Functional appliances
Treat the major problems early and greatly simplify and shorten the treatment of the permanent teeth.
What does functional mean?
Functional appliances are used in the milk tooth dentition (8-12y) while the jaws are still developping and there is great growth potential. They improve the function of the jaws by harmonising them: expanding a narrow upper jaw to fit the lower or bringing forward a retruded lower jaw are common corrections.
Strong points
Growth stimulation
The upper and lower jaws have growth centers that can be stimulated to increase growth. A small palate can be expanded by stretching its suture with an orthodontic appliance.
Preventive treatment
Often future orthodontic problems are foreseeable and preventable. For example, a placeholder will prevent crowding in case a milk tooth is lost too soon, greatly simplify later treatment and maybe even avoid extraction of permanent teeth.
Comfortable and easy to clean
Functional appliance are often removable and even fixed ones have minimal contact with teeth, so they are easy to clean and comfortable. Bonus: they are also very discreet, practibly invisble!
Catch the problems early
The main goal of functional appliances is to correct the big problems as early as possible so that the teeth and jaws develop correctly. During later treatment in permanent teeth, mostly small alignment problems remain.
Reduces time with braces
Treatment time with braces or aligners can be significantly shortened after a succesful functional appliance. For example, bringing the lower jaw forwards requires about one year when done with braces or aligners, time which can be saved with a functional appliance.
Other orthodontic appliances
Find out more about the other appliances we use.
Traditional braces
Standard braces have been used for over a 100 years and are still the gold standard. They give total control and precision for moving teeth and are the go-to appliance for children.
Lingual braces
With all the advantages of standard braces, the lingual technique is an extremely versatile appliance that is also completely invisible. This is the best solution for complex problems in adult patients.
Clear aligners
Aligners are the new rage. Almost invisble and very comfortable to wear, the perfect solution for smaller corrections. At first only used in adult treatments, they are now also available for adolescents.