Palatal expanders

Palatal expanders in Oak Lawn

Palatal expanders are common orthodontic appliances that many children wear during early orthodontic treatment. These easy-to-use appliances expand the upper jaw, widen the dental arch, and create space as permanent teeth come in. Without them, issues like crossbites, impacted teeth and crowding become more common.

How do palatal expanders work?

Working with your child’s natural growth and development, palatal expanders use gentle pressure to widen the upper jaw in a pain-free way. These custom-made appliances fit comfortably over several upper teeth in the back of the mouth. Every day, parents gradually turn the expander with a specialized key. This activates the appliance and applies pressure that gradually expands the jaw.

Once the jaw has expanded to the ideal size, patients continue to wear these devices for a few months while new bone forms. This bone stabilizes the newly expanded jaw for permanent results.