Palatal expanders with breach regions

A method of using a system of incremental palatal expanders, the system of incremental palatal expanders including palatal expanders shaped to expand a patient's palate by stages according to a treatment plan, the method comprising:

• using a first palatal expander of the system of incremental palatal expanders, the first palatal expander comprising a first tooth engagement region, a second tooth engagement region and a palatal region connecting the first and second tooth engagement regions, wherein using the first palatal expander comprises:
• placing the first and second tooth engagement regions over the patient's teeth such that a first attachment region of the first tooth engagement region is engaged with a first dental attachment bonded to a buccal side of a first tooth of the patient's teeth and a second attachment region of the second tooth engagement region is engaged with a second dental attachment bonded to a buccal side of a second tooth of the patient's teeth, wherein the palatal region applies a lateral force across the patient's palate according to one of the stages of the treatment plan;
• and
• removing the first palatal expander from the patient's teeth by applying a pulling force to one or both of the first and second tooth engagement regions to cause at least one breach region of the first palatal expander to breach or bend, thereby causing one or both of the first or second attachment regions to detached from respective one or both of the first and second dental attachments, wherein the at least one breach region corresponding to a thinned region of the first palatal expander that extends anteriorly to posteriorly in the palatal region or an occlusal portion of one or both of the first and second tooth engagement regions.

A palatal expander system for expanding a patient's palate, the palatal expander system including palatal expanders shaped to incrementally expand the patient's palate by stages according to a treatment plan, the system comprising:

• a first palatal expander comprising first and second tooth engagement regions connected by a palatal region, the palatal region configured to apply a lateral force across the patient's palate according to a first stage of the treatment plan when the first and second tooth engagement regions are worn over the patient's teeth;
• one or more first attachment regions on a buccal side of the first tooth engagement region, each of the one or more first attachment regions shaped and sized to engage with corresponding one or more first dental attachments bonded to one or more first teeth of the patient's teeth;
• one or more second attachment regions on a buccal side of the second tooth engagement region, each of the one or more second attachment regions shaped and sized to engage with corresponding one or more second dental attachments bonded to one or more second teeth of the patient's teeth;
• and
• at least one breach region corresponding to a thinned region of the first palatal expander that extends anteriorly to posteriorly in the palatal region or an occlusal portion of one or both of the first and second tooth engagement regions, wherein the at least one breach region is configured to breach or bend when a pulling force is applied to one or both of the first and second tooth engagement regions such that one or both of the first and second attachment regions are detached from respective first or second attachments.