PALATE EXPANDER
palate expander
Table Of Contents:
- Why palate expanders are important
- What is a palate expander?
- what is a palate expander used for?
- Palate expander alternatives
- What is a Palate Expander Appliance?
- Why do you Need Teeth Arch Expansion?
- What is the Best Age to Get a Palatal Expander?
- Does Palatal Expansion Work in Adults?
- Will a Palate Expander Work at Age 23?
- Side Effects of Mouth Expander
- What’s the Duration of a Palatal Expansion Procedure Palate Expander Cost
- How to Turn a Palate Expander Appliance?
- What Can or Can’t You Eat with a Dental Expander?
- Get your Palate Expander Appliance Today
PALATE EXPANDER APPLIANCE
A palate expander appliance is basically a device that causes upper jaw expansion. It can expand your palate to fix various issues such as overcrowding, crossbite, impacted teeth, and many others. A jaw expander or palate expander — along with most orthodontic treatments — is generally done during one’s childhood because that’s when it’s easiest to prevent malocclusion by using the body’s natural growth process. The idea of palatal expansion may be scary to some people, which is why we’ll give you an overview of all the information you need. Please continue reading for a discussion of palate expander for adults appliances and palatal expansion.
Why palate expanders are important?
If orthodontic troubles run in your family or if during the course of your regular dental check-up your dentist recommends that you or your child may need a palate expander, this can oftentimes lead individuals to wondering what is a palate expander? How can it help baby teeth come in properly? Can it assist with crowded teeth? Is there palate expander for adults? What does a palate expander cost? And are there palate expander alternatives? Or even what types of palate expanders are there?
What is a palate expander?
Some individuals who have gotten orthodontic work done before may never have even heard of a palate expander. This is not too surprising though.Historically and currently, orthodontic appliances are being improved upon regularly. The 1970s was a massive decade for orthodontic appliances and technology, and as demand for orthodontics has increased over time, the profession has had to adapt accordingly (CRAVEN KURZ & RAFI ROMANO, 1998).As technologies advance and improve, new products come on the market so even if you have never heard of one when you were getting orthodontic work done, it may simply have been because either you did not need one personally or the technology was not yet widely utilized enough for you to have the benefit of it.
But what is a palate expander used for?
According to Yordanova S. et al. (2011), an orthodontist will generally require the use of a palatal expander when the orthodontic treatment warrants an expansion of the maxilla, among other things. Furthermore, an expander is used in preparation for fixed appliances.
In simple terms though, a palate expander is simply to widen the upper jaw for children to allow their teeth to come in properly. It can sometimes also be utilized for adults to help with crowding in their teeth and in many cases is often used as a prelude to getting orthodontic braces or Invisalign. The reason for this is quite simple, if your jaw is in the wrong position or is too small and there is not enough space for your teeth, wearing braces will not help you. The space needs to be there for the teeth to move into before braces can be a viable option and so a palate expander will be used in some cases to help make space. Braces are then affixed later on to straighten the teeth if needed. In some cases, simply creating enough room for the adult teeth is all that is necessary, and your child will not need orthodontic braces later on.
Palate expander cost
Some individuals when they hear about the concept of needing a palate expander for adults as well as potentially needing braces may start to worry about the cost. Although a palate expander and the treatment associated with it can be between $2,000 to $3,000 your orthodontist may be able to come up with some solutions or suggestions that might help. One of them is to talk about the type of palate expander you get as there are some different varieties which do different things and may be able to help give you the same treatment at a lower cost.
Technology is always advancing so that orthodontists can cater more efficiently to their patients’ needs. Your orthodontist may be able to tell you about multipurpose palate expanders that simultaneously perform multiple functions, such as disarticulating occlusion, protrude teeth in addition to expanding the jaw and do not hinder oral hygiene (Yordanova S. et al. 2011).
Palate expander alternatives
Of course, the only way to know for sure what will your palate expander for adults cost, if you need one, and what the best treatment options are as well as the type of palate expander you need is by talking with your local orthodontic office. The fact of the matter is that individual treatments vary so widely from individual to individual, you may find that your costs are far below the average. Alternatively, if you wait you may find that the delay caused them to be far higher.
