Orthopedic Appliances

ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCES

Since it’s better for children to keep all of their natural teeth while undergoing teeth straightening, we offer orthopedic appliances to prevent any teeth extraction. Orthopedic Appliances mainly utilize the muscle action produced when speaking, eating, and swallowing to move the teeth and align the jaw. These appliances help to intercept an early underbite and deep bite problems, as well as improve the patient’s profile. Most orthopedic appliances are removable in type, but some types are fixed.

Between ages 6 and 12, jaw bone growth peaks. After age 12, if crowding is severe, orthodontists may need to extract teeth. Dr. Yoo’s philosophy is to treat the crowding without extracting teeth as far as possible. Orthopedic appliances can save your child from time in braces, and concurrently, save you money!

Orthopedic appliances are also known as functional appliances with names such as Bionator, Frankel, Herbst, Molar Distalizer, Rapid Palatal Expander, Schwarz, Space Maintainer or Twin Block appliances.

Dr. Yoo has extensive experience with this treatment method.

Schwarz Appliance : Shape is similar to regular retainer, but expands teeth arch so that incoming teeth erupts easily and harmonizes upper and lower jaw relation

Rapid Palatal Expander : Used to widen the upper jaw so that the bottom and upper teeth will fit together better — Rapid Palatal Expander : Used to widen the upper jaw so that the bottom and upper teeth will fit together better

Twin Block : Incorporates the use of upper and lower bite blocks to position the lower jaw forward or backward for skeletal disharmony correction — Twin Block : Incorporates the use of upper and lower bite blocks to position the lower jaw forward or backward for skeletal disharmony correction