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About Your Hardware

Palatal Expanders

Wear and Care of Palate Expanders

The device that has been glued in today is designed to widen the upper jaw to better match the lower.

Please expect:

Some discomfort, especially at first as the bones 'get moving'. After that, any discomfort should diminish. Please stop, and call us right away if there is severe pain, blurred vision, or if the appliance comes loose.
Another expectation is that a fairly large space will develop between the upper central teeth. This is normal, and the teeth will drift back together on their own.
Speech is usually affected at first but this goes away with time. Practising reading out loud will greatly speed the process.
Food will get stuck around the wires.

Watch the movie to see how Palatal Expanders work.

Palatal Expander Rules at-a-Glance

Brush you teeth very well with toothpaste at least once per day.
Avoid hard or sticky foods so not to break or damage the appliance. A fee will be charged for lost or broken appliances.
Avoid foods high in sugar; cavities are a concern if you are not careful.