A functional appliance which is a one piece appliance made of acrylic and is fitted on the upper teeth and there is an imprint of the patient's teeth for the lower teeth to fit into. The most common gap we see is a midline diastema (a gap between your upper central incisors). They are easy to take out to clean and eat food. A palatal expander is a device in the field of orthodontics which is used to widen the upper jaw (maxilla) so that the bottom and upper teeth will fit together better.

Since palatal expansion is medically necessary, most insurance plans cover most or all of the treatment costs. Video 668: Demonstrates an implant to replace a missing lower right 5 tooth. The teeth most often missing are the upper lateral incisors or the lower second premolars. The advantages are that they are fixed and not removed. Video 334: Demonstrates how a quadhelix expands the upper arch. Video 341 and Video 395: Demonstrates class 3 elastics working.

These are used in the upper arch and consist of a metal framework which is linked to upper first premolars and the upper first molar teeth by bands. Video 436: Demonstrates extraction of one lower incisor and alignment of teeth.
We recommend that they are worn full time for a period of time and then every night for life, if you wish to keep your teeth straight permanently. The first set is given free on the NHS and future ones must be bought to keep your teeth straight. Why choose us? Fixed braces are precise and can be used to move teeth in any direction and these braces give you that perfect smile at the end of the treatment. We tend to use 4 types of these retainers: The most commonly used retainers. Video 106: Demonstrates extraction of the four second premolars and the relief of crowding and space closure. We usually recommend that you should also wear an Essix retainer as a back-up to something going wrong with your fixed retainer. These are very effective in widening very narrow jaws and can sometimes help avoid extractions. A removable brace which come as one large piece of acrylic. An expander is most commonly prescribed when there is a crossbite between the two arches or not enough space for the permanent teeth to erupt. They are useful where you want the bite to continue to improve after the fixed braces are removed, as well as keeping the front teeth straight. This is a fixed expansion appliance usually used in the upper arch.

These are used to pull the upper back teeth forwards and the lower front teeth back.
Video 638: demonstrates box elastics helping correct an anterior open bite.

Also space can be gained by expanding the dental arches and also by interdental stripping of teeth (removal of enamel from between the teeth- to gain space). Rapid Palatal Expander: Effectively stretches the roof of the mouth by gently separating the upper arch in the centre of your palate. The orthodontist will teach the patient how to wear these and the patient will practice before leaving the practice and show the orthodontist that they are able to wear these correctly for the right tooth movements to occur.

Also these do sometimes break and need replacing or maintaining. We will carefully discuss the options with our patients before proceeding. They consist of small metal pieces stuck onto each tooth (brackets) and then an archwire which moves the teeth. They are very helpful to make approximate useful movements especially in children who are not yet ready for fixed appliances. Dentist referral. Functional appliances are simply removable braces which work by holding the lower jaw in a more forward position. Video 208: Demonstrates simple alignment of teeth. Private, Adult & Invisible Braces Video 102: Demonstrates extraction of upper first premolar teeth and simultaneous overjet reduction and space closure. It is important to maintain a high standard of oral hygiene, using a fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash , and try to avoid sugary drinks.

In the most simple terms, it is used to widen the upper jaw. The disadvantage is that they are harder to clean. Extractions of teeth are sometimes necessary to produce more space for the alignment of crowded teeth or sometimes to enable the front teeth to be moved back in the mouth, so that they look better. Video 460: Demonstrates extraction of one lower incisor and alignment of teeth and space closure. It expands the palate to make room for crowded teeth. The impact on the profile and lips is also shown. There are reports that this can even help breathing difficulties as the nasal passages are also widened. The muscles of the jaws then help push the teeth and jaws in the right directions. We provide a range of NHS treatments free of charge at Purely Orthodontics to eligible children and teenagers under 18 years old. This is a fixed expansion appliance usually used in the upper arch. These are used to increase anchorage and sometimes are useful to hold space which may help avoid extractions. Video 103: Demonstrates extraction of the lower first premolars and reduction of the reverse overjet. The palatal expander (PAL uh tuhl ex PAN der) is a dental appliance used to widen the roof of the mouth (Picture 1).

This brace is also comes with a high pull headgear and this must be worn at the same time. A palate expander is a device used in early orthodontic treatment to widen the upper jaw by expanding the palate, or roof of the mouth. The orthodontist will activate this to produce a widening affect of the upper teeth. The headgear enables the patient to grow in the right direction and also prevents the patient's lower jaw from growing downwards. This is fitted on the upper teeth and then the lower teeth need to be held forwards to engage into the patient's teeth imprints on the lower part of the brace.

During the course of many orthodontic treatments we will give our patients a bag of small elastics called intermaxillary elastics and these are warn between the upper and lower jaws.

The impact on the profile and lips is also shown. Rapid Maxillary Expander Recovery There is not enough time for any damage to be done to either your teeth or your jaw throughout the brace process. This brace is used in patients with longer faces and prevents any further lengthening of the face.

The head gear is simply a small black strap which fits on the head and then is attached to a face bow which is fixed to the brace. Braces which are used in growing children and they help correct protrusion of the upper front teeth ('treat teeth which stick out'). Once the teeth are aligned we progress into thicker wires called stainless steel wires and then we close any gaps in the thicker wires.

Demonstrates a lingual arch holding the lower back teeth back and when the baby teeth fall out there is extra space (“leeway space”) left behind which can be used to align the lower adult teeth. There is a screw mechanism and this is turned on a daily basis by the parent. Video 328: Demonstrates a rapid maxillary expander widening the upper jaw, an x-ray view.

At Purely Orthodontics we always will aim to produce a great smile without extracting teeth. To push teeth backwards if they stick out, or push individual teeth backwards etc. As Hawley retainers don't fully surround the teeth, they can sometimes let the teeth lengthen which may be undesirable.

The upper canine teeth sometimes get impacted or stuck in the wrong position and they have to be moved long distances to correct their positions. A palate expander is an orthodontic appliance that is used to correct a width problem or discrepancy between the upper and lower jaws. When this brace is worn there is separation of the back teeth and this allows them to grow together and encourages lengthening of the face. Testimonials These can produce dramatic improvements if worn correctly and you will see a fantastic rapid change in your child's face especially if the teeth really stick out a lot. What a quadhelix looks like on a model of teeth. They are usually held in place by a small amount of white dental glue.

Video 667: Demonstrates an implant to replace a missing upper right 2 tooth Wherever possible we will always try to treat patients by taking no teeth out. They are thin clear plastic retainers which cover the teeth. But with a little patience you can make it through the process and end up with a beautiful smile! This consists of a thin metal framework which sits close to the palate and widens the upper premolar and molar teeth. Kindly note that we are only given funding to treat a fixed number of children each year so there may be a waiting list for treatment. As these are clear they are not too visible and well accepted by most patients. Push incisors forwards to correct an anterior cross bite, To improve deep bites (where the front teeth overlap too much). At Purely orthodontics we tend to use 3 main varieties of these braces: The most commonly used functional appliances and consist of an upper and separate lower removable component.