How big of a gap does a palate expander create?

Most likely small: The expander should only expand the arch slightly more then what is needed to correct the crowding. At 30 there is also only so much an expanded can do. This is because the cartildge that is in the middle of your palate had turned to bone. Greater expansion can be done in a child while there is still cartildge in the middle because it will expand and grow in repsonce to the expansion force.

ANSWER: If the procedure is correctly done there is not going to be a space in the roof of your mouth. The pressure causes a bone junction between two sides to widen and it fills in from your body. Go speak to teh doctor that is doing the procedure and if you don't like the answer get a second opinion.;.

Depends on protocol: If this is for a child, the space often can be big enough to almost look like another tooth can fit into place, but will begin to close quickly once you are done turning the expander. If for yourself, and you are undergoing surgical palatal expansion, the same is to be expected. For non-surgical expansion of adults, using a palatal expander to be ineffective.

Depends on need: The temporary gap between upper front teeth seen in children mirrors the amount of expansion necessary to correct the child's skeletal width discrepancy. Once expansion completed, teeth move together all by themselves. In adult expander can tip upper back teeth but not correct skeletal imbalance. To correct skeletal width problem in adult expansion has to be coupled with jaw surgery.