Finding out that you or your child needs palate expansion can be intimidating. While not uncommon, most of us don’t know nearly as much about it as we do braces and aligners. Plus, the idea of moving the teeth just seems easier than expanding bones.
But one of the most difficult-to-navigate aspects of palatal expansion? Eating. Not only do you need to restrict certain foods, but you also need to change how you chew and swallow. To help you explore this as a patient or parent, here is our guide to eating with a palate expander.
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What Is a Palatal Expander?
Palatal expanders (also called palate expanders or orthodontic expanders) are custom-made orthodontic appliances that increase the width of the upper jaw. Your dentist or orthodontist will either take a physical mold or a 3D scan and send it to a lab, allowing them to craft an expander perfect for the size and shape of your or your child’s mouth.
How do palate expanders work? To understand, we have to talk about anatomy. The upper jaw has two maxillary bones connected by the intermaxillary suture — together, this is called the maxilla. These three elements are separate until the middle teen years, when they fuse and become a single structure.
Palatal expanders apply pressure to the maxillary bones, separating them at the suture. This makes the upper palate wider. Once it achieves the desired width, the expander remains to hold the maxillary bones in place until the intermaxillary suture fuses everything together, making the results permanent.
Signs You or Your Child Might Need a Palatal Expander
- Crowded teeth
- Overlapping teeth
- Crooked teeth
- Misaligned bites
- Impacted teeth
- Difficulty chewing
- Speech problems
- Breathing problems
- Poor sleep
How Palatal Expanders Impact Eating
All oral appliances affect the way you eat. However, expanders have a bigger impact than braces or aligners because they cover the roof of the mouth. Until you have an orthodontic expander, you might not even realize how much you use the roof of your mouth when eating and drinking.
Grab a drink and take a sip, paying special attention to your tongue. Notice how it uses pressure against the roof of your mouth to create the suction to swallow? Orthodontic expanders disrupt this contact.
At first, it’s a struggle even to swallow your own saliva, let alone food and drinks. Many people find themselves choking a lot or struggling even to get that far. Over a few hours to a few days, you figure out what works for you and essentially re-learn how to swallow. But during the learning curve, things can be uncomfortable, or even scary — especially for children and their parents.
On top of this, food can (and will) get caught in the expander. This happens with all orthodontic appliances, but the difference is that, because of the placement, this trapped food can cause you or your child to choke — or at least feel like you’re choking.
You also need to modify your diet to preserve the expander, since certain foods can loosen it or distort the shape, rendering it ineffective, or even dangerous.
It’s common to lose weight at first, since many patients will simply avoid the hassle by skipping meals. However, it is important to maintain proper nutrition, so ensure that you or your child are eating enough, even if you need to rely on smoothies and shakes.
Safe Foods to Eat With a Palatal Expander
When you first get a palate expander, you might not feel like eating anything, but rest assured that these foods shouldn’t damage your appliance or mouth.
- Shakes and Smoothies: Because they require no chewing and shouldn’t stick to the appliance, shakes and smoothies are a good way to ingest nutrients while adjusting to your expander. They are great for relearning how to swallow, and when served cold, they can help alleviate discomfort.
- Yogurt, Jello, and Pudding: Once again, these don’t require chewing. However, they are thicker than shakes and smoothies and give you or your child the chance to practice chewing motions.
- Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Grits, and Porridge: These options have a little more substance than the ones above, but are still super soft and unlikely to stick to the appliance, easing you or your child into more solid foods.
- Mashed and Soft Fruits and Veggies: Fruits and veggies are great for easing you or your child into solid foods. You can mash them or cook them until they are very soft, allowing for easy chewing and getting used to the sensation of food on the appliance.
- Short, Soft Pasta, Rice, and Quinoa: Pasta can be iffy; spaghetti, linguini, ramen, and other long noodles are choking hazards with expanders. However, shorter pastas — cooked until soft — are great, as are rice and quinoa.
- Eggs: Pretty much any way you prepare them, eggs are great for orthodontic patients. They’re soft, not too sticky, and great for easy chewing. They also deliver the protein every diet needs.
- Pancakes, Waffles, and Soft Sandwiches: These foods are safe but tricky. Bread products can get stuck to the expander, which can cause choking. Take small bites and chew carefully.
- Casseroles, Soups, and Stews: As long as the included meat isn’t too chewy or the cheese super stringy, these work well for people with expanders. From your favorite hot dish to chili, they’re good options for complete meals.
- Tuna, Salmon, Dark Meat Chicken, and Tofu: Soft meats are among the best ways to get your protein while wearing an expander. Think about the types of fish and meat you can easily cut with a fork. Tofu is also a good meatless alternative.
- Slow-Cooked Beef and Pork: While beef and pork are typically chewier meats, when cooked low and slow, they can become fork tender, making them more compatible with a palate expander.
