Palate expander?!
Question:
Palate expander?
My daughter needs a palate expander. How painful is it? How long was in on?
Answers:
This is commonly referred to as a RPE or rapid palatal expander. This appliance will be worn for several months or until the palate or her arch has opened sufficiently. It's not that it's painful so much as it's bulky and takes some time to get used to. It is on the upper palate so the tongue has some adjustments to make with eating, drinking and speech. There may be some mild discomfort when the appliance is activated or cranked, but nothing serious. Your daughter will do fine after a few days. The main complaints I heard was in regard to speech, and the tongue being sore from playing with it. This is a site that will show you a picture of one and how it works. I hope I've been of some help and good luck with your daughters ortho treatment. She may not want or appreciate this now, but she will be thankful the rest of her life. Good luck!
http://www.orthonj.com/rpe.html...