Myofunctional appliances: activator, Frankel, twin block
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics · Dental (BDS)
Study notes
A 11-year-old has a retruded lower jaw (Class II). Why is a twin block suitable now but not at 18? The twin block postures the mandible forward; the stretched muscles and active condylar growth remodel the jaw forward over months. At 11, growth is active — the appliance harnesses it. At 18, growth is finished, so no skeletal change is possible; only tooth movement or surgery could address the discrepancy. Students learn: myofunctional = growth-dependent timing.
Related topics
- Growth and development of craniofacial complex
- Development of dentition and occlusion: deciduous to permanent
- Malocclusion: Angle's classification, Ackerman-Proffit system
- Etiology of malocclusion: genetic, environmental, habits
- Diagnostic records: study models, photographs, radiographs
- Cephalometrics: landmarks, analyses — Steiner, Tweed, Downs