A quad helix is an appliance that is used to expand or widen out the upper teeth. There are several different types of expanders that orthodontists may use, but the quad helix has a few unique features that we’ll cover below.
One big advantage of a quad helix appliance is that it is “pre-loaded”. This means that it doesn’t require any manual adjustments by the parent or patient, which should give anyone a big sigh of relief. Before the appliance is placed in it is pre-expanded; upon insertion, the orthodontist will compress the appliance and place it on the teeth.
Other expander models will require manual adjustment by the parent or the patient. The quad helix makes it easier because it consistently works without patients having to worry about or remember to activate the appliance.
