Palate Expander Experience?

[jacksmomma]

DS 4, has had a visible crossbite since birth. We lovingly refer to it as his parrot mouth. His dentist has diagnosed a posterior crossbite and has recommended a palate expander. I knew this was coming, but is this a typical age? I was expecting it more in his middle to upper elementary years. Any experiences would be great!

 

[logan&tylersmama]

DS 4, has had a visible crossbite since birth. We lovingly refer to it as his parrot mouth. His dentist has diagnosed a posterior crossbite and has recommended a palate expander. I knew this was coming, but is this a typical age? I was expecting it more in his middle to upper elementary years. Any experiences would be great!

My Logan has one -- he just turned nine -- he got it about 6 months ago -- they started with spacers (little elastics in between the teeth) then put on the metal bands and then put in the expander -- we had to turn the key every night -- he said it was a little sore for the first few days but didnt complain --- its not cheep -- i think it is costing us around $2,000.00

Jennifer

 

[dis-happy]

I'd consult with a couple of orthodontists first, not just the dentist.

 

[mommystieg]

DD#1 had one but not until she was 6.

 

[justhat]

My daughter just turned 7 (in February) and she also has a crossbite. At her last visit to the dentist (day before she turned 7yo), he said she'll need a palate expander too and was going to give us some names of orthodontists we could choose from. Then he thought about it, and since she has only lost 2 baby teeth, with no other loose ones in sight, he said to wait it out and when we go back for her next cleaning in August he'll check her then and likely send us to the orthodontist at that time.

So while I don't have experience with them yet, 4yo seems early to me. My niece had one, but she was about 7yo when she got it, and my daughter will be at least 7.5yo, probably close to 8yo. BUT, my daughter was a very, very late teether, so consequently she is very slow to lose her baby teeth. If your son has lost some teeth, or has loose teeth, then maybe that's why he'll start younger.

 

[MSSANDRA]

My friend has identical twins and they were told this week that both boys needed this exact thing. They were told that without it, the teeth would not come in the right place as they lost the baby teeth. They were told that would cause huge problems and needed to be fixed now. 2100 and they will both need braces later as well.

 

[thompsons4disney]

I personally had one when I was around 11 or 12. I called it my torture device. Every night I had to turn that thing and my mouth would have a feeling that was an achy soreness and a kinda of tightness. It was very needed in my case and after braces I ended up with a great smile Oh and eating certain foods was a problem. You can't get suction, food gets in between the roof of your mouth and the device. Was it bearable sure but it was no picnic. Good luck to the both of you.

 

[Scully12]

I had a top and bottom palate expander when I was 8 or 9. I wish I had is sooner and I may have not needed braces for 4 years after that! My two top front teeth were at a horrible angle to each other because my palate was too small. Maybe getting one at a young age will be a good thing for him! It will make more room for all of the big teeth. Good luck! They can be a realll pain.

 

[southern_redhead]

Four sounds very young, but it could be that there are extenuating circumstances in his case. I would, personally, ask at the next visit.

My DD got one about a year ago (she's 8, almost 9) and it's been fine. Hers actually looks like a permanent retainer (behind her teeth, top and bottom.) There is no key to turn, tension is built in. She wore the first set for 10 months, last month she had the bottom one replaced with one that has slightly more tension as he felt her lower jaw needs a bit more adjustment. The first 3 days after getting them done (and, for the lower jaw, redone) was pretty painful for her. She ate applesauce, pudding, drank milkshakes...then it's fine. She does find them a bit annoying and she hates when another kid notices the lower one and says "What the heck is that?" LOL It's really helped, though, her jaw line is filling out some and her teeth aren't bunched up. Basically, for her, it was do them or start pulling teeth because she just had no room for permanent sized teeth. I wish, wish, WISH that I'd had one - as an adult they have to break your jaw so that's out!

 

[K and K's Mommy]

My DD had one at 8. It sounds like everyone else's. When you turn it, it basically breaks the bone and then allows you to expand the palate. When you are done turning, you leave it in place until the bone regrows.

Our dentist referred us to an orthodontist when she was 7 although we knew it was coming from when she about 4. The ortho told us to come back in 9 months. He wanted her to lose a couple more baby teeth.

It didn't bother her that much, but she was glad to get it off.

 

[cogero]

My daughter started hers last May. We are now on every 2 month visits. We had been watching it since her first dentist visit at 3.

My sister had the same problem growing up and she started hers in the first grade because it was so severe. The ortho waited until her teeth started falling out.

It sounds a bit young. I would consult an orthodontist.

 

[rbork]

My DS 11 has the expander now, other DS had it when he was 12yrs old and I had it when I was 20yrs old!

I called my hyrax a torture device too. But my boys had no trouble with the expander.
Son# 1 couldn't notice a gap, Son# 2 gap got bigger everynight and mine split over one night. That was a real shocker to wake up with a gap the size of a finger on your front teeth. I was mortified. Son # 2's gap his closed pretty quickly after the cranking stopped.

I tried to get the expander on the boys at a younder age in order to give their teeth the greatest chance of dropping in straight but a dentist wanted to do the braces in 2 phases. I chose to wait and just do all at once. Let it be known that our dentist could travel to Hawaii several times courtesy of our family's orthodontist bills.

 

[cvjw]

Older DS had a crossbite, and had a palate expander in the 4th grade. The palate expander did not totally fix the crossbite, and he had a full set of braces in the 7th grade to fix the problem. His teeth are so beautiful now that people think he has veneers!

Younger DS has a very small mouth, and didn't have enough room for all of his teeth to come in. He got his palate expander in the 1st grade. His teeth were absolutely perfect until this year - 5th grade. He has lost all but 2 teeth, and the new teeth didn't come in as pretty - he will be getting a full set of braces shortly.

