What is Orthodontic Appliance?
Appliance means "device". All devices used in orthodontic treatment are called by this name. Appliances are very diverse.
a. Some appliances can be removed from the mouth and put on. These are called "movable appliances". Springs and screws placed on them exert a force on the teeth to be fixed. Some of the removable appliances sit on both the upper and lower jaws, and orthopedic treatments are performed with these single-body (monoblock) devices.
b. Some devices consist of a corrugated metal (brace) adhered to the teeth and wires applied to these corrugated metals. These are called "fixed appliances". The orthodontist decides on the appliance selection. As a rule, the most effective treatment is considered as soon as possible. Moreover, the child's desire for treatment, compliance and the family's economic conditions also affect the appliance selection.
How many types of orthodontic appliances are available?
They are divided into two as fixed and mobile appliances. There are also extra-oral appliances in addition to fixed appliances. They are fixed appliances that are generally applied in today's modern orthodontics. Removable appliances are also used in some simple cases. In terms of patient use, being more hygienic, easy to clean and more comfortable to carry creates its advantages over removable removable appliances . In any case, removable appliances have never been able to compete with fixed appliances in terms of treatment efficiency, and have remained an old technology.
