Orthodontic Technology
Overview
 
Orthodontic technology is a specialty of dental technology that is concerned with the design and fabrication of dental appliances for the treatment of malocclusion
Malocclusion
A malocclusion is a misalignment of teeth or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches. The term was coined by Edward Angle, the "father of modern orthodontics", as a derivative of occlusion, which refers to the manner in which opposing teeth meet.-Presentation:Most people have...

s, which may be a result of tooth
Tooth
Teeth are small, calcified, whitish structures found in the jaws of many vertebrates that are used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores, also use teeth for hunting or for defensive purposes. The roots of teeth are embedded in the Mandible bone or the Maxillary bone and are...

 irregularity, disproportionate jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...

 relationships, or both.

There are three main types of orthodontic appliances: active, passive and functional. All these types can be fixed or removable.
An active appliance is a device used to apply forces to the teeth to change the relationship of the teeth.
  • Pin and Tube Appliances
  • Ribbon Arch Appliances
  • Begg Lightwire Appliances
  • Edgewise Appliances
  • Pre-adjusted Edgwise Appliances
  • Self-ligating Edgewise Appliances
  • Bi Helix
  • Tri Helix
  • Quad Helix
    Quad Helix
    A Quad Helix is an orthodontic appliance for the upper teeth that is cemented in the mouth. It is attached to the molars by 2 bands and has Two or four active helix springs that widen the arch of the mouth to make room for crowded teeth, or correct a posterior cross-bite, where lower teeth are...

  • Rapid Maxillary Expansion Appliance (RME)
  • pin stripe appliance

Passive appliances include space maintainers and retainers
  • Hawley Retainer
  • Begg Retainer
  • Vacuum Formed "Essix" Retainer

Also known as dentofacial orthopaedic appliances, these appliances utilize the muscle action of the patient to produce orthodontic or orthopaedic forces.
 
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