Reply #5: Didn't have the oral surgery, but I had the palate extender.

[afraid_of_the_dark]

It was either that, or pull a bunch of permanent teeth to make room for the rest of them! Hurt like crazy, especially when I had to crank it wider (up to 2x/day). After about a week of that, I had such a big gap between my two front teeth, I looked like Madonna. I couldn't eat much of anything, because my mouth was so sore and all of my teeth were loose... and everything I did eat got stuck between the palate extender and the roof of my mouth. But after all that, and the braces to realign everything, I am happy with the results. Especially now that I can eat apples again. :)