Adult Palate Expansion - MARPE vs DNA Appliance vs ?

[Jmoffatt]

Can someone give any advice on expanding the adult arch to make a wider smile using either MARPE with TAD implants to expand the arch, or to use a DNA Meridian appliance or ... ??

I had braces at age 25-29 and the smile is quite narrow with shadows at the edge of the smile, certainly due to my original orthodontist pulling eight teeth and the result is also that the teeth tip inward ALONG with the dark buccal edges. That was twenty years ago. I've contacted two doctors with these very different approaches and, like many things in life, get more confused the more I read -- it seems that adult palate expansion is a controversial subject. I would love to get any advice or observations, especially from those who have gone through either of these procedures. Thank you.

[pammy128]

I did some internet research on this and came to the conclusion that you cannot really expand the arch as an adult without surgery. This is because the palate has already closed and mostly you will just tip the teeth outward with an expander. I had a posterior crossbite and an anterior one (I guess this happened from not wearing my retainer as a kid) so I got braces For the second time as an adult. The anterior crossbite was fixed within a few months and the posterior one has improved dramatically. I'm not sure if it's going to be perfect, but the top tooth is even and probably slightly over the bottom. I wear a rubber band on the opposite side to pull the teeth out. Mine may not have been as severe as yourS, but you could ask if it's possible to fix with braces and rubber bands. If you need more expansion, you may just want to consider surgery. I don't think it's a huge deal. I know that's not exactly what you were asking, but I did so much research on expansion (I really wanted the expander) but my ortho confirmed what I had found.

[Cablab123]

My daughter just got fitted for an mRNA appliance (for palate expansion/bringing mandible forward, not for OSA). I am a bit concerned as I look at it, however, and was hoping Vaz could help me out (since he/she has had personal experience). I notice that there are acrylic bite blocks on the back teeth. I know one of the reasons epigenetic orthodontics came to be was because of the belief/evidence that braces elongate/melt faces. By having these bite blocks, won't this elongate the face? I mean, it seems that the mouth won't be able to close all the way, making the face longer over time? Additionally, with the mRNA, it brings the mandible forward. When I read about it online, however, it says "vertical repositioning of the mandible." If it moves it forward, wouldn't this be horizontal repositioning? I'm confused! Someone said the bite blocks will result in an open bite in the back. Does this happen, and if so, how is this fixed?? I don't want to elongate my daughter's face, which is the reason I began looking into epigenetic orthodontics in the first place. So my current understanding is that these devices seem a bit counterproductive, but I would love it if someone could show me where I'm mistaken in my thinking.

[Bayou1]

Val
How do you find these ? I live in Louisiana and can’t seem to find anyone !

Is this in conjunction with braces ?