Is my palate too narrow? (photo)

Question

I’m getting my braces off in a month. I had 4 teeth removed and informed I had an narrow upper jaw but did not get any palatial expansion. How bad is it?

Brad Lockhart, DDS · Answer

Does your tongue fit in the roof of your mouth? My suspicion is that it does not. If it does not then your palate is too narrow. If your tongue can not be kept in the roof of your mouth then it can not give support to your upper dental arch and your arch will have a tendency to collapse further (creating an even narrower palate). By not having your tongue in the roof of your mouth you also more than likely have a poor swallowing pattern which also leads to recrowding of both the upper and lower teeth. Your teeth are beautifully straight, but I fear that multiple sacrifices were made to get your teeth straight, including: aesthetics (narrow smile, small upper lip, poor facial profile), airway health and TMJ health.

Good luck!

Is my palate too narrow? (photo)

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Is my palate too narrow? (photo)

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Everything you need to know about Braces

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.