What are dental appliances and will I need them?
Sometimes your teeth need a little extra push to move into place. In these cases, special hardware is used to enhance the effectiveness of your orthodontic treatments.
Dr. Allen will work with you to determine the best treatment option for your smile.
What kind of appliance do you use?
There are four main types: spacers & separators, the Herbst Appliance, the Forsus Appliance and TADs.
Spacers or Separators
These help push your teeth apart so that orthodontic bands can be slid over the teeth during your next visit.
When wearing separators, you should avoid sticky foods and floss, which will pull the spacers out of place.
Sometimes your spacers may fall out, but this is not a problem unless it is more than two days before your scheduled appointment.
Herbst Appliance
The Herbst Appliance encourages the lower jaw to move forward and the upper molars backward in order to reduce overbite. This piece is mostly used for younger, growing children and is worn for about 12-15 months.
Forsus Appliance
The Forsus appliance works with your braces to repair abnormalities in the position of your upper and lower jaws. It is fixed and works to improve the function of your upper and lower teeth at the same time.
More Questions?
Feel free to call Dr. Allen’s office any time you have a question. We’ll be happy to help!
TAD (Temporary Anchorage Device)
TADs act to anchor the movement of teeth in one direction unlike traditional tooth movement. We like to think of them as boat anchors. When the boat is anchored, it pulls the boat directly to the anchor.
This advanced orthodontic technology eliminates the need for headgear or surgery. You’ll also experience reduced treatment time and greater comfort than traditional anchorage systems.
Best of all, placing TADs is safe and painless. Check out this video see for yourself.
In our office, Dr. Allen considers TADs the Gold Standard in treatment planning and diagnosis, thus being considered for every patient.