FACEMASK
- Place elastics on the hooks inside the mouth.
- Stretch elastic to the elastic support in the middle of the face mask (located in front of lips on the appliance), [wear as instructed: 2 elastics parallel on each side or 3 elastics on each side (2 parallel and 1 criss-crossed)]
- It is normal for your child to experience some initial discomfort with the face mask. This discomfort is only temporary and will subside after regular use.
- When worn on a regular basis, the face mask will become easier and more comfortable for your child to wear. Tell your child to hang in there!
- The face mask should be worn 12 to 14 hours every day. It should not be worn less than 12 hours per day. The teeth and jaws will not move if the appliance is not worn every day for the required amount of time.
- Have your child wear the appliance every night after dinner, before going to bed. Instruct your child not to wear the appliance during rough play, sports or any time it can be pulled off.
- Always bring the face mask to every appointment so that doctor can check its fit and make any adjustments. Be sure to let us know if you are running low on rubber bands.
HEADGEAR
- BRING HEADGEAR TO THE OFFICE ON EACH VISIT.
- CALL THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY if a band cemented to the molars becomes loose, this is considered an emergency.
- INSERT the face-bow one end at a time into the large round tube attached to the molar band. Loop on face bow should face up like a mountain.
- ATTACH neck strap around the extension ends of the face-bow on the hole prescribed by the doctor. (for patients with long hair, strap should be under hair)
- HANDLE everything carefully, especially when removing or inserting the face-bow, PULL face-bow straight out of mouth without moving it up or down or side to side.
- DETACH the strap first before removing the face-bow.
HYRAX
- Foods that are sticky, chewy, or hard cannot be consumed while using a palatal expander.
- The expander needs to be turned one time each day. Dr Sturdivant recommends doing this at night after brushing and flossing. To turn it, place the key in the hole in the front of the palatal expander, pushing it toward the back of the mouth and turn it until it will not turn any further. The next hole in the series will appear at the front of the expander. Remove the key by pulling straight down rather than forward. If you are unable to find the hole for the key, contact our office for assistance.
- Your child may need some time to adjust to wearing the expander. We recommend that you do exercises with your child each day to help restore normal speech.
- The expander must be kept clean. You can use a soft toothbrush to clean the appliance. Be sure to include the area that goes across the palate.
- You may notice a gap develop between the front teeth while using the palatal expander. This is normal and indicates that the palate is being widened. The gap between the teeth will resolve over time.
- Patients with palatal expanders may experience some discomfort related to the changes in the upper palate. Over-the-counter pain medications can be used.