the same process. Our orthodontist recommended I give dd otc pain reliever just before a visit to help with any discomfort from all the fitting, etc. We had to turn the key every other day and dd didn't have too much trouble with that. One funny thing, a few minutes after we left the office with the expander for the first time, dd ate some of those yellow/orange cheese crackers. Later that evening I saw some of that color in her appliance. Yuck. I waterpiked and scrubbed and flossed and tried whatever I could for weeks to get that out. It was stuck like glue and never budged no matter how hard I tried. After 6 months when they finally took it out, I learned that it was actually a painted-on arrow that showed the direction in which to turn the key and I had been trying to scrub it off:w00t:! No wonder none of my efforts were successful. Hope you have better luck than that! Seriously, it quickly became a non-issue for dd and we are now in the retainer stage and both of us often forget she has it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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