Other Functional Appliances
Functional appliances have been used in Orthodontics for many years. Pioneers of this treatment were Orthodontists such as Dr Frankel, Dr Harvold, Dr Andresen, more recently Dr Clarke and Dr Neville Bass. Functional appliance therapy is used when there is a discrepancy between the top and bottom jaws. Usually when the bottom jaw is retrognathic (set backwards, also know as a Class II malocclusion.
Functional appliances are generally used in the growing child and can be used into their teens. They achieve quick functional correction of malocclusion by the transmitting occlusal forces through the appliance to the lower jaw.
Rationale
- Treatment of Class II Malocclusions
- Increase arch width (arch expansion
- Class II div 1 cases can be treated
- Class III cases treated with Reverse Functional appliance Design
Construction requirements
- Upper and lower impression in alginate
- Protrusive bite registration
- Projet Bite recorders can be used to make bite registration quicker and easier for the clinician and patient
Further Information
The most commonly prescribed functional orthodontic appliance in the UK are Twin blocks, followed by Medium Opening Activators (M.O.A.). Other functional appliances that are popular with Orthodontists are; Twin Blocks, Bionators, Frankel, Andresen, Harvold, Bass Dynamax
Frankel Functional Regulator
Frankel's Functional Regulator is an activator particularly suitable in...
