Orthodontic Work......... sustained tics?

[P_Mom]

Hello All!

 

Well, my older son has just begun orthodontic owrk. He got spacers put in yesterday. He will have the works....spacers, palate expander, bands, braces. Yikes! I am a bit nervous because of reports of an increse in tics with such stuff (he is a ticcer when he gets symptoms) He is 10 years old and has lost all of his teeth.....doc says he is about 2 years ahead of the "normal" rate of tooth loss. He has never had a reaction to losing a tooth, or to dental cleanings. I am a bit concerned with sensory stuff because he has had some sensory related neck tics. So far, so good, but, we only have the spacers. Are there any PANDAS kids out there who have/had braces? Did you encounter any PANDAS problems because of it? I am aware of the risk of bacteria related increase like in dental cleanings...he gets a bit extra antibiotic when he gets work done...just like the dentist. I am also aware of some on the TS board who have increase in tics with braces, etc. But, I am wondering about PANDAS. Anyone have any experience?

 

Also, can a tic be sustained?? I know they are supposed to be brif and repetitive, but, my younger son has been scrunching up one side of his face. It is a sustained action....his face will remain scrunched for like 10 seconds or so...then he will relax it and that will be it for a few hours. I see it maybe 3 times a day. Can it be a tic?? Very odd...I have never seen this before.

 

THANKS!!!

 

Kelly

[Joan Pandas Mom]

Hi Kelly, I'm wondering if your son's face staying in that position for a little while is a compulsion vs. a tic. My son was doing something similar for a while but it was a compulsion and he couldn't stope making the face until it felt right--just a thought. As far as the braces I wish I could have better news. My son got braces late August 2009. His last huge exacerbation was Oct. 2009. I still don't know if the braces played any part in it. They are coming off in Nov. If he gets better, I still won't know because I think we are going to do IVIG #2 soon. I'm really sorry this isn't more helpful.

[Fixit]

Hello All!

 

Well, my older son has just begun orthodontic owrk. He got spacers put in yesterday. He will have the works....spacers, palate expander, bands, braces. Yikes! I am a bit nervous because of reports of an increse in tics with such stuff (he is a ticcer when he gets symptoms) He is 10 years old and has lost all of his teeth.....doc says he is about 2 years ahead of the "normal" rate of tooth loss. He has never had a reaction to losing a tooth, or to dental cleanings. I am a bit concerned with sensory stuff because he has had some sensory related neck tics. So far, so good, but, we only have the spacers. Are there any PANDAS kids out there who have/had braces? Did you encounter any PANDAS problems because of it? I am aware of the risk of bacteria related increase like in dental cleanings...he gets a bit extra antibiotic when he gets work done...just like the dentist. I am also aware of some on the TS board who have increase in tics with braces, etc. But, I am wondering about PANDAS. Anyone have any experience?

 

Also, can a tic be sustained?? I know they are supposed to be brif and repetitive, but, my younger son has been scrunching up one side of his face. It is a sustained action....his face will remain scrunched for like 10 seconds or so...then he will relax it and that will be it for a few hours. I see it maybe 3 times a day. Can it be a tic?? Very odd...I have never seen this before.

 

THANKS!!!

 

Kelly

 

ds had braces put on at 8 years old...did not cause episode...

we had 1 or 2 episodes while braces were on, that completely remitted with abx as per his other episodes...

we never did abx with dental work...never new or thought about it.....

1 or so months after braces came off we entered this last episode that has been a year and a half....

ds did have a filling fall out soon after that was infected...but also ....his baby brother had myco p which i now know and so did ds...don't think for my ds braces were ever the issue...

 

on you second guy...could be compulsion...

but i did do the tmj thing for ds...it was not an issue...but if you look at dr stacks or dr sims on tmj..there is a kid who has something similar to what you mentioned that the mouth gaurd worked for..

just a thought...

[P_Mom]

Thanks to both of you!

 

Actually, the compulsion thing is a great thought......I wonder why that didn't cross my mind as my younger son is not much of a ticcer as is my older son......his symptoms, when present, are very much compulsion based. That would explain the sustained part...until it feels right!! He has done this with evening up, licking his arm if the dog licked his other arm...etc. When he does get some tics, they are always more sustained....different than my older son...and they can happen just once....yes...I think you guys are on to something ....another compulsion.

Wonder why this cropped up?

 

I am hopeful the braces won't be an issue....he really needs the work done because he has a pretty bad cross-bite which, if not fixed, can cause him a lot of problems in the future. My husband and his Mom had it, too. When you look at him from the side....his lower jaw protrudes forward.

I guess only time will tell!

 

THANKS!

Edited September 23, 2010 by P.Mom

[NancyD]

Kelly,

 

My DD has had braces for about a year and a half and I was also concerned about possible increase in tics. Thankfully, the HD IVIg we did six months prior nipped the tics completely and kept them away. The braces were much easier than I thought they would be.

 

Nancy

[P_Mom]

Thanks, Nancy. It is great to hear positive experiences! I guess, so far, it seems that the braces haven't been too much of an issue for the kids. Here's to hoping I have the same experience!

Edited September 23, 2010 by P.Mom

[JAG10]

Hey Kelly!

 

Well, my dd10 had spacers and a palate expander....which for her was a very positive experience because it replaced a harmful compulsion (scratching bug bites and picking at her skin) with a harmless compulsion which was taking her spacers in and out, in and out, in and out....but that was only short-lived, a couple weeks.

 

Thank goodness she doesn't do that anymore!!!! This is the first fall since she was 6 y.o. that we haven't been frantically trying to get her to leave bug bites alone....in fact since her IVIG the bugs don't seem to find her quite so delicious or her body is not producing such a powerful histaminic response to their nibbles.

 

I hope the braces are an unremarkable event for your family!

 

Jill

[swim]

Our son had expanders on top and bottom of his mouth for about a year when he was in 3rd grade and we did not see any increased symptoms related to the orthodontia work. After the expanders came out, we did permanent retainers to hold things until he is ready for braces. We also do not see increased symptoms when he goes to the dentist. Good luck!

[P_Mom]

Thanks again!!!! Sounds good to me!

 

We go every week for the next 5 weeks....something new everytime....I'll keep you posted.

 

I haven't seen the face scrunch in younger son since yesterday after school....we'll see today when he gets home.