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| Rapid Palate Expander (RPE) This expands the palate to make space for permanent teeth to come into place and correct the left-to-right alignment of the upper jaw to that of the lower. It attempts to widen the upper jaw by physically moving its two bones apart. This appliance is adjusted at home by turning its screw two times a day for two to three weeks. A noticeable gap will likely occur between the two front teeth. This is temporary and will close. It is then left in place three to four months to allow new bone to fill back in between the two pieces of bone. Tooth and sinus pressure as well as some soreness can be expected for the first seven to ten days, but is typically relieved with aspirin, Tylenol, or Motrin. Mild speech impairment can be expected for the first couple of weeks. 
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| Growth Appliances Growth Appliances (also known as functional appliances) have been used in the United States routinely for the past fifteen years. Their purpose is to correct skeletal discrepancies in the jaws of growing individuals. This would include overbites, underbites, open bites, deep bites, cross bites, and severe crowding. These growth appliances would include all of the expanders, the twin block, the Herbst, the Frankel, and the bionater, to name a few. The timing for using these growth appliances varies with each individual. Most children have their first growth spurt between the ages of seven to nine years of age. Most jaw discrepancies appear during this time, which is why the American Association of Orthodontists has recommended all children this age should have an orthodontic evaluation. This is not to say that growth appliances can't be used on older children; however, cooperation, which plays an important part of all successful treatment, is much better during this first growth spurt. Dr. Paquette prefers to use the Herbst appliance or the MARA appliance because the ease of wear for the patient and the predictability of the results. |
| Herbst Appliance The Herbst appliance is an appliance that is glued in place and is named after a German orthodontist who designed it years ago. The Herbst is used to correct a recessive lower jaw. It does this by using pistons on each side that hold the lower just slightly ahead of its ideal position while the child is growing. Over the course of a year or so the child's growth brings the jaws into this relationship. Since we know there is always a little rebound to the original growth pattern, we "overcorrect" slightly while the appliance is worn.  |
| MARA Appliance The Mandibular Anterior Repositioning Appliance (MARA) is less bulky for the patient so it is easier to wear, however it is slightly more difficult to adjust so it is used by Dr. Paquette when fewer adjustments are anticipated.  |
| Pendex Appliance The Pendex Appliance is one of many "molar distalizing appliances" that allow orthodontists to correct the way the back teeth meet. This appliance is glued in place and moves the upper back teeth into the proper relationship with the lower back teeth, much the way the dreaded headgear did in years past. We have found that almost all children (and parents) prefer the Pendex to headgear because the child has nothing to remember to put on and take off. This appliance is sometimes combined with a Herbst and called a Tandem-Pendex-Herbst appliance, or T-REX for short.  |
Styles of Braces Choose Colors