Early Treatment - Functional Appliances

In severe jaw imbalances, early treatment usually involved a Functional Appliance, also known as an orthopaedic appliance.  The aim of this treatment is to improve the relationship between the upper and lower jaws.  Three factors influence the outcome of this treatment:

1. Correct appliance - our responsibility
2. Growth - the child must still be growing, preferably just before the pre-pubertal growth spurt
3. The appliance must be worn - this is dependent on patient compliance.

Type of appliances:  depending on individual assessment, there are appliances which are removable (e.g. twin blocks - get image), non removable (eg Herbst), or removable with Headgear.

In this practice, to ensure satisfactory patient compliance, we carefully select our appliances for comfort and ease of handling.  Whenever possible, we use appliances that are not removable, to prevent loss of breakage of appliance.  This in turn increases the rate of acceptance of these appliances by younger patients.

FAQ's

Does the headgear appliance need to be worn at school?

No, the headgear is worn only after school and at night.  We aim to get 14 hours of wear per day.

Can I play sport while wearing the functional appliance?

Not if it is a removable appliance.  Fixed appliances stay on during sport.

How long does I need to wear the Headgear of Functional appliance?

Approximately 9-12 months.

If I have a headgear or a functional appliance, does that mean that I will not need braces?

In most cases, the braces are required to complete the treatment.  Remember, the functional appliances only improve/correct the jaw position.  They do not correct individual tooth positions.

What is the alternative to functional appliances?

In many instances, the only alternatives are surgery, or a compromised treatment result.