MYOBRACE

Myobrace treatment involves using a series of oral appliances which have the proven dual function of correcting habits that cause poor dental development, while also providing light forces to align the teeth into their natural position. This system is recommended for children of any age, but treating patients early gives better results!

What Causes Crooked Teeth in Kids?

It seems most of our children these days are developing crowded teeth and their jaws are developing incorrectly. Clinical research has shown that habits like mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, reverse swallowing and such -known as incorrect myofuntional habits-are the real causes of crooked teeth.

How Can Parents Tell If There Might Be a Problem?

There are several clues parents may notice in their child’s development:

• Tooth alignment – irregular teeth in the growing child. 65% of children have malocclusion (an incorrect bite) : Is your child a mouth breather or nasal breather? Is your child’s mouth generally opened or closed?

Correct nasal breathing; with proper lip seal is imperative to your child’s development. The nose filters the air, increases our body’s ability to absorb oxygen, and promotes proper airway development.

• Jaw growth – Does your child have a deep bite, excessive overbite, or underbite? Your child’s developing breathing and swallowing patterns influences these malocclusions.
• The way they swallow – When your child swallows, do their lips move, or their chin purse?

What Is Orofacial Myofuntional Therapy?

It’s like physical therapy for the face! The muscles in our face are very strong, and can produce several hundred grams of  force on the bones and teeth of our jaws. It takes minimal force to move a tooth (about 2 grams of force). Therefore, when these muscles are contracting in the wrong way, they can adversely affect how your child develops their jaw, bite, and airway. We teach our patients exercises that relate to tongue placement, breathing and swallowing.

Benefits of Myobrace:

• Teach proper nasal breathing
• Uses light forces to naturally align the teeth
• Not worn all the time, and not at school
• Decreased risk of cavities during treatment
• No diet restrictions, as with braces
• Fun!
• Proper airway development

FAQS:

How does Myobrace work?

A series of removable dental trainers that are worn for 1-2 hours each day, and overnight while sleeping assist in the correction of the myofuntional habits. When accompanied with tongue and facial exercises performed by your child on a daily basis, the muscles will re-organize and musle memory will be renewed. The Myobrace system utilizes the body’s resources to develop the jaws, open the airway, and assist in moving the teeth into their natural alignment.

What age do you start?

Most children start treatment between the ages of 5-15 yrs., however, unlike traditional orthodontics, the Myobrace system can be used in children as young as 3. All products are safe, biocompatible, BPA free, and made of medical grade silicone.

Is this the right fit for my child?

The Myobrace system is a wonderful option for children motivated to correct their airway, and jaw structure, and naturally align teeth without braces. It is important that the child be involved in treatment, and willing to wear the appliance.

Does it hurt?

The Myobrace system is a much more gentle approach to moving the teeth and repositioning jaws than traditional orthodontics. The Myobrace is working and training the muscles from their habitual position, and therefore a negligible amount of soreness may be present initially, however this subsides after continued wear.

How long does treatment take?

Treatment length depends heavily on the amount the appliance is used. We recommend 1-2 hours per day, as well as overnight use. We request that your child does not wear the appliance to school, but rather at home when they are doing homework or watching TV. The activities take 2-5 min a day. Average length of treatment is 18 months.