Appliances
Appliances are not utilized to treat all orthodontic problems. It
takes skills and experience to recognize conditions that will respond
favorable to appliances. Timing of such therapy also is very important.
Althought you may notice an effect on eating and speaking, along
with an increase in the flow of saliva, you will eventually adjust to
the appliance.
Types of Appliances
TPA/NANCE APPLIANCE
The TPA/Nance (Trans Palatal Arch/Nance Combo) has several different possible functions
1. Space maintainer.
2. Anchor to prevent the molars from slipping forward.
3. Appliance to widen the upper arch.
LINGUAL ARCH
The Lingual Arch is a space maintainer which allows the side adult
teeth to have room to grow in properly. It can also be useful to regain
lost space where primary teeth have been removed prematurely, and teeth
have unfavorably drifted into the space needed for the other adult
teeth.
RAPID PALATAL EXPANDER (RPE)
The RPE is the most commonly used appliance to expand a narrow upper
jaw. Once the expansion is complete, the appliance must remain in the
mouth for 6 months to allow the expansion to become permanent.
BITE PLATE
A Bite Plate is used to open a deep bite (decrease the vertical overlap of the upper and lower incisors)
QUAD HELIX
The Quad Helix is one of several types of appliances that are used for
expansion of the upper jaw. It usually must be left in the mouth for
6-9 months to allow the jaw to grow laterally with the expansion.
T-REX APPLIANCE
The T-Rex appliance is an expansion appliance that widens the upper
jaw. It is also used to push the upper six year molars back, usually
with the help of the headgear. It is usually left in the mouth for 6-9
months, depending on the patient's level of cooperation.
MARA APPLIANCE
ADVANSYNC M2M APPLIANCE
CARRIERE DISTALIZER
HEADGEAR
The headgear is used to push the upper six year molars back, in order to make room for the remaining adult teeth.
It can also be used to hold back the upper six year molars, in order to
prevent them from slipping forward, such as in an extraction situation.
PROTRACTION HEADGEAR
The Protraction Facemask is used to bring the upper jaw forward to meet
the lower jaw, in order to create a positive overlap of the front teeth
when there is an existing underbite of the front teeth. It is usually
used in combination with an expansion appliance.
Removable Appliances
Removable appliances, unlike conventional braces, are used to retain teeth in their corrected positions and in some cases, to influence growth of the jaws in order to effect changes in facial structure. In addition, they are often used before and in conjunction with fixed appliances.
Since removable appliances can easily be taken out by the patient, there may be a tendency not to wear them as we have prescribed. This means your teeth, jaws and muscles may move back toward their original positions.
Removable appliances require care.