What are palate expanders

Palate expanders are made for oral use to correct multiple common dental conditions. Palate expander is also known as an orthodontic expander and palatal expander. The oral devices are commonly used in children who are in their pre-adolescent stage but sometimes they are used in adults and teens.

Palate expanders are custom-made for every child. They are bonded or cemented to multiple upper molar teeth and are usually left on the teeth until the desired goal is achieved. The palate expanders have two sides connected at the center with a screw. A special key turns the screw. The key is expected to be turned at least once a day or more if instructed by the orthodontist. With time, the palate expander will shift the mouth’s bones, thereby creating more room.

What are Palate Expanders

Palate expanders are oral devices used to remedy dental problems by slowly expanding the mouth’s roof so the upper jaw can widen. These oral devices can correct multiple dental conditions, such as overcrowded teeth and crossbite. The expanders are most effective if used before puberty.

Dental devices are found in several types, from removable to fixed ones. They include:

Removable Palate Expanders

Your dentist may recommend a removable one if it is only a small size of jaw widening required. Removable palate expanders are in several diverse brands. These expanders are designed to be worn for 24hrs per day, except when brushing teeth, eating, or playing sports. Instead of turning the screw daily, you will need to turn it about thrice a week.

Hyrax Rapid Palatal Expander

This is a fixed type of palate expander for kids with bands designed to fit well around each back molar. The bands are glued on the teeth to secure the palate expander in position. The palate expander has a screw in its middle under the mouth’s roof. A dentist will give you the key for turning the screw and teach you how to use it.

Quad Helix Appliance

This is also a type of fixed palate expander for kids glued on the molars. Quad helix is put in the mouth in a compressed place. The palate expander, over time, gently opens by itself and will not need manual adjustments at home.

Haas Expander

It is also a type of fixed palate expander glued onto the back molars. The screw is found at the center of an acrylic plate that expands when you adjust. Thus, it will put pressure on the teeth and palate.

Why Your Child May Need a Palate Expander

An orthodontic expander may recommend the use of the palate expanders if:

• One has a crossbite formed between two arches or lacks enough space in their mouth for the permanent teeth to sprout correctly. This will work well for preteens and children since their jaw bones are still in the growing phase, and it will allow room for the flexibility required to make changes.
• Assist one with a narrow upper jaw by widening the upper arch. This will allow the teeth in the upper jaw to align better with those in the lower jaw and thus create a better bite.
• Widening of the palate also creates room for crowded teeth. Thus, it will remove the need for extracting permanent teeth.
• Moreover, a person with a narrow arch and high palate will cause restriction in the breathing passages. The palate expanders will work by creating a broader and more attractive smile.

What Is The Function of Palate Expanders, How Do They Work?

1. It Can Be Used In Widening Of The Jaw

A narrow may leave no room for proper tooth alignment, thus leading to crooked, overlapping, and crowded teeth. The reduced gum space in the narrow jaw can cause impacted teeth. The oral device works by widening the upper jaw to allow the patient’s permanent teeth to come from the gums into their proper positions.

2. It Can Be Used In the Correction Of Crossbites

A crossbite is a dental malocclusion that makes the teeth in the upper jaw sit inside those on the lower jaw. Untreated crossbite can cause complications like:

• Tooth decay
• Pain
• Sleep apnea

What Should Your Child Expect

1.Whether The Palate Expanders Hurt

Wearing and adjusting the palate expander before and after does not hurt. However, a child might feel tingly in their teeth or a slight sensation of pressure on their mouth’s roof. The feeling lasts about 5 minutes, and then it will dissipate completely.

2.Palate Expanders When Chewing And Swallowing Food

It will take some time to get used to it. In the first few days, the child can be overalert with the sensations that result from talking, chewing, and swallowing. For your child to adjust to having a palate expander in their mouth may take approximately a week. Before getting used to it, they should consume soft, easy-to-swallow food that needs minimal chewing. The recommended foods include scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, applesauce, tofu, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and smoothies. The child should avoid chewy or sticky foods like taffy, apples, steak, hard candies, ice, caramel, popcorn, and chewing gum.

How To Care For It?

Maintaining the cleanness of your palate expander, teeth, and gums is crucial. They should be free of bacteria, debris, and plaque. Building up plaque can cause tooth decay, swollen gums, and inflammation, making it hard to adjust your palate expander. Always floss and brush your teeth regularly, more so after meals. A manual or an electronic toothbrush will work well, depending on what your orthodontic expander recommends.

If you have expanders, avoid hard, chewy, or sticky foods. Also, avoid any foods that may generate particles like carrots and nuts. Moreover, ensure the children do not chew on hard objects like pencils as it may damage the palate expander.

Are There Any Downside To Palate Expanders?

Possible Side Effects

The use of palate expanders commonly results in a space forming between the two front teeth in the upper jaw. It is a common side effect resulting from jaw widening. The gap will close by itself over time. Sometimes the patient is advised to wear braces for kids. Other temporary side effects of using palate expanders are such as:

• Drooling
• Lisping
• Speech changes
• Headaches
• Discomfort during treatment
• Bite opening. A gap forms between the bottom and top teeth when the child’s mouth is closed.
• Relapse of the palate, by shifting back out of position
• Lack of cooperation
• Root resorption. The body’s immune system dissolves the tooth’s root.

Other downsides for the expanders include:

• Age permitting. It is recommended for people before they reach puberty. The older one gets the more painful and tedious the process will be.
• Discomfort when the devices are placed in the mouth will feel unnatural.

How Long Does The Treatment Takes?

The process of expanding a palate commonly takes three to six weeks to be complete. However, the dental device will stay in the mouth for longer. About five to six months to allow the bone that is newly formed to mature. If the device is removed earlier than it should, it may compromise the modifications. The patient’s orthodontist will state when the process is complete, and the expander is ready to be removed.

Are There Any Alternatives?

The best pediatric dentist in Richmond Texas, will help you determine if an expander should be your treatment method, or you can choose from other treatments, such as:

Braces

You can use braces for kids and sometimes also adults to alleviate crossbites and overcrowded teeth.

Teeth Removal

A kids dentist near me can recommend surgically removing the impacted teeth to prevent overlapping or overcrowded teeth. You can also perform tooth extraction if your molars lack room for erupting through the gums.

Jaw Surgery

Young individuals with dental issues that cannot be fixed with orthodontic devices can be recommended for jaw surgery to a kids dentist near me.

Where To Go For Orthodontics In Richmond, Texas?

Of course, Luna Pediatric Dentistry in Richmond, Texas, is among the best pediatric dentist in Richmond Texas. It is a children’s dental clinic that comprehends the unique and diverse needs of children, even those with special needs. The clinic orthodontics in Richmond is clean and child friendly with a very professional environment and modern technology. Palate expander before and after results will be worth the time and will restore your dental complications.