MINISCREW-ASSISTED RAPID PALATAL EXPANSION (MARPE)
Prevention: Pathway to success
A small, adjustable expander device is placed against the roof of your mouth using miniscrews. Working with a specialized lab, each case is designed digitally and fitted to your needs. The procedure is minimally invasive and any latent soreness can be managed with over-the-counter medication.
After the expander has been placed, the patient turns a key intermittently to widen the palate. While you may experience some discomfort, it is minor and transient. After a period of months and according to your treatment plan, the expander is removed. Your teeth will then have the space they need to be correctly positioned orthodontically for a wide and beautiful smile.
Many of our patients don’t realize the many ways in which their narrow jaws were affecting them. Some of the most common improvements patients notice after treatment with the MARPE include:
- Maxillary (upper jaw) expansion
- Crossbite or crowding corrected
- Wider smile
- Improved facial aesthetics
- Improved breathing
- Mild underbite corrected
While facial aesthetics aren’t the primary purpose for maxillary skeletal expansion, many patients notice an aesthetically pleasing, beautifully broad smile and forward posture in their facial profile, once their jaws and teeth sit together properly. Additionally, jaw and bite issues can often be corrected with MARPE, resulting in more comfortable biting and chewing.
When we expand the upper jaw, the nasal cavity is also expanded. After all, the roof of the mouth is the floor of the nose. After the procedure, most patients are shocked at how much more oxygen they feel they’re inhaling, even if that wasn’t their first treatment goal. Additionally, patients have commented on their enhanced endurance following MARPE/MSE, due to their increased ability to breath and metabolize oxygen.
Beyond feeling tired, the long-term effects of sleep-disordered breathing include increased risks of heart disease, atherosclerosis, and dementia due to inflammation. An expanded nasal cavity can help resolve the sleep-disordered breathing caused by underdeveloped maxillary bones. More than a better night’s sleep, nasal breathing can reduce anxiety, and improve one’s quality of life.
If your teen has crowded permanent teeth or a narrow upper jaw, this type of palatal expansion comes highly recommended. For children under 10, we suggest a simple RPE device that attaches to their upper back teeth.
Some patients may require additional procedures. In the past, these could only be considered for full surgical expansion or SARPE; due to recent advances, however, it has been shown that microsurgery using a piezo-ultrasonic saw can facilitate the separation of the two halves of the upper jaw in older patients and those with an extremely thick maxillary bone. Dr. Graham will perform an evaluation of your case records and let you know if you are a good candidate for MARPE or surgically-assisted MARPE.