Help! Question about palate tissue around wire

[dochas]

My 10 yo. has an upper palate expander and the palate gum tissue has swollen around the wire in some parts. I called the orthodontist, they want to see her this week, we're going in on Thursday. Has anyone experienced this? What are they likely to do? They said they can numb the area before doing anything, I'm just wondering, do they just pull it out, or will they have to actually cut the gum, and is that something that's normally done in an orthodontist's office or will this need to be a surgical appointment?

Thanks.

[mikeg]

I had the expander in for some time, and the ortho popped it out when the time was up. Very easy.

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

There are usually two palatal arms on an expander that extend from the molars anteriorly. For a variety of reasons, these arms can become embedded into the palatal tissue. Most often, they can be removed without anesthesia, but do expect a bit of bleeding and some discomfort. This can be done by using a metal cutting bur to remove the arm from the joint at the molar, or the arm can simply be bent towards the midline away from the tissue. After they are removed, the area should heal without complications.

Good luck!