Types of Appliances
Wylie, Texas
The article describes various orthodontic appliances used in dental treatment:
Elastics - "small rubber bands that help move teeth into proper alignment," typically connecting upper and lower jaws to create an ideal bite.
Forsus Nitinol Flat Spring - A spring-based rod designed as an alternative to headgear or jaw surgery for addressing overbite conditions.
Headgear - Used to treat overbites and underbites by gently pulling on orthodontic appliances to encourage proper jaw positioning.
Herbst Appliance - Attached to back teeth, applies "constant forward pressure on the lower jaw, and constant backwards pressure on the upper jaw" to correct overbites.
Palatal Expander - Widens the upper jaw through periodic adjustments, worn for several months after achieving expansion.
Positioners - Clear plastic devices resembling retainers that finalize tooth placement without braces.
Retainers - Made from plastic, metal, or combinations thereof, these maintain tooth position after braces removal.
Separators or Spacers - Tiny rubber bands placed between back teeth to create space for metal bands.
Twin Block Appliance - Two acrylic blocks worn full-time to advance lower jaw position and correct overbites.
MARA Appliance - A non-removable mandibular repositioning device anchored to molars for correcting severe overbites.
