Orthodontic Technology
Orthodontic technology involves the use of dental appliances for the treatment of malocclusions and other tooth irregularities. The three main types include:
Active Appliances – is used to apply forces in order to change the relationship of the teeth. This type has two main parts:
- Removable Active Appliances with the Expansion and Labial Segment Alignment Appliance (ELSAA) as an example and
- Fixed Active Appliances such as pin and tube, ribbon arch and Begg Lightwire appliances.
Aaron Costello
Passive Appliances – are ortho appliances which include space maintainers and retainers. Examples are:
- Removable passive appliances such as Hawley and Begg retainer;
- Fixed passive appliances such as Bonded “Twistflex” Retainer and Fixed Space Maintainer.
Dentofacial Orthopaedic or Functional Appliances – are used to correct deformities in the lower jaw through producing orthopaedic forces from the patient’s muscle action. It includes:
- Removable functional appliances with Bionators, Biobloc, Clark Twin Block, Bass Dynamax to name a few examples;
- Fixed functional appliances such as Herbst Appliance and Fixed Twin Block Appliance.
Day 82
Continuous advancement in technology greatly helps the field of orthodontics, indeed.