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Types of Appliances
Forsus (Bite Fixer)
- A spring attached to one or both sides of the braces to correct mild to moderate overbites.
Herbst Appliance
- An appliance aimed at stimulating lower jaw growth and correcting moderate to severe overbites. Many times a Herbst appliance can be used to idealize overbite and prevent jaw surgery.
Elastic (Rubber Band)
- A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on your appliance or braces to provide pressure to move your teeth to a new position.
Appliance
- Anything your orthodontist attaches to your teeth which moves your teeth or changes the shape of your jaw.
Facemask
- A headgear-type appliance used to move the upper jaw forward in patients with underbites. This may look old-fashioned, but it is currently the only way to move the upper jaw forward without corrective jaw surgery. It is most effective when used before age 9.
TPA Appliance
- A retainer used mainly after the removal of an expander to maintain the width gained from maxillary (upper jaw) expansion. This is a fixed and nonremovable appliance. TPAs are also used occasionally to hold space when there is early loss of a baby (primary) tooth.
LA Appliance
- A retainer on the inside of the lower teeth used to hold space after phase 1 treatment or after early loss or extraction of a lower baby (primary) tooth.
Fixed Retainer
- A wire retainer bonded to the inside (lingual) surface of the upper and/or lower teeth. These are especially useful for severely crowded or spaced teeth to help maintain alignment after braces are removed. They are typically used in conjunction with Esthetic Clear Retainers.