Palatal Expanders Can Make Room For Your Child’s Teeth
One of the most common orthodontic problems we treat in our Boca Raton, FL and Coral Springs, FL orthodontist offices is crowding. If teeth are too crowded, it not only affects your smile’s appearance but also causes additional issues like:
Dr. Rothstein on Expanding a Patient's Upper Arch 
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So, expanders are a fairly common appliance. It's kind of the one thing that people always come in or the parent will come in and say, “I had an expander when I had treatment, too.“ So, it's probably the most common auxiliary appliance, we'll call it, in addition to braces and it's typically used in younger children or in children, for that matter, because you can't use it in adults. Expanders are used when the upper arch is too narrow and we have to make things wider for a few reasons. One is there can be functional issues that are created with a narrow arch that create asymmetries, and a big part of our job is creating nice, symmetric growth situation for our patients. The other is it can create space for a lot of crowding. And then the third benefit is that people like big, broad smiles. Using expansion when it's indicated can help us take a really narrow smile and make it much broader, much more so than just the braces alone. So, sometimes you need to add a little bit of… a little heavy lifting, lets call it.
- Making it more difficult to clean plaque from your teeth and gums, which leaves you more susceptible to cavities, gum disease, and other problems
- Creating a bad bite, or malocclusion, which can cause chronic jaw pain
Fortunately, we can use an appliance called a palatal expander to create more room for your teeth. We usually use expanders for children under age 16. Adults who need to have their palate expanded typically require orthodontic surgery.
A careful examination of your child will help us determine whether he or she would benefit from a palatal expander. To schedule an exam, call Smiles by Dr. W and Dr. R at (561) 483-0072.
Palatal Expander Fixes Multiple Orthodontic Issues
By creating room in the upper jaw for your child’s teeth to come in properly and avoid crowding, your child may avoid the need for extracting teeth. Palatal expanders solve other problems as well. They can:
- Correct a crossbite, which occurs when upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth.
- Improve breathing ability by opening up the nasal passages.
- Improve facial symmetry and overall appearance
Technology Helps Us Identify Orthodontic Issues
As with any orthodontic treatment in our Boca Raton, FL or Coral Springs, FL orthodontist office, we’ll use the latest tools to help us determine if your child would benefit from a palatal expander. Our technology includes:
- 3D imaging, which helps us identify orthodontic issues that may benefit from early intervention.
- iTero® Intraoral Scanners, which allow us to obtain teeth impressions using noninvasive digital technology.
We recommend bringing in your child for an orthodontic exam no later than their 7th birthday as proposed by the American Association of Orthodontists. To schedule an appointment, call Smiles by Dr. W and Dr. R at (561) 483-0072 or use our online form. We’re located in the Somerset Shoppes in Boca Raton, FL, and we have a convenient second location in Coral Springs, FL.