Therapy During Expansion: It Depends

Therapy in Expansion: It all depends.

Orthodontic and orthopedic expansion can play a powerful role in helping children (and adults!) create more space for proper breathing, chewing, and overall craniofacial development. But one of the most common questions parents ask is:

“Does my child need therapy during expansion?”

And the most honest answer is… it depends. Every child’s body, nervous system, and oral function are unique. Expansion is not just a dental process — it’s a whole-body event. When we look beyond the appliance and consider how the jaw, tongue, airway, and fascial system respond, we start to understand why supportive therapy can make such a big difference.

In this post, we’ll explore why therapy may be recommended during expansion and how targeted approaches like Craniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT), jaw stability training, tongue strengthening, and nasal breathing support can create a smoother, more successful expansion journey.