Does my daughter really needs an arch expander?
My daughter is six and has a crossbite on one side of her upper mouth. I was told by her pediatric denist that she needs this in order for bones to grow properly in her face. The expander is rather expensive and i knew they were baby teeth so i went to get a second opinion. I took her to an orthodonist at a denist school. I was told she doesnt need an expander unless she had pain from her crossbite. She does not experience pain. He wants to see what her teeth look like when she is seven and starts to get her adult teeth. i'm conflicted now. Is it going to affect her bone growth if i dont get it done? Or Is it not really a need at this time?
I would love to hear your feedback on this. Thanks
intervention is usually a better idea than waiting to see what happens. :)
some children require multiple rounds of orthodontics to get everything right.
Both of my kids are in that age group where we are dealing with orthodontics. We missed the window during which we could have successfully expanded my older daughter's palate, and she lost one of her molars (they need 4 molars on top to attach the expander). So now, we have to wait until she loses all of her baby teeth (7 more to go) and her adult teeth grow in, in order to do it. The only thing is, she will be 11-13 by the time that happens, and she is on a growth trajectory where she will be fully grown by then (or very close to it). I'm told by the orthodontist that this is much easier on a child who is growing quickly (i.e. a 6 or 7 year old) than for a girl who is 11-13 and almost done growing. We're keeping an eye out for my 6 year old - as soon as she loses a couple of baby teeth, we will be expanding her palate so her teeth have a better chance of growing in straight.
This is pretty consistent with all the kids we know and their orthodontics. Starting at 6 or 7 is very common now, and apparently leads to better results (and not having to pull any adult teeth) down the road.
ETA: Also, try to find an orthodontist who comes highly recommended. Ask around at your daughter's school - you will start to hear the same names over and over. Our orthodontist does consults free of charge. We go back every 6 months so he can keep an eye on our daughters' teeth, so we can start treatment at the best time, and he does not charge for these visits.
My son was 7 when he had his palate expander. Talking to some others, it was less painful because their palates are still soft and easier to expand. He also had a crossbite and we did this because of the way his adult teeth were coming in.
Get a second opinion from a recommended orthodontist. I don't know about bone growth and a crossbite affecting it.
Best of luck.
When it was time for my DD to look at braces, we were told by the first guy that she needed an expander. She is 11 (10 when she got braces). My mommy instinct told me to keep asking. We asked another orthodontist and he said that she did not need it, and if she had, her dentist would have mentioned it years ago. We've had other docs confirm this. So for us, it would have been a mistake to do.
Now for you, I don't know, your DD is younger and was told this by her dentist. I would ask friends for the recommendation of an orthodontist in your area and make an appt for a consult (should be free- ask). Ask for their opinion. Heck, find two and ask the opinion of both.
You should feel better after speaking with an experienced and recommended orthodontist. Even if you have to pay for the consult, it should be rather inexpensive, you could even negotiate the amount if need be. But it's better to have the answers you seek and will certainly be less expensive than the expander. She may indeed need one, you just want to make sure. Trust your gut, or bring a mom with kids who have had braces with you to get their take. Good luck.
