Patients travel from all corners of the planet to receive this state-of-the-art treatment from Dr. Yousefian, which he coins DAME™ (Distraction Assisted Mandibular Expansion). This proprietary treatment allows Dr. Yousefian to expand the maxilla an additional 4-5mm compared to traditional 2-4mm of total net expansion when doing MSE/MARPE alone, resulting in 7-9mm of net expansion in some cases.
When looking at enlarging total oral cavity volume to make room for the tongue, making the upper airway bigger and ultimately resolving Obstructive Sleep Apnea, expanding the maxilla on its own in some cases will not be enough. Especially for patients who have had extractions, we need to significantly expand the maxilla to correct the deficient jaws. However, there are limitations to how much you can expand the maxilla because at some point, it will not match up with the mandible. Additionally, expanding only the maxilla can cause unwanted aesthetic appearances such as “balloon face”, where the maxilla looks enlarged, but the mandible and chin remain small. To get 5+mm of net expansion on the maxilla, it is necessary to expand the mandible. This results in much better facial aesthetics and airway function.
There is a common misconception that expanding the mandible can cause TMJ issues. This is a result of improperly expanding the mandible and forcing the condyles outward. Dr. Yousefian utilizes his own patented mandibular expander which allows him to strategically expand the mandible without displacing them, avoiding any TMJ complications. In fact, in Dr. Yousefian’s DAME procedure, many patients suffering from lifelong TMJ/TMD issues find significant relief.
