Does An Expander Hurt More Than Braces?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Does an expander hurt more than braces?

There will be some discomfort at first, but there will not be a lot of pain

. The expander may feel heavy in your mouth at first, since it is something new and different in there. When the palate expander is widened, you may feel some pressure in your mouth and on your tongue.

How painful is an expander?


There will be some discomfort at first, but there will not be a lot of pain

. The expander may feel heavy in your mouth at first, since it is something new and different in there. When the palate expander is widened, you may feel some pressure in your mouth and on your tongue.

Does getting an expander out hurt?

Will it hurt to take out a mouth expander? Most kids are scared of that appointment, not knowing what to expect. Even though the expander is glued in place,

your orthodontist has special instruments to dislodge and remove your expander without major discomfort

.

How do you make expanders hurt less?

How long does it take for an expander to stop hurting?

It make take

up to one week

to adjust to an expander. Your child may feel some pressure on the roof of the mouth and on the molar teeth. Your child may also complain that it feels funny to swallow as his or her tongue must adjust to the new appliance.

Why do expanders hurt so much?

Tissue expanders are temporary, expandable, balloon-like devices used after a mastectomy to stretch breast skin and chest wall muscles. This is done in advance of breast implants so that the chest wall and skin can accommodate them.

Because of the stretching involved

, tissue expanders can be painful or uncomfortable.

Can you eat pizza with an expander?


The pizza part is ok

. HARD PRETZELS, HARD ROLLS, BAGELS: They bend wires and break brackets. DORITOS, HARD TACOS, CHEETOS and the LIKE: They are too crunchy! APPLES: Slices are okay, just don’t bite directly into the whole apple.

Is palatal expander painful?

Palatal expanders

do not usually cause pain

. Some patients, however, experience difficulty in speaking and swallowing for the first few days of treatment. Following your dentist’s instructions for adjusting your palatal expander will help ensure there is minimal pain and to avoid delays in your treatment plan.

Is it hard to talk with an expander?


Expanders can feel a bit awkward when speaking or talking at first

. Some kids lisp or drool a bit until they grow more accustomed to wearing the devices. With time and practice, it’ll get easier.

How long do expanders stay in before braces?

Most orthodontists will leave a palate expander in for

at least 6 months

. Some doctors will remove the expander at 6 months and replace it with a smaller appliance to hold the expansion such as trans-palatal arch or a removable acrylic retainer.

What foods can you eat with expanders?

Include

lots of fruits and vegetables, along with meat, milk and whole grain bread

. Do not eat sticky or chewy foods such as gum, taffy, caramels or licorice. Do not eat hard foods like ice, nuts or popcorn.

How do you swallow spit with an expander?

When you first have the expander placed, your mouth may produce more saliva. If this occurs, make a conscious effort to swallow normally by

closing your lips and pushing your tongue up against the roof of your mouth

.

What can you not eat with expanders?

Avoid

Sticky and Hard Foods

Chewy or sticky candy like chewing gum, taffy, licorice, and caramels should be avoided. Hard and crunchy foods like popcorn, nuts, and ice are also not recommended with a palate expander.

Can you eat normally with an expander?

At first, eating will be more difficult; take small bites & eat soft foods until this is overcome (usually a few days to a week). After that,

you should be able to eat almost everything you did before with some exceptions

(see No-No Food List). You will notice several things as the expander does its job.

How do I brush my teeth with an expander?

To clean expanders,

brush around the bands, plastic, and support arms of your expander, and along the gumline

. Additionally, use a proxibrush every time you brush to get into the small, narrow areas.

What candy can you eat with an expander?

Candies you can eat with braces


Chocolate (without caramel or nuts)

Peanut butter cups. KitKats. 3 Musketeers.

Do I have to wear a bra with tissue expanders?


After 14 days you may remove the Surgical Bra and wear a “sports” type bra that will provide support and maintain the placement of the tissue expander

. Please do not wear an underwire bra. Please wear a “sports” bra for 24 hours a day for 21 days. You may remove the bra to shower.

Can you turn an expander the wrong way?

How long is tissue expander surgery?

Can I chew gum with an expander?

Patients and parents often ask about which gum to chew and if it’s safe to chew gum with a palate expander or braces.

Patients should not chew gum while they have their expander

, but patients with traditional braces can chew gum if it is on the ADA (American Dental Association) approved list of sugar-free gums.

Can I eat french fries with an expander?


You can still eat things like ice cream, brownies, cookies, cake, French fries, burger, hot dogs, and pizza (just avoid the crust), no problem

. Below is a list of foods to avoid and foods you can eat. If you are careful and practice good oral hygiene, you’ll achieve a great smile in the amount of time Dr.

Can you eat Cheeto Puffs with an expander?

Yes, you just need to select the right ones.

Pringles, “baked” chips and Cheeto Puffs/Fries are great braces options for chips

. Just try to remember to eat ONE CHIP AT A TIME, so that you don’t accidentally break a bracket.

Do expanders change your face?

Does an expander break your jaw?

A Palatal Expander Widens the Jaw

A palatal expander allows more space for future teeth to grow into, creates a more aesthetically pleasing smile and better aligns the upper and lower teeth. Contrary to the myth,

a palatal expander does not break the upper jaw bone

.

Does everyone get a gap with an expander?

Does Everyone Get a Gap With an Expander?

It is common for a gap to form

. Yet, rarely will the size of the gap between the teeth ever get as large as the distance between the two sides of the orthodontic expander because the teeth start moving back together even before expansion is complete.

What to expect after getting an expander?

A day or two after their delivery appointment,

the expander will feel natural in their mouth and normal eating will resume

. While expanders are more forgiving of hard and sticky foods than are braces, it is recommended that patient avoid jelly like candies that would get stuck in the expansion screw.

How do you clean expanders?

How long does expander lisp last?

This sensation may extend upward to your nose or eyes. It typically lasts

around 5 minutes

before dissipating completely.

What color is best for braces?

How much does an expander cost?

How many times do you turn an expander?

The expander will be activated ONLY

one time a day

, for approximately 28-42 turns. Do not turn more than prescribed by Dr. Stormberg. If an unusual amount of discomfort is felt and medication is not relieving the discomfort, skip a day.

Can you eat cake with an expander?

How do you get rid of a lisp with an expander?

The lisp usually goes away for most patients, who start talking as they did before once their tongues adapt. Because the expander sits in the roof of the mouth, the tongue has to learn to move around it. To speed up the process,

talking out loud as much as possible after the expander is in place

can help.

Why is my expander hurting my tongue?

If a patient receives one, they can expect to feel sore for about 3 to 7 days. During this time, we encourage them to

brush their tongue and rinse with salt water

. This will assist the tongue in adapting to the quad helix expander. As soon as the expander gets placed, a patient may find speech to be difficult.

Is palatal expander painful?

Palatal expanders

do not usually cause pain

. Some patients, however, experience difficulty in speaking and swallowing for the first few days of treatment. Following your dentist’s instructions for adjusting your palatal expander will help ensure there is minimal pain and to avoid delays in your treatment plan.

How long does an expander take to work?

It usually takes

a few weeks

to reach the correct amount of expansion. Afterwards, most patients will continue to wear their orthodontic expander for about six more months. During this time, new bone will form in the gap between the maxillary bones, which stabilizes the expansion.

Leah Jackson
Author
Leah Jackson
Leah is a relationship coach with over 10 years of experience working with couples and individuals to improve their relationships. She holds a degree in psychology and has trained with leading relationship experts such as John Gottman and Esther Perel. Leah is passionate about helping people build strong, healthy relationships and providing practical advice to overcome common relationship challenges.