Many children can benefit from the help of functional appliances. These appliances can gently shape their jaws and reduce the time they spend in braces or clear aligners - or do away with the need for further treatment altogether.
Functional appliances align the jaws, not the teeth, so they are used as a first stage treatment. They help influence the development of the dental arches in young patients while their jaws are still growing. Functional appliances can consist of one or two fixed or removable plates.
Functional appliances are most commonly used to encourage the forward growth of under-developed lower jaw. The functional appliance helps to hold the lower jaw forward until the teeth, jaws, and joints have adapted to the desired jaw position.
If the protrusion of the jaws is severe, treatment is usually a two-step process with a functional appliance first, followed by treatment with braces. In some cases, wearing a functional appliance produces such great results that braces aren’t needed at all.
Evolve Orthodontics offers free consultations for all ages. Book your child in today to see if their smile could benefit from treatment with functional appliances.
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