My daughter just got braces and a expander in the roof of her mouth.l have to turn a key in her mouth twice a week.How can you tell if it is done correctly?Is she supposed to feel the expander loosen or tighten when l turn the key?

im guessing tighten.

Oh l had one of those, l did feel it tighten when my parents turned the key, and then it would loosen until the next time they turned the key. It really helped too, but l got big gaps between my teeth before the braces then closed the space later.

When l had my palatal expander, my mother would have to tighten it using the key 3 times per day. Your daughter should feel some tightness (the expander pushing ''out'' to expand her palate), it is a minor discomfort, not bad at all, but she should still be able to tell you're tightening it.

Tighten. The expander is supposed to do just that; expand the space in her mouth.

Good luck to her, l just got my braces off last year.

The expander is expanding the space in her mouth so her teeth have more room( more than likely she has a smaller mouth, yeah?)
Anyways, she needs to feel it tighten. If she feels it loosen, its not doing its job.

l had an expander as a kid. She will be able to feel it getting tighter as you turn the key. It will be a sensation of pressure in her jaw. Just do not drop the key down her throat like my mother did to me. ;)

She is definitely supposed to be able to feel the expander get tighter. The whole purpose of the expander is to widen or elongate something that was not like that before. You are in a since stretching her bone. If she has any pain, the recommended amount of Motrin for her age and weight should be sufficient. Good luck!