Palate extender

wrote:

My daughter had one for 6 months when she was 3. She needed it for a
crossbite. I had to turn that damn thing every night and it was
HORRIBLE. I think I hated it worse than she did.

I can see that it might turn into a big deal on a 3-year-old. Fortunately it
isn't common, AFAIK, for expanders to be needed that young. One of my girls
minded the turning a lot, but was okay if she could do it herself, closely
supervised of course, and the other hasn't minded a bit. They were both eight.

--Helen

In article ,
(H Schinske) wrote:

wrote:

My daughter didn't like it, but only because it interferred with her
thumb sucking.

In our case the orthodontist wouldn't put it in until after the child had
stopped sucking her thumb. The deformation from thumb-sucking had to go away
first, and it had to be clear whether or not tongue-thrust therapy was needed
after all (it wasn't).

--Helen

Our dentist/orthodontist said it was clear from the X-rays that her
upper palate was too narrow and her lower jaw was too short (and from
looking at her Dad, it was clear that she had acquired these things the
old fashioned way); thumb sucking had nothing to do with either
condition, and he said that the retainer/palate widener might reduce her
thumb sucking (it didn't). He said that in her case there was nothing
to be gained from waiting.

It was interesting to look at the x-rays, and understand that her
overbite had nothing to do with toungue thrusting (which she did) or
thumb sucking: the ANGLE of all of her teeth was exactly right: the
problem was entirely that her lower jaw was too short; the narrow upper
palate was making her teeth crowded, and while there was no problem yet,
her permanent teeth would have come in crooked. DH, alas, has no chin,
and a huge overbite -- but all of his teeth are straight.

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 12:51:40 -0700, "Sue"
wrote:

The dentist wants to put one in my 7-year-old, but at the time she had only
lost two teeth and I questioned whether this was something that is done on
children this young. I will be getting a second opinion at the end of August
on whether or not it is done this early. Everything that I have read about
it, says that it does work, but I am very unclear as to when it should be
done. How old is your child? --

fourteen! We hadnt even thought about it unti l "braces" age and then
it came up. Hes about a year late for braces.

First he has an rapid expansion thingie (I turn it twice a day and am
not sure if Im doing this right, so we go back tomorrow for another
"lesson".

Then after two weeks the thing just sits there for about six weeks
while his mouth "sets"

Then its retainer time.

Barb
Sue
mom to three girls

Barbara Bomberger wrote in message
.. .
The rapid expansion kind. Anyone else with older kids had em?

On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 11:23:51 -0400, LFortier
wrote:



I know someone with an 11 yo and they chose to have the bicuspids pulled
rather than do the palate expanders. Is the palate expander really like
an act of torture, as they felt? I'd much rather my dd with braces in
her future not lose teeth unnecessarily.


Well, that was my feeling, were in day three, and as I said, Im not
sure if im doing the thing right, so we go back for a "tightening
lesson" tomorrow hopefully

That said, no pain. Brief twinge ( and hes a big baby at fourteen)
each tightening. HOWEVER, his mouth is full, and he is learning to
swallow with this big thing in his mouth. Lots of drinks (instant
breakfast and son, soft foods that are easy to swallow, and he has to
brush and rinse seriously each time.

Put it this way - I have offered the kid one of my tylenol pms and he
says, oh no thanks.

Barb
Lesley

wrote:

My daughter had one for 6 months when she was 3. She needed it for a
crossbite. I had to turn that damn thing every night and it was
HORRIBLE. I think I hated it worse than she did.

Okay, I think that my son is almost too old, but three years old!!!

We should have done this at twelve, but were moving to Germany,
finding new doctors, settleing in and so on.

Theoretically they can do this for a few more years

Fortunately, my son opens and lets me crank, am and pm. Were just not
sure that im cranking correctly

hehe

BARb

Barbara Bomberger wrote:

On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 11:23:51 -0400, LFortier
wrote:




I know someone with an 11 yo and they chose to have the bicuspids pulled
rather than do the palate expanders. Is the palate expander really like
an act of torture, as they felt? I'd much rather my dd with braces in
her future not lose teeth unnecessarily.




Well, that was my feeling, were in day three, and as I said, Im not
sure if im doing the thing right, so we go back for a "tightening
lesson" tomorrow hopefully

That said, no pain. Brief twinge ( and hes a big baby at fourteen)
each tightening. HOWEVER, his mouth is full, and he is learning to
swallow with this big thing in his mouth. Lots of drinks (instant
breakfast and son, soft foods that are easy to swallow, and he has to
brush and rinse seriously each time.

Put it this way - I have offered the kid one of my tylenol pms and he
says, oh no thanks.

Barb


Thanks. My child is, shall we say, less than stoic, so I'm not sure how
this will all go for us when we get started.

Lesley

In article ,
Barbara Bomberger wrote:

The rapid expansion kind. Anyone else with older kids had em?

No, but I just heard that they help with bedwetting, of all things!

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"...children should continue to be breastfed... for up to two years of age
or beyond." -- Innocenti Declaration, Florence, 1 August 1990