Pasha Orthodontics South (2024)

FAQs

How do you know if your expander is loose? ›

Palate expanders generally come loose on just one side. When This happens your child will be able to move the expander up and down on the side that is loose. Push the expander back into place and contact your orthodontic office right away. Hold the expansion by keeping the expander in the mouth.

Losing your retainer is not necessarily an emergency, but it's important to take action as soon as possible to prevent your teeth from shifting out of alignment. The longer you go without wearing your retainer, the greater the risk that your teeth will shift back toward their original position.

Loose expanders are rare but need addressed immediately. Call the office so the expander can be glued back in . Left untreated, tooth decay can develop under a loose expander. If the expander falls out completely, continue to wear like a retainer until we can see you.

Many orthodontists offer discounts for patients who pay for their treatment up front or who enroll in a payment plan. Finally, don't be afraid to negotiate. If you feel like you are being charged too much for your treatment, talk to the orthodontist and see if there is anything they can do to lower the price.

After the age of five and up until about sixteen, your child is in the perfect place to reap the most benefits from an expander. At these ages, most of a child's adult teeth and molars have come in. It is preferable that a few adult teeth in the upper jaw have not yet appeared.

Does Everyone Get a Gap With an Expander? It is common for a gap to form. Yet, rarely will the size of the gap between the teeth ever get as large as the distance between the two sides of the orthodontic expander because the teeth start moving back together even before expansion is complete.

Generally, a few days or even a week will not allow for severe teeth shifting. Most people will be able to get their retainer in easily and resume their retention period uninterrupted. After a month of not wearing a retainer, teeth may have shifted significantly.

The Cost of Replacement Retainers

Replacing retainers typically ranges from $150 to $500, depending on the type of retainer and where you get it from. An orthodontist who treated you will likely charge on the higher end of that range, while some orthodontic supply companies may charge less.

Remove the upper retainer by pulling down on the inner (tongue side) edges in the back corners to loosen each side, then remove the entire retainer in a downward direction.

Use of fixed palatal expansion devices in adults has been reported to lead to serious complications, including chronic pain, tooth dislocation, flared teeth, uneven bite, difficulty eating, damaged gums, exposed roots, bone erosion, and tooth loss.

Do expanders change your face? ›

A palate expander widens your jaw, but it doesn't change the actual appearance of your face. Some studies show that a palatal expander can have positive effects on your nose. Because the nasal cavity widens, it causes a reduction in nasal airflow resistance.

What Happens if You Turn an Expander Too Much? Patients are sometimes curious about what happens if you turn your expander too much. Turning the expander more than prescribed will compromise the results and cause more discomfort. It will not speed up treatment.

While the orthodontist is the professional, sometimes a treatment plan doesn't feel right. The best thing is to talk to your orthodontist and voice your concerns early so that they can be addressed. It's one of the many reasons why at Zombek Orthodontics, we offer a consultation.

Every time you come in, you are taking up doctor time, staff time, front office team members time, etc. These people are guiding you through your treatment to ensure you get the smile you want. All of these interactions add to the overall cost of treatment.

Good orthodontists need to be positive people who treat others with compassion and respect. If an orthodontist is like this, you will be able to tell by observing their staff. Cheerful, positive, and competent staff members are often a sign that the orthodontist is also dedicated and enthusiastic.

The expander has to be tightened every day or so at home by using a key. Tightening the expander at first can cause pain or discomfort. Routine tightenings are meant to occur so that the expander can do its job, so you can expect for these moments to be more painful than others since you do get used to it.

If you have a spacer that feels loose or falls out shortly before a scheduled adjustment, it might be a sign that your teeth have adapted to their previous adjustment. In a situation like this, our dentist might simply suggest scheduling an earlier adjustment.