Schwarz Appliance
A narrow upper palate is one of the most common orthodontic problems seen in a developing child. If left untreated, this can lead to severe teeth crowding and even cause crossbite. The Schwarz Appliance is a removable expansion appliance. This appliance works by turning the expansion screw once or twice a week. The slow expansion allows the acrylic to place pressure on both the teeth and palatal tissue. Once the arch is expanded, the appliance is left in place for a period of time to stabilize the bone and maintain the correction.
Benefits of Arch Expansion:
- Correction on Cross Bites-If your child’s upper teeth actually fit inside his or her lower teeth, he or she may have a cross bite. A cross bite can result in asymmetrical growth of the lower jaw, which can lead to facial asymmetry.
- Reduction of Overcrowding-Once the upper arch is expanded, your child’s smile will have more space to accommodate the development of teeth.
- Improvement in Breathing Abilities-Dental arch expansion can develop the airway and influence breathing in a number of positive ways, including lessening a patient’s risk of developing sleep apnea and treating existing sleeping and breathing disorders.
Can I eat and drink like normal?
Because you will be wearing your appliance while eating and drinking, it is best to avoid chewy, sticky or crunchy foods, which can damage or break your appliance.
When do I wear the appliance?
To achieve desired results, you must wear your appliance 24 hours a day, including while eating and drinking. The appliance should only be removed when brushing your teeth or to turn the screw.
Does it hurt?
Some patients experience slight discomfort initially when the appliance is placed, but it does not last long. When adjusting the appliance, there will be slight pressure, but no pain. This pressure should fade within minutes.
We primarily serve Rockville, North Bethesda, Silver Spring, Wheaton, Potomac, Washington DC, Gaithersburg, Kensington, Germantown, Burtonsville, Laurel, Columbia and Northern Virginia (Mclean, Tysons Corner, Great Falls, Arlington ) but people travel from all over the country for our specialty and holistic dental services.