Palatal Expander

The palatal expander "expands" (or widens)    your upper jaw by putting gentle pressure on   your upper molars each time an adjustment is made. The animation below will instruct you about  how to adjust your expander. Once we achieve the desired expansion for      you, you will wear the appliance for   approximately 3 months to solidify the    expansion and to prevent and space made.

Adjusting the palatal expander

You can also download these instructions in a printable PDF document.

Step 1

In a well-lit area, tip the patient's head back.

Step 2

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

Step 3

Push the key toward the back of the mouth. You will notice the fender will rotate and the new hole will appear. The rotation stops when the key meets the back of the expander.

Step 4

Press back and down toward the tongue to remove the key. The next hole for insertion of the key should now be visible.