Maxillary expansion refers to a widening of the upper jaw or maxilla. When the upper jaw is too narrow to fit properly with the lower jaw an expansion appliance can be fit to the upper teeth to expand or widen the top jaw. This procedure will correct a cross bite and provide room for teeth that are crowded. A custom expander is made by our laboratory to fit your mouth. The expander is typically turned or activated once a day at home by a parent. The number of turns depends on your particular bite. Expansion of the upper jaw is usually accomplished in 4 weeks and the expander remains in the mouth 3 to 4 months to allow the correction to become stable. After that time the expander is removed and braces are placed on the back teeth to finish treatment.