MyoGrowth Expansion Appliance & Accelerator
There are some patients that have significantly narrowed jaws, needing a more mechanical expansion option to widen the jaws. At MyoGrowth Academy, we have our exclusive and innovative MyoGrowth Expansion Appliance that can help address this issue in select patients.
Situations where the removable jaw expansion appliance may be indicated, include:
- Severely deficient tongue space in the palate
- Snoring and sleep issues that are related directly to narrow jaws
- Decreasing natural jaw growth potential, but the jaws are still extremely narrow
- Non-compliance with the orofacial myofunctional exercises and devices
- The jaws are not responding to the orofacial myofunctional exercises and devices
We prefer to prescribe custom made removable jaw expansion appliances (plates), so that the patient is able to remove them to complete OMT exercises and for oral hygiene. There are fixed (glued on) options, which we may consider for compliance reasons. Our team will discuss the options with you and your child and will decide on the best option.
Recommendation for Early Assessment (age 3–4)
There are also associated functional issues that may be causative to and/or consequence of having narrowed jaws. These may include:
- Mouth breathing
- Narrowed upper airway
- Narrowed nasal airway
- Snoring
According to growth studies, the natural growth of the bones of the head are:
- 50-60% complete by the age of 4 years old
- 80% complete by the age of 6 years old
- 90% complete by the age of 9 to 11 years old
It is therefore preferable to evaluate and manage jaw development concerns through Orofacial Myofunctional Pre-orthodontics as early as possible, while the child still has a greater potential for natural growth. We recommend having your children assessed by the age of 3 to 4 years old.
Frequently Asked Questions
These removable appliances take a few days to get used to. They may feel slightly tight after
each insertion, but the tightness only lasts for a few minutes. However, when the jaws are
expanding more quickly because MyoGrowth Expansion Appliance and Accelerator are
working, the bones of the head usually react to the movement.
Consequently, headaches and/or discomfort may occur every now and then. Regular adjustments from a cranial bodyworker (osteopath or chiropractor) are necessary to ensure the entire cranial system adapts favourably, ensuring continuous comfort.
Yes, each MyoGrowth Expansion Appliance and Accelerator is especially made for the jaws of the specific patient.
