Types of Orthodontic Appliances
What are orthodontic appliances?
Orthodontic appliances are specialized devices used before or with Damon™ braces or Invisalign® treatment to correct orthodontic issues faster and with more precision, and to avoid the need for jaw surgery in most cases.
Some are designed to create space between teeth, while others are designed to widen the palate or guide the jaw into alignment.
If you or your child’s personalized treatment plan includes an orthodontic appliance, your experienced Molen orthodontist will explain everything you need to know about the device and what to expect throughout treatment.
Palatal Expander
Palatal expanders are used to widen the jaw bones and make room for all of the permanent teeth to fit in the mouth. Commonly used in early orthodontic treatment, palatal expanders can help prevent crowding and impaction by guiding proper development of the jaws.
The rapid palatal expander (the most common type of palatal expander) is bonded to the upper molars on both sides of the top jaw, with a screw located in the center of the appliance. To activate the palatal expander, you’ll insert a special key to turn the center screw, which expands the device ever so slightly and widens the palate gradually over time.
Check out our instructional videos for more information on what to expect with a palatal expander and how to take care of it.
TADs
Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) are temporary dental implants embedded into the bone to create an “anchor” that assists with tooth movement. These appliances are generally used when certain teeth require shifting, and others don’t, so we can treat individual teeth with greater efficiency.
These anchorage devices look like tiny metal buttons that are implanted into specific areas of the jaw bone. A small wire or elastic may be attached to the TAD to connect it with the specific tooth (or teeth) in need of treatment.
Nance Appliance
Reverse-Pull Face Mask
The reverse-pull facemask is an appliance used to promote proper alignment of the jaw bones for young kids around the ages of 7 to 10. It works by guiding the upper jaw forward to treat underbite conditions that may otherwise require jaw surgery to correct.
Find out how this appliance works and how to wear it in our instructional video!
Herbst® Appliance
The Herbst device treats overbites by guiding the lower jaw forward during key growth years in early childhood. Made of stainless steel bands, the Herbst appliance wraps around the molars, applying pressure to the jaw bones to promote proper development and create a healthy jaw alignment.
As part of our progressive, no-headgear approach, we customize the Herbst appliance in our in-house lab to achieve the same movement headgear accomplishes, without the negative side effects of headgear.
Learn more about what to expect with the Herbst appliance in our instructional videos!
Teeth Separators or Spacers
Spacers, also called separators, are small rubber bands placed on your back teeth to create a small space between them. Separators are worn for a period of time (typically one to two weeks), then we’ll fit a ring around your teeth and take impressions so we can create a custom appliance for you.
Learn more about separators in one of our instructional videos!
Lower Lingual Arch (Space Maintainer)
The lower lingual holding arch is a space maintainer used to hold the necessary space in the mouth for premolars to grow. It has metal bands that go around the two lower molars, with a metal wire spanning from the molars, around the inside of the bottom teeth.
The lower lingual arch appliance establishes the proper foundation that shapes the lower arch in a healthy alignment.
