MARPE Orthodontics

MARPE stands for mini-implant assisted rapid palatal expansion. It is a metal expander fixed to the upper teeth and anchored to the palatal bone with small mini-implants, so it can widen a fused adult palate that a childhood expander cannot move. At McComb Orthodontics, we use MARPE to broaden the upper jaw skeletally in adults across Culver City, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood.

Yes. In children the palate has not fused, so a simple expander widens it. In adults the palatal bones are fused, so MARPE uses mini-implant anchorage to separate them without the surgical cuts older techniques required. We treat adults who were told expansion was only possible with surgery.

McComb Orthodontics uses a three-tier ladder. RPE, a rapid palatal expander, works for children ages 7 to 10 before the palate fuses. MARPE uses mini-implants to expand a fused palate in older teens and adults. SARPE, surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion, has an oral surgeon section the bone for fully fused adult palates. In our view, MARPE has largely replaced SARPE for most adult cases.

McComb Orthodontics designs the MARPE from a 3D iTero scan and has it custom made by a lab, then cements it onto your upper teeth. An oral surgeon places the mini-implants into the palate under local anesthesia, similar to a filling. You then turn the expander a small amount to slowly separate the fused suture, and the bone fills in as the palate widens.

MARPE fits older teens and adults whose palate has fused and who have a functional or airway reason to expand, such as a narrow arch, a posterior crossbite, or restricted breathing. It is not the right first step when a deviated septum or enlarged tonsils are the real problem, which an ENT should address first. We evaluate your palate and airway before recommending it.

Yes. McComb Orthodontics handles the design, the appliance, and the tooth movement, and an oral surgeon places the mini-implants. The sequence is a consultation with us, a consultation and 3D evaluation with the oral surgeon, cementing the custom MARPE at our office, then implant placement with the surgeon. We keep the implant placement with the surgeon so the surgical step stays with the specialist trained for it.

Most patients feel light pressure rather than pain. McComb Orthodontics uses a slow turning schedule instead of an aggressive one, so the sensation is mild pressure around the nasal area. Placing the mini-implants involves only local anesthesia in the palate, similar to a filling.

The MARPE stays in place for roughly six to twelve months to expand the palate and then hold the new width while the bone stabilizes. Holding the width is critical. Taking the appliance out too soon is a common mistake that lets the arch collapse back toward where it started.

Expansion often opens a gap between the front teeth, which is a sign it is working. Because adults do not want that gap, McComb Orthodontics runs Invisalign at the same time to close the space as it forms, so you are not left with a visible gap.

Sometimes. When the palatal bone is already broad and only the teeth are crowded, we can use Invisalign to gently develop the arches and create more room for the tongue, which is called arch development. When the palate itself is narrow and fused, arch development is not enough and MARPE is needed to widen the bone.

It can help in the right cases, but it is not a cure and not a replacement for CPAP. Widening a narrow palate can improve nasal breathing when jaw width is restricting the airway. McComb Orthodontics coordinates with your ENT and sleep physician rather than treating sleep apnea alone, and recommends MARPE for airway reasons only when there is a real functional indication.

At McComb Orthodontics the MARPE appliance is $3,500, added on top of comprehensive orthodontic treatment that typically runs $6,000 to $7,000. The oral surgeon bills separately for the mini-implant evaluation and placement. Interest-free financing is available, and we review your PPO orthodontic benefits with you before treatment begins.

The main risks are relapse if the width is not held long enough, gum recession as the teeth are pushed wider, and a mini-implant that does not hold and needs to be replaced by the oral surgeon. McComb Orthodontics watches for these and holds the expansion long enough to stabilize the result.

MARPE broadens the upper jaw and can widen the smile, and some patients notice a fuller smile as the arch expands. The change is skeletal width in the palate rather than a change to the outside of the face. We review the expected changes with you using your 3D scan before treatment.