To successfully complete your orthodontic treatment plan, patients must work together with the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears the elastics (rubber bands), headgear or other appliances as prescribed.
The following paragraphs describe the types of appliances that may be used during your treatment.
Elastics (Rubber Bands)
Wearing elastics (rubber bands) helps to improve the fit of your upper and lower teeth. Wear rubber bands as instructed because the rubber bands work far more efficiently if they are worn as prescribed.
Herbst® Appliance
This Herbst appliance reduces overbite by encouraging the lower jaw forward and the upper molars backward. This fixed appliance is used mostly for younger, growing children and is worn for about 10-14 months.
Carriere® Appliance
The Carriere Distalizer overbite appliance is a sleek, aesthetic and non-invasive appliance that provides improved cooperation, comfort and shortens overall treatment time when compared to treatment with traditional Class II elastics or other correctors. It delivers a gentle and consistent force for overbite correction before brackets or clear aligners are placed. The appliance may eliminate the need for extraction.
Palatal Expander
The palatal expander “expands” (widens) your upper jaw by putting gentle pressure on your upper molars each time an adjustment is made. Dr. Morris & Dr. Hester will instruct you about when and how to adjust your expander. When you achieve the desired expansion, you will wear the appliance for several months to solidify the expansion and to prevent relapse.
Retainers
Retainers may be removable or fixed. They hold your teeth in their new, correct positions after your teeth have been straightened. Dr. Hester & Dr. Morris will instruct you on how to care for your retainer and about the duration of the wear. Wearing your retainer as directed is crucial to prevent regression of your treatment.
TADs
One of the newest technologies in orthodontics today is the use of temporary anchorage devices (TADs), also known as miniscrews. TADs are used by orthodontists to move teeth in the desired direction without moving adjacent teeth. They are small screws made from titanium alloy that are placed by the orthodontist into the bone around the tooth roots to act as “anchors”. The placement of a temporary anchorage device is a simple procedure that may be performed in the orthodontic office. They allow the orthodontist to predictably perform certain tooth movement that may not otherwise be possible. The final results of orthodontic treatment can be better than ever with less time in braces.
TADs can be placed painlessly with the use of local anesthesia and are removed after they have completed their task. The benefits to the patients include shorter treatment time and not having to comply with using other devices. The orthodontist should explain clearly to the patient why the miniscrew is being utilized, and also needs to be explicit about how painless the insertion of a miniscrew is. There is a possibility the TADs can loosen or fall out, patients should avoid picking or pulling at the TAD. In the event this may happen please contact our office as soon as possible.