ProviderWhat Is Palatal Expansion?
Palatal expansion is a tried and tested treatment that uses an orthodontic device to widen a narrow upper jaw, allowing the teeth to grow in the correct positions in the mouth.
In the early stages of dental development, the upper jaw consists of two sides connected by a soft spot. This soft spot runs right down the middle of the upper jaw, allowing it to widen as the mouth grows and develops.
Using palatal expansion while a child's mouth is still growing helps circumvent or minimize the development of jaw and teeth misalignments. In turn, this can shorten or entirely prevent the need for treatment with braces or clear aligners in later years.
In some cases, this common early orthodontic treatment can have the added benefit of helping the child to eat, breathe, and speak more easily.
The Importance of Early Orthodontics for Kids
Children with bite and tooth alignment issues often benefit from early orthodontic intervention as a way to prevent or reduce the need for more extensive treatment later in life. Palatal expansion often plays a vital role in the early orthodontic treatment of our youngest patients at Douglas Orthodontics.
How Palatal Expanders Work
A child's palatal bones continue to grow until puberty, making the years between five and 11 the ideal time to detect and treat a narrow palate.
Palatal expanders are custom-made, metal appliances that gradually widen the bones that form the palate, creating more space in your child's mouth as the jaw develops and adult teeth begin to emerge.
Palatal expanders sit in the roof of the mouth and are typically fixed in place until the completion of Phase 1 treatment. Using a small key, parents simply turn the expander at prescribed intervals, gently widening the palate by a ¼ mm with each turn, making more room for the teeth.