Removable Functional Appliances

Abstract

Malocclusion Functional appliances or myofunctional appliances are referred to appliances that depend upon the oro facial musculature for their action. These appliances transmit, eliminate or guide the natural forces of the musculature and are used to alter the mandibular position in the Sagittal, Vertical and Transverse plane resulting in Orthopedic and Orthodontic change. They are designed to alter the activity of various muscle groups that influence the function and position of the mandible in order to transmit forces to the dentition and the basal bone. Functional appliances are given in the management of skeletal class II malocclusion and Class III malocclusion in growing children. They are also called “GROWTH MODIFYING APPLIANCES” and “INTERCEPTIVE APPLIANCES.
They are used for growth modification procedures that are aimed at intercepting and treat in jaw discrepancies by increase or decrease in jaw size, change in spatial relationship of the jaws, change in direction of growth of the jaws and acceleration of desirable growth. A new pattern of function dictated by the appliance leads to development of corresponding new morphologic pattern. The new morphologic pattern includes a different arrangement of the teeth within the jaws, an improvement of the occlusion and an altered relation of jaws. There are different removable functional appliances which harness natural forces of oro facial musculature that are transmitted to the teeth and alveolar bone through the medium of appliances such as oral screen, lip bumper, activator, bionator, frankel’s functional regulator, twin block appliances etc.