BRACES and EXPANDER problem!! help me!?!
Question:
BRACES and EXPANDER problem!! help me!?
okay well im getting an expander in 2 weeks, and im really really scarred...does it hurt, can i eat with it in?, will i be able to talk???my sister said that they suck. Im really scarred to get 1!! help!! well also im getting braces a month after i get my expander, and im REALLY excited to get them, but i want to know about what colors to get, and if they hurt, or anything i should know abnot them...thank you so much 4 answering this if u did=]
Answers:
My son is 9 and got his expander in May. He was scared, too - but the more you worry about it, the worse it will be. Just go in with the attitude that it's just another visit & you'll be fine. The more you cooperate, the faster it will go. Honestly, I think it only took about 20 minutes max. He didn't complain too much about pain, even when I turned his expander - but be patient with the person who is doing the turning - especially if they've never done it before! I had to put wax on the braces that hold in the expander a couple of times, but he got used to that, too.
When he first got it, he drooled a lot (gross, I know) - but you just have to swallow more often. It eventually goes away. It was kind of hard for him to talk at first, but once he got used to it being there, he was able to talk just fine. The good thing for you is that it's summer vacation, so all this stuff will be over & done before you go back to school. You can eat just about everything, but keep in mind that soft stuff (like bread when you eat a sandwich) can get stuck in the space between the roof of your mouth & the expander. You just have to rinse it out, but again, that can be a little gross if you're out somewhere. Eat in small bites & chew really well - that helps too. If you don't already have one, ask if your parents can get you a water pik. I got my son a cordless one for about $35 & he uses it in the shower to clean off his expander (and the space above). It's also great for keeping braces clean & helps keep the cavities away!! (I make him use it in the shower so he doesn't spray water all over the place!)
He hasn't gotten his braces yet, but he's excited about the colors, too. People have recommended to us that you don't get too many different colors at once, or it looks stupid. His orthodontist has a website where you can play around with the colors online & see how they look. Maybe your ortho has a website too.
Sorry this is so long, but I want to be helpful. Even if you have to go through a little pain, you'll be happy when you see your beautiful smile! Good luck!