Foods to Avoid With a Palatal Expander
No matter how you serve them, certain foods simply don’t play nice with palate expanders. Here are the main ones to avoid.
- Long Pasta: Long noodles can get wrapped around the appliance and cause choking.
- Stringy Foods: Think shredded lettuce and cabbage, pulled meats with longer fibers, and some types of cheese. These, like long pasta, are choking hazards.
- Peanut Butter: While it’s a good source of protein, peanut butter sticks to the appliance and is hard to clean away.
- Melted Cheese: Any melted cheese can stick to the appliance and cause choking. You can still eat it, just let it cool and solidify first.
- Hard Foods: Popcorn, nuts, peanut brittle, ice, hard candy, hard chips, candied apples, corn-on-the-cob, raw fruits and veggies: all these can damage an expander.
- Sticky Foods: Gum, Fruit Roll-Ups, gummy bears, taffy, caramels, and anything else that sticks to the teeth can distort the appliance.
Tips for Eating With a Palatal Expander
Now you know what to eat and what not to eat with a palatal expander — but what about how to eat? Restricting foods isn’t fun, but it is pretty simple. The complicated part is relearning how to eat. Below are some tips that might make it easier.
Be Patient
Adjusting to a palatal expander takes time. This can be annoying, especially since it involves a function as important and basic as eating. Still, be patient — it often takes days to adjust to your new appliance.
Start by Swallowing
Since your tongue interacts with the roof of the mouth when swallowing, you’ll need to relearn this basic skill. That’s why you should start with liquids and gradually progress to solids. After you get your expander, begin with plain water and make your first meals shakes and smoothies. Then work your way up to thicker, and eventually solid, foods. Consider adding protein powder, at least at first, to increase the nutritional benefits of your meals.
Small Bites Are Best
Start by cutting foods up first, which makes it easier to control the size of your bites. Over time, you can start biting into items like sandwiches and pizza slices, but keep it small to prevent choking and gagging.
Take Care of Your Tongue
Tongue irritation is normal, especially at first. This can cause it to swell and become sore, making it hard to eat. Use dental wax on the parts of the appliance that cause irritation to stop the tongue from getting too sore or raw.
Expect Soreness
The expander will put pressure on your teeth, which can make them a little tender, especially when you chew. This means that right after placement and briefly after each adjustment, eating might hurt a little. Ask your doctor about pain relief options that help manage this.
Final Thoughts
Eating with a palate expander in place will be difficult at first, and even swallowing your saliva might be a struggle. However, with a little time, dietary changes, and a few tricks, you’ll adjust.
Be patient with the process and focus on your end goal — a healthier, more attractive smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do orthodontic expanders widen the palate?
They place pressure against the back molars or dental implants. In either case, they are embedded in the jawbone. Pressure against them pushes the two bones of the upper jaw apart, creating a wider arch. Once the jaw is at the right width, the expander holds everything in place until the bones fuse, making the expansion permanent.
How long should it take to adjust to having an expander?
Most people will take 3–7 days to get used to their expander, though some aspects of eating might take a little longer. Usually, speech will adjust faster than eating since you get more consistent practice.
Does palatal expansion hurt?
Soreness, discomfort, and irritation are all common. Pain, however, is not. If you experience genuine pain, it’s a sign that something isn’t quite right. Also, remember that soreness can go away and then return after adjustments, so if it comes and goes, that’s not necessarily cause for concern.
Why are there food restrictions with orthodontic expanders?
Two reasons: damage to the appliance and choking hazards. Certain foods can dislodge or distort expanders, while others can get caught in it and cause choking.
How long do you need to wear an expander?
There is no set number of days or months. Everyone responds differently, and the expansion amount varies between patients. You will wear yours long enough to both achieve the desired width, then keep it in place until the bones fuse.
What results should I expect from a palatal expander?
It varies. Talk to your dentist or orthodontist to figure out what is realistic and desirable for you or your child.
What is the best way to clean an orthodontic expander?
Stick to your usual brushing and flossing schedule for your teeth, gums, and tongue. Whenever you brush, make sure you also brush the expander. You will also need to get all debris off the appliance, and a water flosser is the best way to do it.
What happens if I forget to expand for a few days?
You will stop it from moving forward, but you won’t roll things back unless you remove the expander. It holds the jawbones in place, preventing them from shifting back. You just need to get back on schedule and anticipate a little soreness since your body needs to get used to expansion again.
What are the typical side effects of palate expanders?
- Jaw soreness
- Tooth soreness
- Sinus pressure
- Headaches
- Speech changes
- Increased saliva production
- A gap between the two front teeth
What do I do if I lose the key to turn my expander?
Talk to your dentist or orthodontist. They can give you a new one. If you lose it over the weekend, you should be fine to skip a day or two.
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