Expanders

Transform Your Child’s Everyday Smile

Stop alignment problems early
Widen your child’s airway
Promote better sleep quality

Expanders are an integral part of orthodontics. I always like to see patients early on. So we like to see people and patients at seven to eight years old and we like to do early treatment.rnrnI only say early treatment if it’s necessary and what our expanders are is they make room for the rest of the adult teeth to grow in. So as a seven or eight year old kid you don’t have all your adult teeth so we like to do expanders to make room for the remaining adult teeth to grow in so that when you come back around 11 or 12 years old all your adult teeth are in and then we can just jump right to braces. So expanders can prevent the future need of orthodontics because we’re creating space for all the adult teeth to line up in a good fashion.rnrnSometimes the teeth do grow in in a crooked way but then we just do a limited set of braces to straighten out the things that we didn’t correct with the expander. What the expander does it stays on your mouth for six months and what it does it widens the upper jaw and when you widen the upper jaw you create spaces naturally and allows the new teeth to grow in without crowding. Expanders are not painful they’re very comfortable.rnrnBack in the day we used to make the rings that go around the teeth and that used to be discomfort for the patient. Now we scan the patients we make a 3D mold of their teeth. Expanders are 3D printed now on the teeth so I always like to explain it sits on your teeth like a hat so there’s no discomfort with it.rnrnExpanders benefit child breathing because it opens the airway. When you widen the upper jaw it’s actually the floor of the nose so when you widen the upper jaw the floor of the nose opens up and I like to say an increase of airflow will come in. Now does it cure breathing? No I always work hand in hand with the ENT.rnrnSo the first question I ask my patients when they come in is how is your breathing? Are they having trouble sleeping at night? Are they snoring? If we see signs of that we like to work hand in hand with our ENT and then we also like to expand our patients with expanders because we know it can enhance the airflow of that patient and we’ve seen a lot of benefits for our patients because not only does it help with sleeping it helps them do better in school because they’re getting a good night’s sleep. A lot of moms actually know about this now because they’re telling me they’re coming in now because they’re telling me their kids are snoring or they’re having trouble breathing or even they’re seeing signs of grinding. When I see these signs I always recommend an expander because when you expand the top of the jaw the floor of the nose opens and the patients will see an increase in airflow.rnrnNow we also like to work hand in hand with our ENT to make sure there’s not any other signs such as you know enlarged tonsils that may be causing less of airflow going in.rn

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Encourage Healthy Smile Growth With Expanders in Sterling Heights

Expanders are a gentle, effective way to help your child’s smile grow into proper alignment. At Profound Orthodontics, our Sterling Heights expanders will widen the upper jaw and palate. It gives their adult teeth room to come in naturally. Expanders can:

Make room for permanent teeth without removing healthy ones
Enhance nasal breathing and reduce reliance on mouth breathing
Support balanced facial symmetry and jaw development
Reduce the need for future complex orthodontic treatment
Improve nighttime breathing and minimize snoring
Allow better tongue posture for improved speech
Correct bite alignment and minimize teeth grinding

Support Your Child’s Smile Development

The receptionist smiles to a patient at Profound Orthodontics

Lower the Chance of Braces

An expander can make a big difference in how your child’s smile develops. By gently creating more space in the jaw, their adult teeth erupt into straighter, healthier positions.

This not only supports proper alignment but also encourages balanced jaw development. Taking this step early can often prevent crowding, bite problems, and other misalignment issues before they start.

As a result, your child may avoid lengthy or more complex orthodontic treatments down the road.

Think of it like making sure a puzzle has enough space for each piece. When everything fits where it should, the finished smile is both beautiful and functional.

Support Better Breathing

Expanders can also improve your child’s breathing and overall comfort. You may notice your child breathes more easily through the nose after treatment.

Some patients report improved sleep, fewer headaches, and a noticeable reduction in snoring. These changes occur because widening the upper jaw also opens the nasal passages. This allows for better airflow.

Improved alignment can even make eating and speaking easier. Children can chew food better and pronounce certain sounds more easily.

Call Profound Orthodontics at to learn more about expanders in Sterling Heights. You can also schedule .

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Frequently Asked Questions About Expanders

At what age should my child get an expander?

The best time for expander treatment is usually between the ages of 7 and 13, when the jaw is still developing. Beginning care during this stage allows us to guide growth naturally for the best results. The exact timing will depend on your child’s individual development, which we’ll carefully assess during their consultation.

Does getting an expander hurt?

Adjusting an expander may cause mild pressure or tightness for a short period, typically no more than 10 to 20 minutes. Howevere, it should not be painful. Occasionally, a small gap can develop between the front teeth. This is a normal and expected part of treatment, indicating the device is working as intended. The gap generally closes naturally over the course of care.

How long does expander treatment take?

The active phase of expansion usually lasts between three and six months, depending on how much widening is needed. Once we’ve achieved the desired results, the appliance will stay in place for a few more months. This gives new bone time to develop and hold the changes in position. In total, most treatments take about six to nine months from start to finish.

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