Orthodontic Appliances

We offer a number of different orthodontic appliances to improve the efficiency of your treatment process! If you or your child requires an orthodontic appliance in your treatment plan, Dr. Wiewiora or Dr. Dunn will tell you everything you need to know about wearing and caring for the appliance during your first visit.

In the meantime, feel free to explore the different appliances we offer!

Palatal Expander

A palatal expander is generally used for children with growing mouths. This appliance has a metal center that expands upon activation. The patient will have a special key that can be inserted into the center of the palatal expander to activate it once a day (or as instructed by your orthodontist).

Each time the center expander is activated, it opens and widens the jaw bone little by little. Palatal expanders are commonly used to treat narrow palates or narrow jaw bones, enabling the patient’s permanent teeth to grow in a healthy alignment without crowding.

TAD (Temporary Anchorage Device)

Temporary anchorage devices, or TADs, use small titanium anchors to achieve quicker tooth movement with more efficiency and comfort. These tiny appliances can be used with braces, Invisalign®, or as an alternative to headgear.

TADs are anchored into the jaw bone, then attached to individual teeth or braces to improve the efficiency of the tooth and jaw movements.

Herbst Appliance

The Herbst® appliance is used to correct overbites by shifting the lower jaw forward and the upper jaw backward.

The Herbst appliance is generally used for younger patients with growing mouths and can be used with or without braces (although most often this appliance is used with braces).

Made of stainless steel bands, the Herbst appliance wraps around the molars, applying pressure to the jaw bones to promote proper development and create a healthy jaw alignment.

Nance Appliance

The Nance Appliance is a space maintainer appliance used to prevent the upper molars from rotating or moving forward when there is space or a gap between the teeth.

The appliance includes two bands that are cemented onto the first molars, and a wire that spans across the roof of the mouth, connecting one molar to the other. An acrylic pad is attached to the wire behind the front teeth, in the roof of the mouth.

Lower Lingual Arch

The lower lingual holding arch is a space maintainer that uses metal bands around the two lower molars, with a metal wire spanning from the molars, around the inside of the bottom teeth. Used to hold the necessary space in the mouth for premolars to grow, the lower lingual arch appliance establishes the proper foundation that shapes the lower arch in a healthy alignment.

Carriere Motion Appliance

The Carriere Motion Appliance is used to treat a misalignment in the back teeth. This appliance is attached to the canine tooth and the first molar on the outside surfaces of the top and bottom teeth.

With this appliance, an elastic is secured from the top teeth to the bottom teeth to apply gentle pressure to the jaw bones. Over time, this appliance will reposition the jaw bones to create an alignment between the upper jaw bone and the lower bone.

Trans-Palatal Appliance

The Trans-Palatal Appliance uses two metal bands, fitted over the rear teeth (typically the molars), and a curved wire that spans across the palate to connect the molar bands. This appliance serves to stabilize the teeth to hold them in place, while rotating the molars into the desired position.

Inman Appliance

The Inman Appliance, or Inman Aligner, is used to align the front teeth. This appliance fits around the top teeth or bottom teeth, spanning the entire arch or just the front teeth. Metal wires exert pressure on the front of the teeth and the back of the teeth to shift them efficiently in as little as 4 to 10 weeks for minor relapse treatment.

Quad-Helix Appliance

The Quad-Helix Appliance widens the upper jaw, using metal bands secured around the top molars and active helix springs lining the arch. These appliances are usually fixed or bonded to the teeth and are effective for treating crossbites and crowding.

Twin Block Appliance

The twin block appliance includes two removable parts—one for the top teeth and one for the bottom. This appliance holds your lower jaw forward to treat an overbite condition.

The bite blocks fit together when the jaw is positioned forward and closed, which promotes this healthy new alignment over time.

Still have a question about orthodontic appliances?

We don’t blame you! That was a lot of information. When you visit us for your complimentary consultation, if Dr. Wiewiora or Dr. Dunn determines that an appliance is necessary for you or your child’s treatment, he or she will tell you everything you need to know about the appliance.

We’re all about patient education, because we believe the best results are achieved when you’re properly informed! We’ll always take the time to explain everything to you so you leave our office feeling confident and comfortable with your treatment.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions! Ready to begin your transformation? Request your complimentary exam with us in Lake Mary or Longwood today.