Braces or expander?? So lost!
Hi there! I've taken my son to 2 well known and respected orthodontist in town. Both have given different opinions for my son (9). Below is the email from the first office. And number 2 isy summary from office 2.
treatment plan for child involves braces on all available teeth to address some of the lower crowding. More importantly, this will open space for his upper right adult canine tooth to erupt on its own, rather than risking it becoming trapped in the bone. The overall benefit is that teenage braces, which child will still need, will be a more simplified treatment for him. His first round of treatment will involve roughly 12 months in braces, followed by 2-3 years of nightly retainer wear and a few check-up appointments in our office each year until he is ready for his second round of treatment.
The RPE expander is hooked to his back molars with a bar towards the palate of his mouth, you use a key to turn it and it widens the palate of the mouth. It is usually in his mouth for 9 months. Then he'll wear a retainer until phase 2 which is when all adult teeth are in and braces can begin.