MARPE vs. Traditional Palatal Expansion: What Adults Need to Know

In children, the suture running down the middle of the palate hasn’t fused yet, so a traditional palatal expander can gradually widen the upper jaw with steady pressure from a screw-driven appliance anchored to the teeth. In adults, that suture has fused — often by the late teens or early twenties — which means the same tooth-anchored approach mostly tips and tilts teeth rather than actually widening the underlying bone.

That’s the problem MARPE (Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) was designed to solve.

How MARPE differs from traditional expansion:

• Anchoring: MARPE uses 4 to 6 small titanium miniscrews placed directly into the palatal bone, in addition to attachment to the teeth. This lets the appliance transfer expansion force to the bone itself, not just the teeth.
• Effect: Because the force reaches the fused suture more directly, MARPE can achieve true skeletal (bony) expansion in adults — something traditional tooth-borne expanders generally can’t do reliably.
• Procedure: Placement is done in-office; the miniscrews are small and placement is well-tolerated, though it does require a short healing period before activation begins.
• Activation: Similar to pediatric expanders, the patient turns the appliance a set amount daily over several weeks, guided by the treatment plan.

Who’s a candidate: Adults with a narrow upper jaw, a constricted airway contributing to nasal breathing difficulty or mild sleep apnea, significant dental crowding without adequate arch width, or those who want to avoid extraction-based orthodontic treatment. A CBCT scan (3D imaging) is typically used beforehand to assess suture fusion and bone thickness, since MARPE isn’t right for every adult skeletal pattern.

What it isn’t: MARPE is not a stand-alone sleep apnea cure, and it’s not a substitute for orthodontic treatment on the teeth themselves — most patients still need braces or aligners afterward to finish aligning the teeth into the newly created space.

Dr. Zitterkopf evaluates adult patients for MARPE candidacy using 3D imaging and a full airway and bite assessment. If you’ve been told your options are limited because you’re “done growing,” it’s worth a second look — adult palatal expansion is more possible than most people realize. Schedule a consultation at our Colorado Springs office to find out if you’re a candidate.