The upper arch (maxilla bone) is one of the most important bones in the body as it determines the position of the lower jaw, which in turn may affect the airway and the TMJ joints.
When your upper jaw expands during this treatment process, it can effectively realign your lower jaw, helping to relieve TMD pain, improve breathing, stop snoring and eliminate sleep apnea, without surgery. To accomplish this, we provide expansion appliances that are custom fitted to you. The type of appliance Dr. Tanner recommends will depend on your unique circumstances. Each person’s background, health history, symptoms, and facial development is taken into consideration. Once all the pieces are understood, only then can he provide a treatment plan that best suits your individual needs and concerns. The end result is an expanded upper jaw both towards the front and the sides. The jaw will be able to accommodate all permanent teeth to erupt in the correct position and may include wisdom teeth, if the conditions are right. The lower jaw is able to move forward to occlude into the ideal bite in harmony with the TMJ joints and the facial muscles. The enlarged space allows room for crowded teeth to be aligned, without extraction of any teeth. This ideal space also allows the tongue to position itself correctly against the roof of the mouth, opening up good airways at the back of the throat and inside the nose. The results are an enlarged oral cavity and airway for proper nose breathing day and night.