What issues does the expander fix?
At your initial consultation, we will evaluate if an expander is beneficial and necessary for you. Commonly, an expander is used to treat the following issues:
1.
Crossbites
The upper teeth should fit around the outside of the lower teeth. In a patient with a narrow palate, it can be the other way around, with the upper teeth biting inside the lower teeth. This results in asymmetrical growth of the lower jaw, which can cause facial asymmetry if it isn’t corrected in time. Wear and fracture to the teeth can also result.
2.
Crowding
In many patients, crowding can be reduced or eliminated with an expander by creating space for the upper teeth to come into the correct positions. This can avoid the need to extract permanent teeth.
3.
Impacted Teeth
An impacted tooth occurs when a tooth that hasn’t come in yet because it is blocked by other teeth. An expander can widen the upper jaw to allow the impacted tooth to erupt into the proper position. This most often happens with canines or “eye teeth.”
4.
Mouth Breathing
A narrow upper jaw makes it difficult for a child to breathe through his or her nose because the roof of the mouth is also the floor of the sinus. This results in mouth breathing, which causes the unhealthy inhalation of unfiltered bacteria, dry mouth, and potential gum disease and bad breath.
5.
A More Beautiful Smile!
Expanding the palate can create a wider, more esthetic smile. Expansion can also reduce the time that braces are required.