Removable
Orthodontic Appliances
Flexible
Removable Orthodontic Appliances in the Mixed Dentition
At the beginning of an orthodontic treatment in children we often work with removable orthodontic appliances (individually for one jaw or as a coherent compact device for both jaws).
The treatment often takes place in the period of mixed dentition, during which the growth of the jaws and teeth can be specifically influenced with removable appliances.
Fixed appliances are usually less suitable for the treatment of primary and mixed dentition than removable braces. Milk teeth gradually fall out over time, but the time when they fall out can only be estimated approximately in advance for each individual tooth. The closer this time approaches, the less effective fixed appliances are.
Specifically
Keep Tooth Gaps Open
The targeted keeping open of tooth gaps after the milk teeth have fallen can be easily achieved with removable appliances.
After all, nature has provided for tooth loss to be compensated to a certain extent by moving and tilting the neighboring teeth towards the tooth gap. Therefore, it is often necessary to keep the gaps in the mixed dentition phase open, particularly when the jaw is narrowed, as a closing gap before the breakthrough of the “advancing” permanent tooth is an obstacle for the latter. Misalignments are then preprogrammed.
Furthermore, it’s easier for children at this age to brush their teeth after having taken out their removable braces than cleaning their teeth with fixed braces.
You can find more information about removable orthodontic appliances in the section on functional orthodontics.
