Influence of palatal expanders on oral comfort, speech, and mastication

Introduction: It is not known whether the design of the expander has an effect on initial adaptation, comfort level, speech, chewing, and swallowing, or whether age is a crucial aspect when dealing with speech adaptations. The objectives of this study were to assess whether patients of different age groups undergoing palatal expansion with various types of expanders experienced discomfort, speech impairment, chewing difficulty, and swallowing disturbances. Methods: A questionnaire was developed and distributed to patients who had received palatal expanders in the preceding 3 to 12 months. Results: Regardless of the type of expander, most patients initially felt oral discomfort, and had problems with speech and mastication. However, these disturbances were confined to the first week after cementation of the device. Remarkable adaptation to the device in all aspects studied was observed by the end of the first week. In addition, age did not influence the variables; younger patients and older teenagers responded similarly to the survey. In addition, the questionnaire responses did not appear to be related to the respondents' sex. Conclusions: Discomfort might not be a deciding variable when choosing an appliance. Instead, clinicians should base their decision on factors such as its biomechanics. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2010;137:48-53)