What do you do about a bottom retainer for palate expansion that hurts your child to take in and out

Question

My 7 year old daughter had a palate expander put in the top of her mouth Tuesday. While it's annoying, it's not painful. She also has a retainer to expand the bottom jaw that is supposed to come out for eating and brushing. She cries for over an hour about taking this thing in and out to eat because she says it is so painful. She is hungry and won't take this thing out today. I am at wit's end. Is this normal to have this kind of discomfort? The orthodontist is not in until Monday. I don't know if I can take this until then, let alone her! Any suggestions? If she gets this out should we leave it out until Monday?

Answer 1

First of all,   a little children's Tylenol may help her feel better.  

If she does get it out,  it is more important that she eat than she worry about wearing this for 2 days.    If if were my child,  I would keep it out until the dentist is able to advice you on a plan of action.   You won't be losing a lot of treatment time in just 2 days.   Even though the dentist office is closed,  they usually have an answering system of some kind in place for questions like this that come up over the weekend,  and they don't mind talking to you on the phone about what to do.

If she wants to try to stick it out,  AMBESOL,  the stuff that numbs gums when babies are teething,  will also numb the areas that she says are sore when you take it in and out.   If you rub a bit on the gums and let them numb up a minute or two,  the action of removing it will be less painful.

Try the Ambesol,  call and talk to the dentist,  and as a plan C,  keep it out until Monday.