Growth Modification appliances
Certain types of bites are best corrected when a patient is still growing and at specific times during growth. We offer different appliances to modify growth of the upper and lower jaws to take advantage of a patient’s growth and to try to avoid extractions of permanent teeth if possible.
Here are some examples of appliances we offer for our patients:
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Tooth borne palatal expanders can be used while a patient is still growing to expand the upper jaw to create more space and to correct posterior crossbites. Palatal expanders combined with TADs, or miniscrews, can be used if a patient is older and still desires expansion of the upper jaw.
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Class II correctors, if used at specific times during growth, encourage forward growth of the lower law. Our office uses the MARA appliance, a sleek class II corrector to guide the lower jaw forward when the patient bites down to encourage forward growth.
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Headgear, with excellent compliance, can be used in younger patients to hold back growth of the upper jaw to correct Class II bites.
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In Class III bites, or “underbites”, a protraction face mask in younger children can be used to encourage forward growth of the upper jaw to correct an underbite.