Schwartz Appliance
The Schwartz Appliance is a removable expansion appliance primarily used on the lower arch to expand the arch and create additional space for permanent teeth. Treatment time with the Schwartz Appliance is approximately nine months but will vary based on the individual needs of the patient. If both the upper and lower arches require expansion, we may use the Schwartz Appliance along with a Rapid Palatal Expander to coordinate the expansion of both arches.
Rapid Palatal Expander
Attached to the upper molars through bonding or cemented bands, the Rapid Palatal Expander is an orthodontic device used to create a wider space in the upper jaw. It is typically used when the upper jaw is too narrow for the lower jaw or when the upper teeth are crowded or blocked out of the dental arch.
When patients are still growing, the connective tissue between the left and right halves of the upper jaw is very responsive to expansion. By activating the expander through turning a screw in the center with a special key we provide, gradual outward pressure is placed on the left and right halves of the upper jaw. This pressure causes additional bone to grow between the two halves of the jaw, ultimately resulting in increased width.