Instructions for Removeable Expanders

A removeable expander will increase the width of the dental arch. In addition, this tends to increase space for the teeth. Since these are removeable, the patient is responsible for wearing and maintaining the expander. 

Wearing the removeable expander

— The appliance is to be worn 24 hours per day, especially when eating. If it is not worn day and night, especially when eating, we will not have the desired outcomes!

— The appliance should be cleaned after eating and at the time you brush your teeth. Use the same toothbrush with or/without toothpaste. Never soak the appliance in mouth wash.

— You may soak the appliance for 10-15 minutes in a glass of water with a dissolves denture tablet as needed.

Activating the appliance

You should activate the appliance by turning the screw with key given at the insertion appointment. Always follow the instructions for activation given by your orthodontist. This may very from appointment to appointment. At your next visit you will be instructed how many more turns to make. If you miss your next visit, stop turning the expander, but continue to wear the expander day and night and make another appointment as soon as possible.

What to expect

(1) The appliance may cause you to talk “funny” for the first day. However, your speech will adjust over the course of a few weeks.

(2) You may experience an increase in the flow of the saliva for the first day — expect this to normalize over the week.

(3) You may feel slight discomfort. The activations are generally so small that the overwhelming majority of patients tolerate the expansion quite well. You may use a mild pain reliever as needed (please do not exceed recommended dosages on the bottle).

(4) The next few meals will be unusual because your teeth are chewing against plastic. To have this appliance work properly…lt Must Be Worn to Eat!

If you have any questions feel free to contact us!