The main thing that can affect the cost of your treatment is the speed at which you seek consultation. The longer problems are left untreated, the more expensive they become to fix as the number of issues can multiply. No orthodontic issue ever became more affordable by ignoring it. By dealing with issues as soon they are brought to your attention you can help minimize not only the treatment costs but also help avoid any other complications that may have arisen due to ignoring your treatment needs.
Some orthodontic offices even offer free consultations and you can discuss possible treatment options, the cost, and what will be best for you without even having to pay a dime to speak with an orthodontic specialist. With so much to be gained from a free consultation and talking about palate expanders and so little to lose, what is keeping you from making that call today and protecting your oral health?
What is a Palate Expander Appliance?
The palate is a technical terminology for the root of your mouth or your upper jaw. So it stands to reason that a palate expander appliance is a device that leads to palatal expansion, i.e., it can expand your upper mouth. This is mostly done in order to prevent malocclusion or bad bite. This procedure creates more space in the jaws so the young child’s teeth can grow out properly without overcrowding or other issues. The upper jaw grows out as separate halves that only join after puberty. As such, these separate halves can be separated and thus “expanded” before puberty to create more space in a child’s mouth.
Why do you Need Teeth Arch Expansion?
There are three primary situations that necessitate teeth arch expansion or palatal expansion.
- Crossbite: This is a condition in which the upper jaw is too narrow to accommodate the lower jaw. In this case, the back of the top teeth bite end up biting the inside of the lower teeth, which can lead to several issues. Palatal expansion can remedy this issue.
- Crowding: Sometimes, a child’s mouth may not have enough space to accommodate all of the permanent teeth that are about to come out. The dentist can generally determine this even before all the permanent teeth have erupted. By widening the upper jaw, the dentist can create space for all your teeth without overcrowding.
- Impacted Teeth: Sometimes the child’s permanent teeth can’t come out properly because they’re blocked by other teeth. Palatal expansion can make space for the teeth so they come out properly without damage.
- Cosmetic Purposes: Widening the upper jaw can also be aesthetically pleasing and ensures that the child will carry an even and perfectly aligned smile into their adulthood.
What is the Best Age to Get a Palatal Expander?
As mentioned previously, the upper jaws develop as separate bones until puberty, when they fuse together and become one. As such, orthodontists have a narrow window of time within which to carry out the palatal expansion procedure. That’s why palatal expander appliances are generally used in prepubescent children — the age limit for palatal expanders in girls is 12 to 13 and the age limit for palatal expanders in boys is 13 to 14 years.
Does Palatal Expansion Work in Adults? Will a Palate Expander Work at Age 23?
Side Effects of Mouth Expander
What’s the Duration of a Palatal Expansion Procedure?
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Palate Expander Cost
The average palate expander cost is hard to summarize because it depends on various factors like where you live and the orthodontist you choose. However, a typical palatal expansion procedure may cost between $2,000 and $3,000. Since this is considered to be a necessary procedure, you can get insurance coverage for most of the treatment.
How to Turn a Palate Expander Appliance?
The orthodontist will place the palate expander appliance in the child’s mouth but it’s up to the patient themselves or their parents to turn it regularly. Turning the palate expander is necessary because it widens the upper jaw. The dentist will give you a palate expander key that fits into the palate expander retainer. You have to turn the palate expander key to operate the device and turn it around, following the dentist’s specific instructions.
What Can or Can’t You Eat with a Dental Expander?
There aren’t a lot of dietary restrictions when you’re wearing a palate expander. However, you or your child should generally avoid things that are hard or sticky such as ice, corn, candies, popcorn, etc.
Get your Palate Expander Appliance Today
At Ivanov Expert Orthodontics, we have one of the country’s finest orthodontists who can examine your or your child’s teeth to determine if you’re suitable for palatal expansion. Based on that, we can give you access to affordable orthodontic treatments along with insurance coverage. For more information, please schedule your palate expander appointment today.
References:
Romano, D. M. (1998). Lingual Orthodontics. New York: BC Decker.
Svetlana Yordanova, e. a. (2011). Triple Action Palate Expander. Journal of IMAB Annual Proceeding, Vol. 17, Book 2.
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