Oral appliances - past, present, and future

Oral appliances - past, present, and future

Orthodontic Practice US (Volume 9 Number 4) | June 2018

Orthodontic Practice US (Volume 9 Number 4) | June 2018

Oral appliances designed for relief of facial pain and jaw dysfunction, sleep breathing disorders, and orthodontics have been utilized for many years with little change in materials until recently. This article will review indications/limitations of existing designs/materials, and how computer-aided manufacturing allows for better and healthier alternatives.

There is always a reason for patients’ symptoms. Chronic face, jaw, head, and neck pain are all interrelated and are highly comorbid with sleep breathing disorders.1 Malocclusion, skeletal development deficiencies, and teeth crowding are symptoms of a functional breathing disorder. 2-7 Oral appliances are used for each indication.

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