Great Smiles Pediatric & Orthodontics
Dr. Natalie Miller of Great Smiles Pediatric & Orthodontics is back this month to answer parents’ orthodontic questions.
- Have you been told that your child needs an expander?
- Does your kiddo have crowding of their teeth or a crossbite?
It’s time to dive into all things expansion!
Anatomy of the maxilla
The upper jaw, or properly known as the maxilla, is comprised of the roof of the mouth, the nose and eye sockets. It is also the home to all of the upper teeth. The maxilla has a seam, or suture, that runs down the middle of the roof of the mouth. This is where the transverse, or side to side growth of the dental arch occurs.
If the maxilla is too small or narrow, some of the following things can occur:
- Crowding- Not enough room for the permanent teeth
- Crossbite- Some or all of the upper teeth fit on the inside of the lower teeth
- Impaction of unerupted teeth- The teeth will not erupt on their own
- Facial asymmetry
How do we fix a narrow maxilla?
With an EXPANDER!
Expanders come in many different shapes and sizes depending on the needs of the patient. No matter what the shape or size, the goal is the same… to widen the maxilla!
Here are a few examples of expanders:
Some of the expanders are activated by the orthodontist and others are done by parents at home. Activation of the first two examples of expanders is done by placing a key in the hole inside the expander and gently turning the screw.
Additionally, some expanders are fixed in the mouth and others are removable. The orthodontist carefully determines how much expansion is needed for each individual patient.
Once the appliance is activated the two halves of the maxilla are pushed apart and new bone fills in the middle. This process is called distraction osteogenesis.
After the expansion has been achieved, there is a holding period where the appliance remains in the mouth to retain the expansion while the bone fills in and matures in the suture.
Effects of expanders
The changes that expanders facilitate can range from very subtle to quite dramatic depending on each child’s condition. But either way, this treatment modality is very simple and highly effective! Most kids tolerate the appliance, activation and changes incredibly well.
Get in touch with a Great Smiles orthodontist
If you think that your child could benefit from maxillary expansion, Dr Natalie Miller & Dr Chris Hydo at Great Smiles Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics would be thrilled to meet you and offer their opinion!
More TNCM blog posts from the team at Great Smiles Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics:
Meet a Mom — Natalie Miller, DDS, MS — Great Smiles PDO
Early Orthodontics… What’s this all about?
