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noted that she was “acutely aware of the marked Once again, the results from expansion of the palate were striking.
difference in appearance between herself and her This sixteen-year-old patient was previously measured with an I.Q. of
sister, and that she has developed a considerable that of a four-year-old, and he was so seriously physically and mentally
inferiority complex.” In fact, twin OE was so impaired that he typically played all day with blocks on the floor. After
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distraught as the “ugly sister,” that she dropped six months of palate expansion however, he was able to go to the grocery
out of the study and further investigation of the story and bring back correct change to his mother, change trains and make
two cases had to be discontinued. transfers on streetcars accurately and safely, and read children’s stories and
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newspaper headlines. This teen’s physical appearance also dramatically
THE MIRACLE OF transformed. He grew three inches in four months, developed whiskers,
EXPANSION APPLIANCES and his genitals developed from those of a child to a man. These hormonal
Dr. Weston A. Price, the quintessential maturation changes were the direct result of the stimulation of the pituitary
holistic dental physician, not only specialized in gland through the expansion of the sella turcica—the saddle-shaped de-
nutrition and the treatment of dental foci (such as pression in the sphenoid cranial bone that houses the pituitary. In Down’s
failed root canals), but was a trailblazer in func- syndrome, the failure of the development of the middle third of the face
tional orthodontics as well. In another dramatic and the pituitary has been well documented. Finally, this teen’s severe sleep
functional orthodontic case, Price widened the apnea was relieved when the expansion device opened up his completely
narrow upper arch of a Down’s Syndrome teen occluded left nostril so he could breathe properly.
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approximately 1/2 inch with a palatal expansion
rod device located between his upper teeth. In so PRIMARY MOLAR BUILD-UPS IN YOUNG CHILDREN
doing, the new maxillary bone filled in rapidly. For those parents who are concerned about their children’s compliance
This space was later maintained with a fixed in wearing oral appliances, as well as the cost, an alternative is available
bridge that had two additional teeth attached. for certain malocclusions and age groups. Since potential Class II maloc-
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TREATMENT OF DOWN’S SYNDROME WITH AN EXPANSION APPARATUS

ABOVE: The progress of palatal expansion
over a six-month period through an expansion
rod in Dr. Price’s Down’s Syndrome patient.

RIGHT: The before and after photos of the
dramatic effect of palatal expansion in a
Down’s Syndrome teen.

© Copyrighted by The Price-Pottenger Nutrition
Foundation, All Rights Reserved, www.ppnf.org.
FALL 2009 Wise Traditions 25