Maxillary Skeletal Expansion
Drs. McCoy and McCord are some of the only providers in the western states to regularly perform maxillary skeletal expansion in adults (and older teenagers no longer growing in the facial bones). An MSE or Maxillary Skeletal Expansion is a device that can be used to widen skeletally narrow upper jaws without surgery. Until recently this could only be accomplished by undergoing a full jaw surgery with an oral maxillo-facial surgeon.
The boundaries of the upper airway are largely framed in by the maxillary bone. Some individuals with breathing problems suffer from a narrower than average upper jaw. Research clearly shows that a MSE can be used to help adults with breathing problems (even sleep apnea) by increasing the boundaries of the airway and improving their ability to breathe.
MSEs can also be used in a cosmetic approach to broaden a narrow smile and increase the space available for crowded teeth. Broader smiles are more youthful and esthetically pleasing. By using an MSE and widening the upper jaw bone we can eliminate narrow smiles. By increasing the size of the upper jaw we can find more space for crowded teeth and avoid tooth extractions.
