An expander, sometimes called a spacer or Phase I, is an appliance that is needed when there is not enough space for adult teeth. Another reason that an expander is needed is when your child’s upper jaw is too small – they might have what is called a crossbite. This means that the top and bottom teeth do not touch properly and the bite is incorrect.
The best time to have an expander is between the ages of 7-9. At this age in children, there is soft spot on the roof of the mouth that is flexible. The expander works very easily, without pain, and allows the jaw to expand and makes more space for adult teeth coming in. After age 9+, this soft spot begins to harden and it can be more challenging to expand things. If an expander is not done at the right age, it can lead to long-term issues and damage to adult teeth.
At VCO Orthodontics, the process for an expander is very easy. Watch our video on how quickly an expander is placed in under 1 min!
It is very common for young children to suck their thumb, pacifier and/or other objects. It provides children with a sense of security and happiness. It can, however, cause problems beyond the age of 5 when permanent teeth start to come in. This may affect the shape of the child’s mouth and roof of the mouth and cause the jaw to be very narrow. This can also cause the upper teeth to stick out and be more prominent which can lead to and what we call an “open bite”.
An “open bite” is when the front teeth do not correctly come together and there is a large gap between the upper and lower jaws.
Thumb sucking and pacifier use absolutely needs to stop before age 5-6. If it does not, your child needs to see Dr. Markova for an intervention or Phase I treatment. This can include different reminder appliances to help them stop or an expander.
Some helpful tricks to try to stop thumb sucking:
Put a large, men’s sized sock over your child’s hand that extends past the elbow every night.
Make a calendar and use a rewards system – every day that the child does not suck their thumb, they get a “smiley face” on the calendar. At the end of the week, they get a special treat!
A permanent retainer, called a lingual retainer, is one that is glued to the inside part of your teeth (the part of the teeth by the tongue). It is not visible. Usually, a permanent retainer lasts about 5-7 years. It can become unglued during a dental cleaning, normal wear and tear over time, and if you bite into something very crunchy.
A permanent bonded retainer is a great option after finishing orthodontic treatment with braces or Invisalign since it will keep the teeth from moving even the slightest bit. The downside of a permanent retainer is that it might collect some plaque or calculus around it if you are not brushing and flossing properly.
If a patient would like a permanent retainer, Dr. Markova usually recommends it on the lower front teeth only. These are the teeth that are most likely to shift and crowd up over time. A bonded retainer is sometimes done on the upper teeth, but since you use the upper teeth to bite into things, the retainer on the upper teeth has a higher risk of falling off.
This is an example of a patient that finished with Invisalign orthodontic treatment and has a bonded lingual permanent retainer on the inside of the lower teeth:
