So I've finally come to the end of having orthodontic devices in my mouth.
I got my braces off just over two months ago.
:)
Unfortunately I haven't got great photos but the difference is nothing short of impressive regardless. I am very happy with the outcome and am very glad I ended up going through the very long process which all up was over four years worth of orthodontic work!
Palate expander, 5 teeth removed, Braces and now a retainer.
I wear my retainer all the time except for when I eat. It is a clear plastic retainer which i like because other people cant tell that it is in.
I will continue to wear it round the clock until christmas and then lessen the time to around 16 hours a day. It has fit into my routine well and I rarely forget to put it back in after eating.
Something I have also put into my daily routine now rather than every other day is tooth mousse, now with my retainer it is kind of like a tray for tooth mousse or even whitening gel (I havent got that far yet)
I have to be vigilant about my retainer also because I have some wisdom teeth making their way in, luckily i have space if needed but will need the retainer to hold everything in place as they make their way down. I've admitted to myself that I will be wearing my retainer for life at night at least, and I am ok with that so long as I never have crooked teeth or migraines again.
So thats it from me for now, If I get many requests for it ill attempt to take some more shots of my upper and lower jaw now. I really do have so much more space in my mouth and I can't remember what it was like to have such little space and so much crowding anymore.
My advice for people seeking out upper palate expansion is do your research first and then definitely consider it as an option. I am so glad that I did.

I really haven't posted in a long time.
Nothing new to share really.
I still have my braces on, and the last year or so my teeth have been beautifully straight with very few issues what so ever other than a small gap on my right side up the top which closes and opens, every now and then.
I have three weeks left with braces!
THREE WEEKS!
What a long process its been for me, years of orthodontic work, lots of money and my son who is two and half years old now has never seen me without braces!

I've had a massive decline in my migraines, from fortnightly debilitating migraines (at the least) to one every 6-12 months.
I know that is from the palate expansion, my poor face was squashed!

Being pregnant with my son saw me go from 52 kilograms to 82 kilograms at his birth. I am now around 70 kilos (my metabolism will never be the same again! ) and as a result of this and my orthodontic work, my face does look different, but in a healthier way.

I am still a preschool teacher, and that was something that pushed me to get my teeth done in the first place. Little people have no filter, they will say it how it is and after being asked many times about my teeth from my darling little friends I decided to fix them.
Now I have to explain when asked "whats those tings on your teef?"
I've even had a few of my little students ask me if I could buy some for them. I literally LOLed at those ones because unfortunately, even if I wanted to, I could never afford it!

I'll leave a pic of my upper
Promise to post again then. :)

teeth today here, they aren't exceptionally clean, I am due for a scale, clean and fluoride treatment but put it off until de-banding.