Both the slurred speech and the extra saliva will be resolved within a few weeks. ; Pain - Patients may experience pain and headaches while wearing palatal expanders and when the screw is turned. Cyrus' teeth also spread out and are now pulling back together! The device is mostly used in young children to treat problems such as crossbite, crowding and impacted teeth. There’s also the legal document, usually the IEP, that obligates us as school SLPs to see and help the child. A palatal expander helps to treat malocclusion problems in children. Some patients find it difficult to speak clearly when they first have their expanders put in. The other day she told me she liked her smile better with a gap…i laughed and said sorry kid, I'm not paying thousands of dollars for a gap! The palatal expander is a foreign object and may feel bulky and uncomfortable inside the mouth. The Palatal Expander is a Pain in the Mouth ! Personally i kept a tisdue handy and wiped. Notice where the speech tends to lisp, towards the end of the sentence. The average length of expander wearing-time is 6 to 8 months. Many children find it difficult to speak with an expander. This perimeter contact plus the relative width of the dental arch may allow the tongue to operate up within the dental arch. Question: I just got an expander and besides the constant pain, I’ve been having the usual trouble. You might have to move your mouth wide when speaking in an unnatural way at first, but practice in a mirror. #70 Telepractice Tips 'n Info (Part 3) [Parents: Is Online Therapy Effective? We have done that at least 2 or 3 times. problably not with an expander it think only with mewing on one side. I'm voting you up and sharing your hub! This creates space in the jaw for proper placement of teeth. However, consult the orthodontist immediately when your child complains of excessive pain. Keep in mind the dental arch is the horizontal arch that houses the teeth; you have two of them, top and bottom. Gradual outward pressure is placed on the left and right haves of the upper jaw. When the device has done its job and removed, the result is a more roomy, more spacious upper area for the tongue to move and interact. Also, my Mom and Dad almost always “stab” the back of my mouth with the “key”. Do you have any tips on the movement of my tongue that could help? The roof of the mouth is called a palate. Hi could you get a migraine with your expander? Questions to ask or observations to make: Does the dental arch and/or palatal arch look narrow to you? Have you noticed that it’s difficult for the child to elevate his/her tongue and generate lingual-palatal contact and interaction due to space availability? [1][2] This is a common orthodontic procedure. The Dental Spacers Are Really Annoying…. As the expander moves bone, some pain and discomfort is a given. 1. But, I can already see how it is changing his "look" so to speak… very interesting! This means that equal amount of dental and skeletal expansion is achieved, compared to RME technique where mostly skeletal expansion is achieved initially. Answer: No, your tongue will survive. The good news is that after you have worn it for probably two weeks you get used to it and can’t even really feel it. It’s amazing the things that can be done (She’s 23 so it’s been 15 years) in orthodontia. Our orthodontists may recommend an expander to widen your palate and make room for crowded teeth. However, It is advisable to follow the instructions of your orthodontist to ensure that there is less pain and inconvenience. If you can remove your expander, you may be tempted to take it out when eating. Does it hurt? The tongue is not able to hit the roof of the mouth and this causes some words to come out sounding slightly strange.As an experiment, with your palate expander in, say your vowels out loud: A E I O U. My 8 year old daughter has one of those, she wasn't bothered by the key turning after the first day or two, but other than that she agrees completely. Also avoid sticky foods (caramels, taffy, tootsie rolls, etc.) Can we work toward lip closure and nasal breathing? Goddard, in 1890, and Landsberger, in 1910, revisited the idea of arch expansion. 1. It is such an interesting process to watch! The palatal expander throws a kink in the remediation process. Use of an expander is a common orthodontic procedure most regular in children. It does die down. For stability purposes, the RPE usually remain in the patient's mouth anywhere between 3–6 months, but this time may vary between patients. Agarwal, A. and Mathur, R., 2010. The good news is that after you have worn it for probably two weeks you get used to it and can’t even really feel it. Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. An expander is an appliance fitted by an orthodontist designed to widen the upper dental arch (for dental movement), or, to widen the upper dental arch (for dental movement) AND widen the palatal arch (for skeletal/palatal growth and width). Expanding the jaw generates the room and assists to deal with conditions like cross bite, overcrowding, and impacted teeth.