In my experience, I would not put a palate expander on a 4 year old. The cross bite isn't going anywhere, and there's a good chance that the palate expander won't fix it permanently, and additional braces will be needed later on.

 

[A10560]

My son will be having one put in around age 5. He was born with a cleft lip/palate and has a terrible underbite. We will need to have his put in before his has a bone graft surgery at age 7. I know our experience will be different from most but from what I understand from his plastic surgeon the earlier the better for some kids with more then just one problem.

 

[princessnoelly]

I just turned it the last time on DD7 (last night before bed!). Our dentist was concerned because her laterals didn't have enough space to come in. DD7 has lost 10 teeth and only gotten 5 back- 4 on top and only the front two have come back in. She might need oral surgery to put the chain on the two laterals and pull them down if they don't come in on their own. I can't wait to hear how much THAT will cost!

We first saw the ortho last fall and they wanted to wait a few months- she had just turned 7 to see if the teeth would come. We saw the orthro every 2 months until Feb when we agreed it was time to start.

I think 4 is much too young, the face changes so much over the next 3 years as the teeth fall out. The bite changes too.

Our ortho looked at DD6 and said, "looks like we will do your study molds in about 2 years."

 

[southern_redhead]

She might need oral surgery to put the chain on the two laterals and pull them down if they don't come in on their own. I can't wait to hear how much THAT will cost!

I had this done as a teen - my advice do it sooner, rather than later! My experience wasn't that great (mostly because I was 15 and didn't WANT braces much LESS brackets in the roof of my mouth) and I was pretty non-compliant with my ortho. I have been hyper-vigilant with my kids teeth due to my own experience. to you and your DD, but you'll get through it

 

[princessnoelly]

Thanks southern_red head. I wore braces twice and had some oral surgery as an adult (she will live in her retainer!). I was so scared for DD but she was so unphased by the palate expander. It's amazing how resilient kids are! I really hope the teeth come in. We go in Monday AM for our update and I guess to have the expander locked in place. She'll get her braces either right before our DW trip or right after.

As a pp said, hawaii for the ortho....I'm thinking she can retire off my family (me+dd7+dd6= ONE BIG FAT Vacation!).

 

[Celidh]

DS 4, has had a visible crossbite since birth. We lovingly refer to it as his parrot mouth. His dentist has diagnosed a posterior crossbite and has recommended a palate expander. I knew this was coming, but is this a typical age? I was expecting it more in his middle to upper elementary years. Any experiences would be great!

4 years old sounds a bit young. Not so much for making the space but just the developmental stage he is at. There is a lot involved to getting the molds for this done. I wonder is he willing and able to sit with all the goop in his mouth needed to make the mold for his appliance? Plus, your mouth does ache as it is being done. I had three different appliances in my mouth when I was younger, it's not pleasant when they are adjusted.

All three of my kids will need braces, DS 13 will soon be getting his off. The dentist said probably June. DS can't wait! DS 11, they are going to wait till he loses his last couple baby teeth and he is totally done sucking his thumb. Every once in a while, despite his best efforts, he still forgets. He has been referred to an orthodontist. My regular dentist is doing the work for DS 13 and dd. He isn't an orthodontist but has went back and taken courses so he can do certain ortho work. That is why DS 11 was sent elsewhere, his issues are out of my regular dentist's realm of training. I am glad of this since it means he isn't just doing stuff not knowing what is going on.

DD, she doesn't have enough space in her mouth. The same problem I had as a child. My teeth were straightened entirely with retainers and they are very nice now. I never had actual braces. The dentist said for her, it was better to make the space now than to wait until the adult teeth come in. He said it was easier to make space for adult teeth than to wait till they come in and try to straighten them later. He said teeth like to stay where they grow and are sometimes resistant to moving later. That is the reason to make the space first rather than waiting. Maybe that is the reason they want to deal with your son at this age rather than waiting.

I would still check with someone else though if you are unsure. As I said, 4 seems a bit young, if for no other reason than just getting everything measured and the molds done and explaining to him that it will be uncomfortable.

Good luck!

 

[PHXscuba]

Definitely talk with an orthodontist (or two). There may be a reason to do it sooner -- like if the baby teeth are nearing time to start falling out, you want to get it done first. Or maybe it's something the dentist wants you to start considering, but could wait a year or two.

My DD got an expander (the retainer-looking type with tension, no key) at 5.5 for a crossbite caused by sucking two fingers from birth until age 4. They wanted to get her bite straightened out before she started losing baby teeth. I have known all along she will most likely need braces as a teen, but it will be some much easier then. Also, her back teeth now bite correctly, which is even more important than "looking straight" in the front.

Our orthodontist said she was one of his youngest patients -- she was very mature for her age and handled it well after the first night of discomfort. The orthodontist said his own son wouldn't have tolerated it (he had the same problem) at 5.5.

So please get a second opinion and look at it as Phase 1 of good oral health.

PHXscuba

 

[Peanut Giggleface]

My dd has hers in right now. She's had it for close to two months now and has finished her cranking. It expanded her teeth very quickly. One day I dropped her off at school and she may have had an eight of an inch gap between her front teeth. When I picked her up from school that afternoon it had spread to at least a half inch possibly three-fourths. However the front teeth start pulling back together again. Right now she's back to the one-eight inch gap and hopefully will get it removed when we go in for her check-up next week. It has widened her smile and the results look great.

My son will need the expander as well as he doesn't have enough room in his mouth for his adult teeth to come in. Yikes!! The orthodontist has even mentioned some kind of oral surgery to add space. Not looking forward to that.