Past, current, and future Jaw Surgery patients Unite!
Angel
Member
what is that?! i have to get one, if they can use it properly, in like a month. my orthodontist said it'd help the surgery dramatically. it "expands" my upper jaw. they may do it by surgery or by using an "expander".
help inform my poor, scared soul?
thanks.
Brandon
Site Administrator
haha, don't worry Angel, I almost had to have one too, because the width of my mouth was right on the borderline.
It's almost like a reverse vice that widens your upper jaw by applying constant pressure, then they widen it or "expand" it every few weeks to keep applying pressure until it's the width they want it to be.
I didn't have to do it myself, but from what I've heard from others who have, it isn't much more uncomfortable than the routine tightening of your braces.
Angel
Member
ahh thank-you!
yeah, i had braces before, but now i must get them again, so woo-hoo. not, haha.
but thanks for explaining it all.
seems, interesting?
thanksagain.
Brandon
Site Administrator
Yeah, I definitely don't miss the braces, but it's one of the most important parts of the surgery, so I'd do it again in a second if I had to.
Let me know how it goes, and if you have any other questions along the way, I'll be glad to help!
batxcore
Member
the expander is oh so fun *coughcough*. eh its not that bad though. the first few days are kind of rough since you get a lisp due to your tongue not being used to it, but its not bad. how they expand it is you get this thing called a key (more like a fancy paper clip) and there is a little hole in the middle of the expander and you put the key in the hole and twist. it pushes your jaw on each side. i did it once a day for a week, then twice a day for 2 weeks. but this was all after my surgery to cut open my growth plates.
if you have to have the actual expansion surgery, its not bad. i promise.
my results are so amazing, i would do it again if i had to.
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