Types of Orthodontic Appliances
When Dr. Lin creates your personalized treatment, it may include any of these orthodontic appliances to achieve beautiful results in the shortest amount of time.
What do orthodontic appliances do?
Orthodontic appliances have a variety of uses. They’re effective for facilitating more efficient tooth movement, holding space in the mouth for permanent teeth to grow, and/or helping to support proper growth and development of the jaw bones.
Palatal Expander
Palatal expanders are a common appliance used in early orthodontic treatment for children whose jaw bones are still developing. These appliances serve to widen the upper jaw to create the necessary space for teeth to erupt in a healthy alignment. Palatal expanders can help prevent crowding and impaction by guiding proper development of the jaw bone.
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.
If your child requires a palatal expander, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about cleaning it, activating it and caring for 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. TADs enable us to treat individual teeth with greater efficiency.
These anchorage devices appear as tiny metal buttons, strategically implanted into an area 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.
MARPE
Similar to the palatal expander, the MARPE (Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) orthodontic appliance is designed to widen the upper jaw bone to create sufficient room in the mouth.
With the MARPE appliance, miniscrews are attached to the maxillary bone and the appliance expands over time, guiding the upper jaw bone outward. This allows for controlled and gradual expansion of the upper jawbone in the shortest amount of time. As the appliance expands, it creates additional space in the mouth, treating conditions like crowding and crossbites.
Airway Orthodontics
Dr. Lin provides airway orthodontic treatment for patients with sleep apnea! Airway orthodontic techniques can improve a person’s breathing by expanding their airway and allowing an increased amount of oxygen to pass through.
Airway orthodontic techniques effectively reduce obstructions and blockages in the nasal cavity and pharynx, which is proven to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Depending on the specific cause behind a patient’s airway obstruction, Dr. Lin will create a personalized treatment plan that may include Invisalign®, BRIUS®, a custom Vivera™ retainer, and/or an orthodontic appliance.
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