I'm thrilled to bring you this informative post from Macaroni Kid's newest sponsor, David H. Seligman, DMD!  Dr. Seligman is an Orthodontic Specialist specializing in Damon System Braces and Invisalign.  His practice is located on the Upper East Side at 898 Park Avenue at 79th Street.  Read on for Dr. Seligman's insights on palatal expanders!

Braces for our children, teens and adolescents seem to be as common as these very stages of life.  Indeed, orthodontics has become a key player in raising our kids.  As an orthodontist in private practice for the past 15 years, it's been my true pleasure to treat my younger patients in a kind and efficient manner that makes biological sense.  If your child's referral to an orthodontist has you conjuring up not-so-fond memories of your own orthodontic experience, I have great news.  Orthodontics today can and should be a completely different experience than it was even ten or twenty years ago.  Case in point?  Palatal expanders need not be part of the equation in most instances.

What is a palate/palatal expander?  Alson known as a Rapid Palatal Expander, a palatal expander is a custom-made device that can be used alone or with braces.  The palatal expander is anchored to the back
molar teeth by metal rings (which require spacers or separators to make room between the teeth so that the metal band will fit) and sits in the roof of your child’s mouth.  It is designed to create more space for teeth.  Parents are asked to turn a key that fits in a screw that is attached to the palate expander.  Every time you turn the screw, it widens the palate (by separating the palatal bones) in an attempt to make room for teeth to fit.  The orthodontist determines how many times the parent or parents should turn the screw. Turning the screw can cause not only anxiety for parents, but more importantly pain and tension in a child’s upper jaw that can extend into their nose and forehead.  This palate expander can stay in a patient’s mouth for anywhere from 3 months up to 1 year depending on the doctor’s technique.  Palate expanders make speech difficult, make eating and swallowing a challenge, and many times cause massive irritation to the tongue because the appliance sits low. Needless to say, this is a mouthful.

Palatal expansion is overused and has beome a mainstay in orthodontic treatment when it does not have to be.  Fortunately, there are other choices to gain space in a child, teen or adolescent's mouth (and thereby avoid pulling of adult teeth) without using a palatal expander.  Chief among these alternatives is the Damon System.  Damon System Braces are a gentle way to move teeth that does not require a palate expander in most cases.  This makes it possible to achieve the goal of gaining space in which teeth can grow without creating a painful and awkward experience at home.

Damon System Braces are "tie-less" braces that don't require tightening and are gentle to the teeth and surrounding tissues.  They use high-technology, memory-shaped wires that quickly move teeth and require fewer adjustments.  This means fewer trips to the orthodontist.  Damon Braces are a clinically proven treatment approach that aligns teeth and enhances facial aesthetics, typically without extractions or rapid palatal expanders.

Our children are so busy with school, sports, and a wide range of extracurricular activities.  Orthodontics should not hinder any of this or create an experience that is less than ideal.  In an effort to find orthodontic treatments that minimize pain and anxiety for them and their children, parents often seek second and third opinions when it comes to orthodontic care.  Damon Braces provide the perfect solution to this quandry.  Because our children are our number one investment, it is exciting to be able to offer kids an orthodontic experience that can match the overall care they receive from their parents on a daily basis.

I invite you to visit my website at www.seligmanorthonyc.com to see what Damon Braces can do for your children.  Thank you!

David H. Seligman DMD
Seligman Orthodontics PLLC
898 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10075
(212) 988-8235
[email protected]
www.seligmanorthonyc.com

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post for which I received compensation.