Monday, October 8, 2012

Ruweda Dawids, Theory 1

What orthopedic changes can be achieved by the long term action of a functional appliance?
The use of functional appliances offers a number of possibilities such as guiding skeletal growth and modifies the patient’s neuro-muscular behaviour. There are several functional appliances available and each of them has different functions. The different functional appliances and their functions:
• A Clark twin block appliance incorporates the use of upper and lower bite blocks to position the mandible forward for skeletal Class II correction.
• Headgear is an orthodontic appliance for the correction of Class II correction, typically used in growing patients to correct overbites by holding back the growth of the upper jaw, allowing the lower jaw to catch up. The headgear can also be used to make more space for teeth to come in. Headgear needs to be worn approximately 12 to 22 hours a day to be truly effective in correcting the overbite, and treatment is usually anywhere from 6 to 18 months in duration, depending on the severity of the overbite and how much a patient is growing.
• Orthodontic facemask and reverse-pull headgear The appliance is used in growing patients to correct under bites known as a Class III orthodontic problem by pulling forward and assisting the growth of the upper jaw, allowing the upper jaw to catch up.
• Herbst Appliance corrects overbites by holding the lower jaw in a protrusive position. This appliance is most commonly used in non-compliant patients. The Herbst appliance is very effective in correcting large overbites due to small lower jaws in patients that are growing.
• Fixed twin block removable appliance- high comfort level allows you to wear it 24 hours a day. This appliance actually is made up of two separate appliances that work together as one. The upper plate includes an optional expansion screw to widen your upper arch, if needed, as well as pads to cover your molars. The lower plate includes pads to cover your lower bicuspids. These two appliances interlock at an angle, and they move your lower jaw forward and lock it into the ideal position when you bite together. This new position, while temporary, will eventually become the permanent corrected position.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks Ruweda
    As a summary:
    • To remove a retrusive mandible to a forward position (from Class II to Class I) i.e. to enhance forward mandibular growth.
    • To encourage functional displacement of mandibular condyles downward and forward in the glenoid fossa.
    • To bring about the remodelling of the articulator surfaces of the TMJ.
    • To encourage adaptive skeletal growth.
    • To allow adaptive skeletal changes to occur in response to functional stimulus

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's really very nice and fantastic post thanks for sharing this with us.

    Andy Zheng usually writes articles and blogs related to Medical equipment and Products, In this article he writes about orthodontic products from China and orthodontic brackets from China. He loves to share his knowledge on the concept of sustainable living and advocates the adoption of eco-friendly habits. He has been vehemently writing articles for Sinoortho.com.

    ReplyDelete