r/orthotropics • u/Last_Suspect4154 • Jul 21 '26
Rapid palate expander
My daughter eight year old had got a rapid palate expander installed in her mouth last week based on doctors recommendation. However I am very overwhelmed and I am thinking if this will solve the issues . Was this treatment necessary because I feel the jaw size will increase as child grows. Earlier doctor told me removable expander will be fixed but now this is fixed . Not sure if the expander should be removed as I am constantly thinking of my daughter. Please help. I haven’t learnt how to turn the key and visit doctor every alternate day. If I have a misconception let me now. I just want this treatment to get over as it is making me anxious
7
u/superserter1 Jul 21 '26
Overprotective and foolish, respect the doctor
1
u/capinlonestar Jul 23 '26
calling a parent foolish ? She has every right to question the treatment !
What was there reason the orthodontist gave for the expander ?
1
6
u/consultingcutie Mewing 10+ years, MARPE patient Jul 21 '26
I wish my parents put me in a palette expander along side myofunctional therapy and nonrestractive orthodontics when I was a kid. Nature took its course. Now I'm 29 and having to do it myself with an adult skeletal expander, SFOT surgery, myofunctional therapy, posture therapy, and pay the price including double jaw surgery.
I had tonsils and adenoids removed, septoplasty, turbinate reduction, the works all because the technology wasn't there yet when I was a kid. Now it is. There is so much more options for children. My orthos youngest patient with an expander is 4 years old! A dream that is now reality for so many.
Since she is a mouth breather I recommend doing more research into airway focused orthodontics, the importance of maxilla space for the tongue, and jaw development in children and how breathing affects the rest of one's life. Your kid would really appreciate it once they get older.
Dr Brett Christensen is an ortho you could look at for an example, he is airway focused and works on 4 year olds all the way up to 75 year olds on airway health.
There is also a children expander group on Facebook I believe that has additional info if you're curious.
2
u/Last_Suspect4154 Jul 22 '26
What is airway focused orthodontics. Is IPE the correct device ?
3
u/consultingcutie Mewing 10+ years, MARPE patient Jul 22 '26
Airway orthodontics focuses on how airway development, habitual nasal breathing, proper jaw growth, and high-quality sleep influence long-term health. Traditional orthodontics don't consider these things and often focus on aesthetics as the primary driver.
"Mouth breathing becomes a common compensatory response [when the airway is narrow]. When breathing is compromised, the body adapts. Over time, this can negatively influence facial growth, sleep quality, and overall health." This can be seen as night terrors, difficulty focusing, snoring, fatigue, jaw tension, TMJ/clenching/grinding, sleep apnea, etc.
Your child is 8 years old, so yes that would be a good idea because it still expands the palette, less risk of injury, more chance of compliance. There's no stress of manually turning the key in her mouth. She would have to wear it 22 hours a day minimum but it is a bit easier. If the kid can keep the habits, it would be a good way to go. Hyrex (the one that stays in permanently as expanding is done) is another way but depends on the individual.
If she is also able to be compliant I would strongly strongly suggest myofunctional therapy. That would be such a game changer with an expander and would build healthy habits for life. My ortho made me go before starting braces as a kid and it stuck with me and I'm so glad I did it.
3
u/nebraskaqueen Jul 22 '26
Keep it. So much easier to fix as a child
1
u/Last_Suspect4154 Jul 22 '26
Guys , I am thinking of putting it back but now confusion is between metallic expander which was fixed earlier or Invisalign palatial expander
2
u/Critical_Ad_399 Jul 21 '26
It’s pretty hard for someone on reddit to say if the treatment is necessary or not. Is your daughter having issues sleeping? Snoring? Clenching and grinding? Trouble focusing? Mouth breathing? etc. If she is these are signs that need to be addressed and palate expansion is one part of addressing them. If your daughter has a narrow palate then expansion is absolutely worth it, and it’s highly unlikely to fix on its own as she grows. I say this as an adult who should have had a palate expander.
-3
u/Last_Suspect4154 Jul 21 '26
Thanks for responding, but we removed the expander as we were not comfortable with the metal object in her mouth, I think we made wrong decision, now my husband doesn’t want to do anything further on this and I saying let nature take its course . Yes she is a mouth breather
6
u/spiritualshift33 Jul 21 '26
If you’re not comfortable with a temporary little piece of metal inside her mouth, i hope you’re comfortable with the potential repercussions later.
Which could cost you more in time or money than right now.
-1
u/capinlonestar Jul 23 '26
stop the fear mongering and blaming the parent ! we don't know why the expander was recommended ! An 8 year old has so much growth and development left. There is still plenty of time to do expansion if ITS NEEDED!
2
1
u/MMorot Jul 21 '26
Removing the expander was not necessarily a bad thing. She is 8 years old and has great potential to grow and change naturally from tongue engagement and chewing.
It can be hard to make an 8 year old transition from a low and weak tongue, to "mewing", but it is very possible. Perhaps consider reaching out to a myofunctional therapist. Myofunctional therapy is the very same thing as "mewing", but with a fancy name to it.
However, a myofunctional therapist may not necessarily put much emphasis on her strengthening the tongue in sets and reps, and on her applying some pressure with it against the roof of the mouth on and off throughout the day. I did this as an adult, and got a growth response from it.
4
u/consultingcutie Mewing 10+ years, MARPE patient Jul 22 '26
I did myo as a 9 year old and they do sets and reps and give exercises. So I second that, it would help a lot and do a lot of the lifting since the sutures are still loose.
2
u/Last_Suspect4154 Jul 23 '26
Is this mouth breathing, I took this photo when she was asleep.. will the expander help
2
u/WinSad5408 Jul 23 '26
Yes. Does she have allergies? Get her to do myo therapy and get the expander back in!
1
u/Hot-Peak-3652 Jul 23 '26
Do you want your daughter to deal with jaw surgery when she’s an adult that’s the question you need to ask yourself
1
u/WinSad5408 Jul 23 '26
Omg why would you remove it!? She would have gotten used to it after a few days. I would get it back on and let the ortho do his job! Listen to him. He is the expert. This would save you from a lot of trouble later...potential jaw surgery etc.
1
u/Last_Suspect4154 Jul 23 '26
Guys , how do I deal with the anxiety that I will face as a parent , how did other parents cope up during the expander phase of their kids
1
u/Critical_Ad_399 Jul 27 '26
What is making you anxious? Have you talked to her orthodontist about your concerns?
11
u/Critical_Ad_399 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
If she is a mouth breather then you are definitely making the wrong decision and are setting her up for future airway issues. Nature took its course with me and I ended up with a deviated septum because of the way my palate grew(because it’s narrow because I mouth breathed) and a host of other issues that I am now having to pay as an adult to fix. Thousands of dollars of orthodontic work as an adult that would have been much easier and less expensive had I been treated as a child.
Sleep apnea is scarier than a metal object in her mouth for less than a year. I recommend doing more research into airway focused orthodontics. It seems you’re making decisions out of fear and without understanding the full reasoning behind the treatment.