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Faint Glow
Writer's pictureLauren Bracy

Functional Orthodontics: New Era of Dentistry

A smile is considered to be the most pleasing five-letter word. Now, a smile comes with a variety of conditions. Everyone doesn’t have the fortune to have a proper good smile with white and properly aligned teeth. That’s what makes a smile great. Every person on earth doesn’t have an adequate alignment of teeth. But, with the advancement in technology, there have been upgrades in dentistry too. Dentists can use a conventional orthodontics process to make a good set of teeth. But, with the advancement in medical technologies, a new way came up for this purpose named functional orthodontics.



What Is The Goal Of Functional Orthodontics?


Functional orthodontics is the discovery in dentistry. Unlike conventional orthodontics which focuses on reshaping the teeth arrangement by putting metal or ceramic braces, functional orthodontics works differently. Functional orthodontics is actually for children, which helps them develop their facial structure to its full genetic potential.


Functional orthodontics works by optimizing four areas listed below.

  1. The skeletal bones that make up the head and face

  2. The upper and lower jaw bones

  3. The joining of the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) to the neck and back

  4. The patient’s airway

Functional orthodontics promotes proper growth of the facial structure of the children giving proper airways and ample space for the teeth to come up, which helps in avoiding the extractions of the permanent tooth as a part of the treatment in the future.


The Procedure Of Functional Orthodontics


There are two basic phrases of functional orthodontics, and you need to choose the best treatment process according to your needs. In this regard, you can contact your dentist and he or she can suggest you the best orthodontics process.

  1. Phase 1:  Patients are guided with oral appliances to develop their upper and lower jaw bones. The time for treatment may last to 9-18 months and can stay longer depending upon the patient’s body reacts to the medication. Phase one helps in developing the permanent teeth in proper places by the process of palate expansion. These appliances are designed to guide the proper growth of the teeth in children and to help to break poor muscle habits can reverse the deteriorating orthodontic conditions, improve the shape of patient’s face, realign the teeth and can develop proper arch form.

  2. Phase 2: After the complete development of the maxilla and mandible (upper and lower jaw bones) and the permanent teeth have appeared in proper places, the patient may wear traditional braces to straighten their arrangement of the teeth if needed. Treatment time may last up to 18 months in this case too. But, can take up to 3 years if not done in the earliest stage. Braces may be removable, and the patient can choose from the different options available for the functional orthodontics.

What Are The Advantages Of Functional Orthodontics?


The benefits of the functional orthodontics are more than just a straightened tooth. This treatment gives the children more able to get their maximum genetic potential for the development of their jaw bones. Functional orthodontics also helps the children sleep better and breathe comfortably. During the first phase of the treatment, the palate and their jawbones expand which prevent sinus and clear the nasal passages to breathe more easily from their noses. The development in medical technology has provided a pathway to have a better and pain-free life.


So now you can contact your dentist to avail the best orthodontic treatment. If you want to prevent any dental issue in your child, then you must choose functional orthodontics treatments for your children at their early age.

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