Palatal Expander

What is Palatal Expander?

A palatal expander is an orthodontic appliance that “widens” (or expands) your upper jaw by exerting gentle pressure on your upper molars each time you turn and adjust it. At Bernstein Orthodontics, we offer the palatal expander in Cary, NC, to help facilitate nose breathing, produce a correct bite, and ultimately straighten your teeth.

If you have a new palatal expander, the animation below will guide you on how to adjust this orthodontic appliance and use it properly. Once you achieve your desired expansion, you will continue wearing the device for several months to prevent regression and solidify the expansion. This will help avoid crowded teeth and create more space for erupting teeth.

If you have any questions about your palatal expander or how to use it properly, give our Cary orthodontic office a call, and one of our team members will be more than happy to help!

Adjusting the palatal expander

Step 1

Tip the patient’s head back. Make sure you do this in a well-lit environment.

Step 2

Put the key in the hole until it is firmly in place.

Step 3

Press the key toward the back of the patient’s mouth. The fender will rotate as you press the key, and a new hole will appear. The rotation will stop when the key meets the back of your orthodontic expander.

Step 4

To remove the key, press back and down toward the patient’s tongue. You should now see the next hole for insertion of the key.