How long do children usually have to wear palate expanders for? it looks like out son is might have to get a palate expander, and i'm wondering how long i can expect him to need it for. will we have to get more than one as he grows?

Palatal : Palatal expanders are for children with narrow maxillary (upper) arches. They widen the arch, create space for teeth, and correct crossbites. There is a screw that will be turned with a special "key" twice a day. This will place pressure on the maxillary bones to spread them apart. The number of turns that will be necessary will be determined by your dentist and depends on the amount of expansion needed. Once expanded, the appliance will remain in place until the bone fills in and sets into its new position. This can take a few months. Your dentist will be monitoring your son's condition and advise you when it is time to remove the appliance.

If : If we are talking about a fixed maxillary (upper) palatal arch expander, these are typically activated daily for 3 -7 weeks. This active time of expansion is then followed by a 4-month period of stabilization (no activation) to allow adequate time for “bone fill” after the widening process. So on average an upper expansion appliance is on for about 5 months. This type of cemented-in or “permanent” (not removable) expansion appliance is appropriate for most people until the age of 17 and is designed to literally move the 2 halves of the palate apart from each other. After the age of 17 these 2 halves of the upper jaw skeletal structure fuse together and this type of expansion appliance will only work with an accompanying surgical procedure to split/separate the 2 halves. There are removable “expansion appliances” sometimes employed in growing patients that have a combination of deciduous (baby teeth) and adult teeth (typically ages 6 – 10 years old). These types of expanders are designed to develop or grow the jaw size larger through gradual growth and development. These types of “growth” appliances, known sometimes as orthopedic appliances, may be worn 1 – 2 years depending on the amount of space needed in development and the patient’s individual tissue response to the procedure.

If : If a palatal expander is used, you will have to turn a small screw that will gently widen the upper jaw. Once the turning is completed, the expander will be in place for usually 4-6 months afterward to allow space to fill in with bone and become stable. Your orthodontist will take the appropriate records to determine how much expansion is needed to match the width of the upper jaw with the width of the lower jaw. Sometimes, this amount is too large to normalize with just one expander alone, and two are needed to get the full correction. However, this is determined on a individual case-by-case basis. Correcting the width of the jaws is one of the best services your son can now in order to promote good long-term dental health. Best of luck!

This : This type of question will be difficult to answer via cyberweb, there are many factors influencing when to start treatment such as age and stage of development of the mixed dentition. Palatal expanders are usaly used only one time, although it should be followed up with a conventional orthodontics in order to attain the desired result. A consultation with a specialist will be helpful to guide you towards the right path to follow. Good luck.

5 months: All my colleagues have answered well. The short answer is, after active expansion it takes between 4-6 months for solid bone to form in the newly expanded area. Biology demands rigid fixation until this occurs. Good luck!

Age dependent: There are different types of palatal expanders often used at different ages. In pre-teen years, expanders may be in place for 6-9 months. Teenagers, it may be 4-6 months. But these estimates are all highly variable. There are rare circumstances when more than one expander may be used in different phases and at different ages for the same patient.

Only one needed: The skeletal change from a palatal expander is permanent. The earlier expansion is done, the less chance of upper teeth crowding. We have patients wear expander long enough to do the correction + an additional 3 months. Once expander removed we have patients wear retainer for a period of time. Ask your orthodontic specialist about your son's specific time table.