Halfopen Activator Dental Orthodontic Appliances Closing Open Bite

How long will treatment take?

Treatment time varies based on how severe the problem is. However, most of the work with this brace is usually completed in 9 to 12 months. After this a period of nights only wear may be advised to maintain the improvement. However, progression to a second phase of treatment with a train track brace may be recommended immediately.

How much do I need to wear the brace?

The number of hours per day that you are expected to wear the brace will be explained to you. For the treatment to work it is important you follow these instructions. However, most functional appliances are worn on a full-time or near full-time basis. With the correct number of hours of wear you may find the improvement in the position of your teeth can be quite dramatic.

Functional Orthodontic treatment can, not only enhance and harmonize facial appearance, but it can often help to alleviate multitude of medical problems. Vast bodies of literature research as well as Dr. Jefferson’s many years of clinical observations have shown that multitude of medical problems may be related to poor facial profiles, poor jaw alignments, and narrow mouths. By correctly harmonizing the facial-skeletal structures through Functional Orthodontic treatment, medical problems such as temporomandibular disorders, migraine headaches, neck-shoulder-back pains, dizziness, ringing in the ears, hearing problems, upper airway obstructions/mouth breathing, sleep disorders/sleep apnea, and other problems may be alleviated.

There are many examples of problems associated with facial-skeletal disharmony and medical problems. For example, individuals with narrow mouths and high palatal vaults often have narrow and compressed sinuses. By expanding the mouth with expansion appliances, the sinuses widen and allow more efficient airflow. Other examples can be found with individuals who tend to have recessed, small weak chins. Oftentimes, the chins are recessed because of bad bite causing the lower jaw to bite too far back. This can cause the jaw joints to impinge against the skull joint area called glenoid fossa.

This condition can cause temporomandibular disorder, migraine headaches, popping and clicking of the joints, and many other symptoms. In severe cases, damaged jaw joints can lock preventing individuals to open their mouths normally. Furthermore, when the jaw is recessed back, it can press against the throat area, which can cause airway obstruction in the throat. The inability to breathe efficiently can often cause individuals to suffer from sleep disorder/sleep apnea. Functional appliances can permanently reposition the lower jaw forward and allow more efficient airflow and proper oxygenation in the circulatory system.