Expanders can be fixed or removable and are used for approximately 6 to 8 months. We will provide the appropriate instructions on how to activate the expander and they will monitor the progress of the expansion periodically.

Be prepared to see a space open up between the front upper teeth. This gap is to be expected as the palate will be widening with each activation. Typically, the space closes by itself or as the permanent teeth continue to come in.

Situations that call for maxillary expansion appliances

1. Crossbite — When a child’s upper jaw is too narrow to fit correctly with the lower jaw, the back top teeth will bite inside of the lower teeth instead of outside. This can be corrected by expanding the upper jaw.
2. Impacted Teeth — When a tooth that hasn’t come in (erupted) yet and is blocked by other teeth, widening the upper jaw can allow it to erupt into proper position on its own. This most often happens with canine or eye teeth — the pointier ones located directly under the eyes.
3. Crowding — Even before all of a child’s permanent (adult) teeth come in, we can tell when there will not be enough room to accommodate them. Widening the upper jaw can create the necessary space without the need for extractions.