When prescribed by your orthodontic professional, a palatal expander is really necessary to correct the bite . For a posterior crossbite in a child, a palatal expander is the Gold Standard for true skeletal correction. Palatal expanders are necessary to correct skeletal jaw discrepancies.
What happens if you don’t get a palate expander?
If your child does not have a crossbite, the amount of expansion that can be done is limited . This is due to the fact that the lower jaw cannot be expanded and therefore, the upper jaw can only be expanded slightly. Additionally, the upper jaw will likely shrink and go back to its original width a few years later.
How do I know if I need an expander?
You will need to wear an expander if you have a crossbite . This is when your upper jaw is narrower than the lower jaw, causing the top back teeth to be inside the lower back teeth. The expander makes room for your teeth and removes the crossbite.
Is there an alternative to a palate expander?
A more effective, simpler, and less costly alternative than a palatal expander is to use an appliance called a space maintainer . Interestingly, baby molars are larger in size than the permanent premolars that replace them. A space maintainers holds the extra space that is left when the baby teeth fall out.
Does everyone need an expander?
The expander is most commonly recommended when there is a crossbite between the two arches or if there’s not enough space for permanent teeth to come in correctly. It works best for children and preteens because their bones are still in a growing phase.
Do expanders change your face?
Additional orthodontic work is sometimes needed in more severe cases. A Herpst appliance or a palatal expander can move the jaw or widen the upper jaw . ... The ultimate result is a new smile and, in most moderate to severe cases, orthodontics change the shape of your face – subtly.
Do expanders make you talk funny?
Altered Speech – When the expander goes in, the patient may talk a little funny and have a lisp. This is only temporary, and will usually last less than a couple days. The more the patient talks, the sooner he or she will get used to it and talk normally again.
Does palate expander break your bone?
Precisely, a palate expander breaks the upper mouth’s bone . No matter how scary does it sound, it is true. This reason is why orthodontists avoid elaborating people how palate expander works. An expander’s job is to separate the upper bone’s cartilage and the jawbone to increase the size of the mouth.
How do you swallow with an expander in your mouth?
When you first have the expander placed, your mouth may produce more saliva. If this occurs, make a conscious effort to swallow normally by closing your lips and pushing your tongue up against the roof of your mouth . Dry not to “slurp” as it will drive your family crazy!
Do expanders help breathing?
Many children have narrow upper palates and need to be fitted with a Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE) to expand the upper jaw properly. Numerous reports show that these expanders increase the size of the nasal cavity and improve the patient’s ability to breath through their nose.
Do expanders hurt more than braces?
Does A Palate Expander Hurt? A palatal expander isn’t the most comfortable orthodontic appliance, however, it isn’t very painful . The most uncomfortable part of the expander process is the orthodontic separators that are placed to make space in between your teeth.
Do expanders give you a lisp?
Most patients have a small lisp when they first get an orthodontic expander . However, it is usually short lived and most patients go back to talking normally very soon. The tongue will quickly adapt to sharing the roof of the mouth with the expander and soon after nobody will be able to hear a difference.
Does a palate expander change your nose?
Rapid maxillary expansion produces a significant skeletal transverse expansion of nasal region in growing patients. No significant differences in nasal effects are expected when the appliance is anchored onto deciduous teeth, with or without the palatal acrylic coverage.
Do expanders make your mouth wider?
By using an expander, we can make room for the teeth without the need for extraction. There are different types of expanders. A slow expander tends to focus on making the dental arch wider, while a rapid expander makes the upper jaw itself wider .
Does everyone get a gap with an expander?
Does Everyone Get a Gap With an Expander? It is common for a gap to form . Yet, rarely will the size of the gap between the teeth ever get as large as the distance between the two sides of the orthodontic expander because the teeth start moving back together even before expansion is complete.
How long do you wear an expander?
Typically, an expander will be in place for about 9 months total time . This may vary from child to child depending on his or her needs.
