FUNCTIONAL APPLIANCE TREATMENT IN DUBAI

Best Orthodontist in Dubai for Jaw Growth Problems

 

 

Do you know what is a functional appliance?

Myofunctional appliances are also called as orthopedic appliances which utilize the muscle action of the patient to apply orthodontic or orthopedic forces to restore the facial balance. Functional appliances are used in children with jaw growth problems or developing skeletal malocclusion.

Facial profile alteration or asymmetry occur when the upper jaw and lower jaw do not grow in tandem or one of the jaw exhibits extreme overgrowth or undergrowth in relation to one another. These functional appliances help to re position or reshape the jaw bone (maxilla and mandible) of a patient rather than straighten teeth.

Fixing these issues not only helps in improving the patient’s appearance, it can also relieve medical issues such as migraines, dizziness or sleep apnoea. Someone with restricted airflow may also benefit from using a functional appliance to widen the upper jaw, which can open up narrow sinuses passages.

How do I find out if my child needs one?

Consult an orthodontist when your child is around 7-8 years old. Your specialist dentist will be able to find out any eruption anomalies of your kid’s teeth as well as any potential jaw growth problems. Remember that early intervention is highly important for successful treatment outcome in developing skeletal malocclusions! If you suspect that your child is suffering form mouth breathing habit, consult an orthodontist immediately. Untreated mouth breathing habit might lead to “long face syndrome” which can affect the facial profile when your kid becomes an adult!

What is the right age for functional appliance treatment?

It is better to identify an existing problem with jaw growth as early as possible. Because this orthodontic treatment is changing the position or shape of the jaw, by selectively modifying your jaw growth, a functional appliance works best when the patient is still growing—between the ages of 11 and 14 for boys and 10 and 13 for girls.

 

Why Functional Appliance?

Preventive treatment will help you save money in the long run. It is always cheap and best for you to correct jaw growth problems at an early age with braces or functional appliance for jaw growth modification. Minor orthodontic problems can be treated at an early age to prevent them from flaring into a major skeletal problem.

What is the duration of functional appliance treatment?

The usual duration of functional appliance treatment is around 8-12 months. Your child must wear the appliance for the prescribed duration and follow the instructions of your orthodontist, for successful treatment outcome.

What is the cost of functional appliance treatment in Dubai?

The treatment fee for functional appliance treatment depends on the patient’s existing skeletal problem, the appliance type as well as the estimated treatment duration. The cost can range between AED 4000 to AED 8000 depending on the treatment needed.

 

Identify and treat your child’s jaw problem early!

Always remember that most of the facial growth and development will be completed by the time your child is 11 years old. Delaying jaw correction beyond 13 years  will not give ideal results even if you do the best treatment using functional appliance with the best orthodontist. Skeletal problems are easy to correct between the age of 8-11 and are extremely difficult to correct after 16 years!  It is highly important to identify and correct skeletal jaw problems at an early age. If not,  orthognathic surgery might be the only option for severe skeletal malocclusion after growth is completed.

Schedule an appointment with Dr.Nazeer to know more about myofunctional appliance treatment for children!