The system is intended to be used in rapid expansion and subsequent holding of skeletal and/or dental narrow maxilla, according to a Dec. 18 news release from Align.
The expanders are the company’s first direct 3D printed orthodontic device and is an alternative to traditional expanders that require manually turning a screw in the mouth every day. Instead, patients receive a series of removable devices staged in small increments of movement.
The Palatal Expander System is available on a limited basis in the U.S. and Canada and is expected to be available in more markets in 2024, the release said.