They say that beautiful smiles are born, not created – we say that’s not entirely true. While some individuals were born with such good genes, some smiles are just more beautiful, especially when your child’s mouth, teeth, and jaw are taken care of and are in such great hands of a dental professional.
If you have never heard of what a “palate extender” is, consider yourself lucky. However, if you have heard of it and your child needs it, don’t worry, as this only means that your dentist considers the long-term overall dental health of your child. The earlier you hear about it, the sooner dental issues will be fewer and even close to none.
What Is a Palate Expander?
A palate extender is a dental device used by orthodontists to widen the upper jaw where it usually sits in the roof of your child’s mouth to push the halves of the upper jaw. This device is usually one of the many options that dentists do before or alongside having braces and is more common for children.
Dental professionals do this, as the child’s upper jaw can still be adjusted as it is not yet fully fused. This process is gradual and is usually observed by your child’s dentist to create a guided space for adult teeth and improve the bite and fit of both the top and bottom jaws.
Why Would Someone Need a Palate Expander?
While the reasons are very common. Dentistry in Canterbury, palate expander treatment is highly encouraged for children because of these reasons:
- When there is not enough space for all the teeth to grow properly that they are forced to overlap or push against each other,
- Or when your child’s upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth when they bite down, meaning their upper jaw is narrow,
- Or when you notice that your child does not use their nose to breathe into; instead, they use their mouth.
- And when the dental professional recommends it as part of the early treatment of your child’s dental health to guide the development of their jaw, all before their adult teeth can come out, you can then proceed with other treatments like braces.
How Does a Palate Expander Work?
Understanding how a palate extender works will require us to understand the jaw as well. We have the maxilla, or the upper jaw as we call it, which is made up of two halves joined in the middle by a growth palate. In children, the growth palate is still not yet formed and fused; this is why a palate extender is needed to assist the natural growth and fusion of the upper jaw.
A typical palate extender is custom-made depending on the size of the child’s upper jaw. This extender is attached to the back of the child’s upper jaw molars and has a small key-like mechanism. For weeks, dental appointments are scheduled so that very tiny adjustments are made by applying gentle pressure to widen the upper jaw. Gradually as well, dental professionals entrust the palate extender adjustments to the parents or guardian of the child. This creates relief for the entrusted guardian that the process is not as harsh as it sounds, as most kids would only feel some tightness on the upper jaw that settles in within a couple of days.
In about a few months to a year, the two halves of the upper jaw slowly move apart until a new bone forms in the widened gap. This effect makes the change in the jaw permanent.
Are There Different Types of Palate Expanders?
Depending on the needs of the child’s dental health, different types of expanders are readily available for the orthodontist to offer – the common type is what we call the RPE, or rapid palatal expander, which uses a screw with a mechanism turned gradually to widen the jaw on a daily basis; another is a slow expansion device where adjustments are less frequent; and lastly, there are removable expanders where there is a lesser need to use them because there is already a forming of a proper upper jaw.
Early intervention means a smoother orthodontic journey later.
Of course, we cannot blame you if you are wary to proceed with your child having a palate expander, as it does not look pleasant, and your child might even be uncomfortable for a while. However, remember that the discomfort is only temporary, and your child can still enjoy their everyday activities and even their favourite food, as long as the expander is brushed and flossed on a regular basis. At the end of the day, the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term inconvenience.
