Functional Appliances

Functional appliances are braces which are used to correct discrepancies in the way the teeth bite together. They are so called because they are designed to enable your jaws to function more normally. If the upper jaw is more prominent than the lower jaw, the lower lip functions behind the upper front teeth and makes the upper teeth stick out relative to the lower jaw and teeth, “goofy teeth” are ideally treated using functional appliances, they can change the way the jaws function together and improve prominent teeth. The appliances are designed so you bite forwards with the lower teeth and the really clever part is that the force exerted by your facial muscles as you bite is transmitted to your teeth. This helps to bring the upper and lower teeth into a closer relationship and improve your bite. Using functional appliances can save many patients from jaw surgery later in life.

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The most common functional appliance is called a “Twin-block” appliance. It derives its name from the split nature of the device, in which you have an upper “block” and a lower “block”, which fit together. These are removable appliances which are worn together and act as a pair.