Herbst Appliance for Correction of Overbite
The Herbst appliance is the most modern and effective device for correcting your child's overbite. The appliance works by moving the lower jaw forward into a more harmonious relationship with the rest of the face. As the lower jaw grows, this correction becomes permanent. The Herbst will also reduce protrusion of the upper front teeth.
The appliance is well tolerated after an initial adjustment period of about one week. During this first week there is some mouth soreness and a softer diet is usually necessary. The appliance has little or no effect on the speech.
One of the biggest benefits of the Herbst appliance is the fact that it is not visible. There is no need for any type of headgear, a cumbersome external device that is a frequent source of embarrassment for the patient. Since the Herbst is cemented to the teeth, it is working 24 hours per day. This allows the overbite to be corrected in the shortest period of time. The Herbst appliance also eliminates the need for tooth extraction and jaw surgery (frequently used for overbite correction) if treatment is started while there is still growth remaining: usually age 12 in girls and age 14 in boys. Another benefit of the appliance is a lessening of symptoms associated with disorders of the jaw joint, if any are present.
The appliance is typically worn for approximately 10-12 months. Braces are usually worn with the Herbst appliance so that the teeth can be straightened at the same time that the overbite is being corrected.
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