Sensory issues and palate expander / braces

[Anonymous]

How do we even do this?

DD is 9 and has an ADHD/ADS dx and sensory issues. She hates a regular teeth cleaning, it's taken years to deal with hair washing, a seam on a sock makes her freak out....you get the picture.

She was born with a cleft palate (repaired at 10 months) and medically needs a palate expander. The orthodontist is great, says we should do it in the next year and could a regular one or a removable one (removable seems worse to me since she will just take it out).

But I can't imagine her having something in her mouth, turning the key etc. Has anyone dealt with this, have good advice?

[Anonymous]

My kid has never been diagnosed with sensory issues but clearly has them. Extremely picky about clothes, bathing, and food. She got a palate extender at 8 and it's been no big deal. It was weird for about a week when she first got it and had to learn to eat and talk with it in, but then she got used to it. Permanent device, I agree removable would cause more problems.

[Anonymous]

Op, my DD has sensory issues (only one brand of socks, clothes chosen for comfort, loud sound aversion, hair brushing is difficult) that got better with age and OT.

The palate expander was awful for her. She basically barely ate for 2 weeks and constantly complained it hurt and she coined swallow/chew. We went back to the orthodontist around day 10 to make sure everything was ok (it was). At some point around 2 weeks DD adjusted and things were fine.

The turns were actually ok - we never did more than one per night, so that probably helped.

Braces were also a lot of complaining, but it got better over time. The first few visits DD basically refused to eat anything because it hurt too much. but DD gets them off in 2 weeks and she survived and the final year was so much better.

Sorry I can’t offer any useful advice - it’s tough for kids who have these struggles. But DD’s sensory issues really are much better now (13) - can wear most clothes, tolerate most sounds, and mostly brushed hair without problems.

[Anonymous]

My kid had very early sensory stuff - refused socks, shoes, teeth brushing, wanting pajamas all the time. (ADHD/autism dx a few years ago, but communications skills are pretty good… though intense.) I was very nervous about how she would tolerate the palate expander. I had experience from her older, very tolerant sibling.

We talked a lot about how this was not going to be great. We just needed to make room for all her teeth. I still remember how she kept trying to pull her cheeks away from the bands when it was installed. Her reaction to having a contraption in the roof of her mouth was to make a slurping sound every time she needed to swallow. For months. Memorable!

She and I decided together that she would lay back on a bean bag chair or flat on her bed for turning the key each night. We marked the number of nightly turns in a way we could both keep track. The orthodontist told us how many turns it would likely be and only added on a few more. I used a flashlight and always suggested that she close her eyes. The flashlight helped me get in and get out of her mouth quickly (to avoid gagging). My husband didn’t want any part of this - but the more dexterous parent should probably be the lead.

I was grateful that our orthodontist really minimized the time the expander was in her mouth - just a few months - it was replaced with some sort of roof wire maybe a month after the turns were done. The loud slurping sounds were the worst part for me. I worried that this was going to be some kind of long lasting tic or that her peers would tease her. She swallows normally now. 🙂

[Anonymous]

My one sensory kid was not the one who needed a palate expander but was the one with braces for two years. It was hard at first but she got through it even with the times they changed the wires and it got tighter.

FWIW her sensory issues are almost gone now as a late teen. Try not to go above and beyond for your dd to avoid the things that bother her. I think things got better when we stopped accommodating all the time.

And my other kid; the one with the palate expander started sleeping so much better after the treatment and they became more focused and even keeled in temperament. Totally worth it.

[Anonymous]

My ADHD kid (11) has not been diagnosed or treated for sensory issues but clearly has them related to food and medical treatments. The latter also gives her a lot of anxiety. So the process of going to the dentist or the orthodontist is tough and causes occasional tears. The palate expander experience was tricky but mainly just in the installation (keeping her mouth open that long, having to tolerate the big thing they use to hold your lips back during the process). She adjusted to it pretty quickly though (within a few days or a week) and the turns weren’t a big deal. The turning ended early on and then it was just in her mouth for months and stopped being a thing she talked about. I can’t imagine having a removable one — that would have been an argument each day to check that she was wearing it and she also surely would have lost it more than once. The braces appointments can be tough because she knows what they are doing will cause her discomfort in the following days, so she’s really grumpy there. My mantra with her is that she does not have to like any of this but she does have to get through it and she can’t be outwardly rude to the staff in the ortho’s office.

But definitely just go with permanent things, not removable ones. It takes out the negotiation.

[Anonymous]

My kid has extreme sensory issues and had panic attacks at the dentist. When it became clear she needed a palette expander I honestly didn’t know how we would be able to do it.

We did a removable one and she worked up to getting it in her mouth very slowly. It was so awful. I am not going to sugar coat it. We barely made it through the fitting appointments even though the orthodontist was great. But slowly slowly she got used to it and eventually wore it all night every night and was able to get the space she needed. It’s possible that the permanent one would have been better but we were worried she would still panic and try to rip it out.

[Anonymous]

I’m one of the PPs. I know someone whose (non-ADHD) kid lost their removable expander twice. I don't think removable is a good option.

[Anonymous]

I am a mom of an 8 year old with extreme sensory sensitivity - we have had to put her under general anesthesia for cavities - she hates certain socks, hates sand on her feet, etc.... but ....weirdly, she is okay with her palate expander! so maybe there is hope. I think the thing is just to keep it in -she was okay with the 20 days of wind ups -- she also is okay with the braces. I feel like giving her the option to put in an invisalign each day and out woudl have been a battle. just having it in there has worked. good luck.

[Anonymous]

I have sensory issues and got through braces fine, but then did not wear my retainer because of it. Needed orthodontics again by the time I was 30.

My recommendation is to avoid anything that can be removed. I would be able to suffer through having a palate extender that was just in there. But it would be very, very hard to put one in and not take it out, if that makes sense.

[Anonymous]

My autistic DS struggled so bad to even keep his mouth open at the appointment that the orthodontist gave up and recommended the Invisalign palate expander instead. I think the relief of not having to follow through with the fixed one made it easier for him to accept the Invisalign. He did about 6 months of expansion and now he wears the retainer at night. The plastic worked a lot better for him in terms of the feeling of having it in his mouth than the metal, plus not having someone else’s hands in his mouth the install it and turn the key. He just started the actual Invisalign (in addition to the palate expander) and that’s been a bit tougher because you have to take it out and put it back in a lot vs the palate expander that only came out for cleanings. Just wanted to throw that in since it sounds like not a lot of folks here have ended up doing it this way.

[Anonymous]

We needed a palatal expander for our former preemie with eating issues and decided to go with an ALF appliance. You can see how it fits into the mouth here: https://bronsonfamilydentistry.com/service/quantum-alf-stealth-orthodontics/.

It was pricey, but it worked. We're at the end of the process now and he's in invisaligns—not sure if that's always a part of it or not.

We used Bronson, but I think there are a few others around.

[Anonymous]

I was super worried about this too (ADHD/ASD kid) but it was completely fine. She balked for a few days and then got used to it. Had braces at 10 and then again at 13. now 18.