Mandibular Expansion Appliances and Their Activation Protocols

Abstract

A tooth size-arch length discrepancy (TSALD) occurs when there is an imbalance between the size of the teeth and the space available in the dental arches to accommodate them. Relief of crowding through expanding the arch is the most employed non-extraction method in orthodontics. Because of the absence of a midline suture and the resistance of the mandibular body, resolving crowding in the lower arch is more complex than in the upper arch. However, numerous researchers have devised innovative techniques and methods to successfully bring about the desired and stable changes through mandibular expansion. The advantage of this procedure was not only reduction of anterior crowding and decrease of the buccal corridors but also the avoiding of tooth extraction. The current review aims to recapitulate the numerous approaches of mandibular expansion in orthodontics and their activation protocols.