There may be times braces will not be enough to completely correct your issues – the problems could be deeper than crooked teeth. Growth modification treatment involves the usage of appliances that will help prevent or modify jaw discrepancies. Timing is critical to the success of this therapy.
Some of the most commonly used specialized appliances for correcting the shape, position, and/or width of the jaw bone(s) are:
The Palatal Expander
An expander is used to widen the upper jaw in order to correct a cross bite in the back teeth. This expansion is possible because when children are young, the two halves of their upper jaw are not completely fused together.
Palatal expander allows us to very slowly put pressure on the suture to stimulate separation and growth.
Lower Jaw Repositioning Appliance
Also known as Herbst appliance and is attached to the upper molars and lower premolars to correct excessive overbite caused by a small lower jaw.
This appliance is most effective for children who are nearing or in their growth spurt.
Reverse-Pull Headgear
This appliance is used for patients who have an underbite due to a deficient growth of the upper jaw. It is meant to be worn at home during the day and while sleeping. This is used in conjunction with a palatal expander to slowly pull the upper jaw forward. The result of this treatment greatly depends on patient cooperation.
