How Is a Narrow Palate Treated?
In general, a narrow palate becomes harder to treat as you get older. In infants and young children, a type of orthodontic device called a palate expander may be sufficient to reshape the mouth. Adults often need surgery.
Frenotomy
A frenotomy, in which the frenulum is snipped with surgical scissors, may be used to treat tongue-ties in infants to prevent future concerns with mouth development.
Palate expanders
Palate expanders are devices that exert pressure on your mouth to widen your palate. A small 2017 study showed that they’re most commonly used in children and teenagers under 15 years old before the palate finishes developing.
Along with widening your jaw, they may be used to correct improper alignment of your teeth. Some types of palate expanders are attached to your mouth while others are removable.
Jaw widening surgery
Once the mouth stops developing, fixing a narrow palate becomes more difficult. Jaw widening surgery is often the best treatment option for teenagers and adults.
Surgery involves making a cut in the bone of your upper jaw and repositioning it with an expansion device. The bone will fuse after weeks to months of healing. You’ll have a gap in the front of your teeth which can be corrected with orthodontics.
Distraction osteogenesis for maxillary expansion (DOME)
DOME is a particular jaw widening procedure developed at Stanford University to help symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea caused by a high-arched, narrow palate. A small 2017 study showed that previously developed surgical techniques for treating a narrow palate primarily focused on fixing dental concerns.
A small 2019 study found that DOME is effective at reducing sleep apnea symptoms and improves subjective measures of nasal breathing [7].