Palate Expanders

Palate expanders are standard dental devices used for curing several dental issues. Also known as orthodontic expanders, they are most commonly used among kids in their pre-adolescent age. However, it can also prove to be helpful for teens and adults. Palate expanders are mostly used for rectifying crossbite or narrow upper jaw issues.

Getting palate expanders at an early age comes with multiple benefits; it creates more space in a child’s mouth by gradually widening their upper jaws. The process is quite easy and does not involve pain. Apart from crossbite, palate expanders can also cure teeth crowding and impacted teeth issues.

Benefits of palate expanders

There are several benefits of wearing palate expanders like:

• Overcrowded teeth are caused due to lesser space in jaws to accommodate all of them. Palate expanders help increase the space on jaws by widening it, which helps create enough space for the permanent teeth.
• By widening the upper jaws, palate expanders can encourage better breathing through the nose. In other words, it helps in expanding the nasal airways. It also helps to deal with teeth grinding, snoring and even have shown positive results in reducing sleep apnea.
• It rectifies crossbite issues which are common among children. Children with a narrow upper jaw have this problem, and it can be rectified using palate expanders, which widens your jaws.
• If a tooth is unable to erupt due to the blockage caused by neighboring teeth fully, then palate expanders can help with that.
• The fit between your lower and upper jaw is affected when you have a narrow upper jaw. A symmetrical upper jaw helps to accommodate all the permanent teeth perfectly and improves the quality of your smile.

Types of palate expanders

There are different types of palate expanders- while some will remain fixed in your mouth for several months, others are removable. Your orthodontist will check your oral conditions thoroughly before deciding the right kind of palate expander to suffice your needs:

• Removable palate expander- It is used for mild cases, and the patient needs to wear this equipment throughout the day, except when they are brushing or eating.
• Hyrax rapid palate expander- It is a fixed palate expander designed to fit around the individual back molars. Here, the bands are glued individually to the teeth for securing the expander.
• Quad helix appliance- This too is a fixed palate expander glued to the back molars. These are placed in a compressed position inside the mouth, and it gently opens up over time on their own.
• Haas Expanders- These are fixed palate expanders which too are glued to the back molars. Here, you will find an acrylic plate and screw sitting in the middle of it.

If you want to know more about palate expanders or wish to avail of the treatment, give us a call at 954-389-2345.