Dr Seyfeddine Ghenia · Dentist in Rabat
A smile is a structure.
Scroll down: the skull, the teeth, the bite, then, as an example, how a narrow palate is treated: palatal expansion, then alignment, explained in three dimensions.
Drag the skull to rotate it.
Plate I
Behind the teeth, bones
The upper jaw, the lower jaw, the whole skeleton of the face. Their shape and position matter as much as how straight the teeth are.
Plate II
The bite
When you close, each upper tooth finds its place on the lower ones: the canine guides, the molars interlock. A balanced bite protects the teeth, the gums and the jaw joints.
Plate III
The arch and the palate
With the mouth open, you see the upper arch and the palate. Its width matters: too narrow, it leaves little room for the teeth and can upset the bite.
Plate IV
Sutures, the lines of growth
The skull is not a single block: its bones are joined by sutures, where growth happens. In the palate, a suture joins the two halves of the upper jaw.
An example · 1
A narrow palate, crowded teeth
In this example, the upper jaw is too narrow: on the sides, the upper teeth close inside the lower ones, a crossbite. And they lack space: they overlap, and the canine comes in too high.
An example · 2
Seen from the palate
The arch forms a tight V instead of a broad curve. While a child is growing, the suture in the middle of the palate has not yet fused: it is what allows the bone itself to be widened, not just the teeth to be moved.
The expander · 1
What is a palatal expander?
Bands on the premolars and first molars, joined to a screw in the middle of the palate. It is bonded in place: the child does not take it out.
The expander · 2
Palatal expansion
Following the schedule set by the dentist, a small key turns the screw. It separates the two halves of the upper jaw at the suture: the palate widens and the arch regains its curve.
The expander · 3
The crossbite corrected
The upper teeth come back over the lower ones. A gap often appears between the two front teeth: the expected sign that the suture has opened. The appliance then stays in for a few months while the bone consolidates.
Alignment
Brackets and an archwire
Once the space is gained, brackets are bonded to the teeth and bands placed on the molars. The archwire, wavy at first between the crooked teeth, tries to return to its shape: it guides each tooth into place, and the gap between the front teeth closes.
Your turn
Understand first, then treat
This is an educational illustration: every case is different, and the duration, the appliances and the timing are decided after an examination. The consultation is there to examine, explain and decide together.