Ogival palate: definition, causes and consequences

Located in the upper part of the oral cavity with a domed shape is the palate, divided into two fundamental parts: an anterior part called the hard palate made up of the maxillary and palatine bones and a posterior part called the soft palate made up of muscle tissue.

What is a dental palate? The narrow palate or ogival palate for teeth is nothing more than a structural alteration of the palate in which there is an elevation in the central part of a strongly pronounced arch, which is characterized by having the shape of a vault instead of having a rounded shape as it happens usually.

It is characterized by incorrect development of the bones in the growth stage, and this tends to be much narrower than expected and much more domed in the central region of the palate.

In the first place, there is a genetic cause for suffering from the ogival palate, or it may simply be due to habits that are acquired during childhood:

The first and most important of them is oral breathing due to chronic nasal obstruction, such as the nasal septum deviation. At this point, the tongue is not in permanent contact with the palate as it happens in a standard way that forces you to press it constantly. When this contact is not given, the development of the palate will be abnormal, forming a narrow palate.

In addition to this, two critical causes are associated, such as:

• The habit of sucking the thumb.
• Excessive or prolonged use of the pacifier.

Both habits are capable of deforming it and producing the characteristic ogival palate. In the following article, we explain how to calm a baby with anxiety to avoid having to use a pacifier.

Undoubtedly one of the common manifestations that represent a common cause of consulting the doctor is abnormal breathing on the part of the child. In addition, this can be accompanied by other signs such as:

• Sleeping with your mouth open.
• To snore.
• Baggy eyes.
• Abnormal occlusion of dentures.
• Crowded teeth.
• Difficulty feeding.
• Swallowing alteration.
• Difficulty chewing.

There are several consequences that people who suffer from a narrow palate or ogival palate have:

• Problems in dental occlusion: which implies having a lousy bite where the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth.
• Crossbite is another type of dental palates occlusion characterized by the lower teeth in a position called vestibular over the upper ones.
• Crooked teeth: if it is not treated in time, they will probably need future orthodontics.
• It was worsening nasal breathing: because the palate of the mouth had not yet closed properly.
• Unsightly smile: product of the characteristic position of the narrow palate.

I am considering that it is at approximately 5 and 10 years that the growth of the children’s faces is 80% complete. This is the ideal age to solve all the problems represented by the pathology of the ogival palate, as indicated by children’s orthodontists.

The final phase of bone growth is until approximately 12 years of age, to what extent it is possible to work on them to shape them.

The children’s orthodontist indicates that the ideal treatment to correct the alteration of the ogival palate is to widen the palate with a device called a palatal expander or disjunctor in adults.

This device is made to measure the patient and is placed in the upper jaw. It also has a screw called a disjunction screw that allows the specialist to activate it progressively to join the two sides of the upper jaw, thereby opening the upper jaw a little more—the respiratory tract.

Once the palate expansion phase is completed, for approximately seven months to a year, this expander is removed by the orthodontist, and the child’s palate is finally left with optimal development for the rest of his life.

Logically, the treatment duration will depend on each child’s situation as well as the degree of openness that their palate has and how it responds to the treatment that will be gradually carried out with the palatal expander.

In case of not performing the treatment for the ogival palate in time, that is, during childhood, the treatment in adult life will be much more complex and complicated due to the poor malleability of the bones after 12 years.

All mothers must take into account that from one year of age, the child must be evaluated by a dentist, who will evaluate the patient both preventively and diagnose in an individualized way and thus also indicate the treatment that he needs and the duration of the same for the total remission of any symptoms.

This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Ogival palate: definition, causes, and consequences, we recommend that you enter our Teeth and mouth category.