Working Together

At Merrimack Valley Orthodontics we are dedicated to helping you achieve your goals and use a variety of orthodontic appliances to successfully complete your orthodontic treatment plan. By working together, we ensure your teeth and jaws move toward their corrected positions. You need to properly care for your braces and consistently wear your elastics, rubber bands, headgear, or other appliances as prescribed.

Elastics (Rubber Bands)

Wearing elastics (rubber bands) improves the relationship of the upper and lower teeth. Many times the elastics are used to close spaces or settle the bite. It is important for the patient to wear these rubber bands as instructed to ensure the proper treatment result and to avoid delays in treatment time. Compliance with the recommended elastic wear schedule will assure the best results in the shortest abount of time.

Headgear and Reverse Pull Face Mask

Headgear is utilized for patients whose teeth and jaws are in an "overjet" relationship, where the upper teeth are forward of the lower teeth. A reverse-pull facemask may be used when there is an underbite relationship where the lower teeth are forward of the upper teeth. Headgear and facemasks gently pull or push on your teeth to change the growth pattern of your teeth and jaws.

Herbst™ Appliance

The Herbst appliance reduces overjet by advancing the lower jaw to a more forward position. It is utilized in growing patients with retruded lower jaws, and results in correction of the overjet as well as improvment in overall facial balance. This fixed appliance is usually worn for 9 to 12 months as a part of the treatment plan.

Palatal Expanders

A palatal expander is used to widen the upper jaw by using your teeth as anchors to apply pressure across the growing site in the middle of the roof of your mouth. You typically wear this appliance for 3 to 6 months to achieve the desired expansion and to insure the stability of the correction.

Retainers

Retainers are placed at the completion of orthodontic treatment. Retainers may be fixed or removable. They are designed to hold your teeth in their new, correct positions. When orthodontic appliances are first removed, teeth are mobile and prone to shifting from occlusal forces. Wearing your retainer as directed is crucial to prevent regression of your treatment.

Separators (or Spacers)

Separators are small rubber rings that are placed between the teeth to push them apart to create space for the orthodontic bands. The separators are removed prior to the placement of the bands.