What is Myobrace Palate Expander?

What is Myobrace, and could it benefit your child? Myobrace is a pre-orthodontic system designed not just to straighten teeth but to correct the oral habits leading to misalignment and mouth breathing. This overview will highlight how Myobrace aims to prevent orthodontic issues, potentially eliminating the need for braces, while impacting overall oral health by improving the airway.

Key Takeaways

• Myobrace is an innovative pre-orthodontic treatment that targets the root causes of crooked teeth through a series of removable intraoral appliances, promoting natural growth and dental alignment while improving overall health and nasal breathing.
• The treatment plays a crucial role in correcting Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, including improper tongue and lip postures, and is instrumental in ameliorating conditions like sleep disordered breathing and obstructive sleep apnea.
• Beyond straightening teeth, Myobrace fosters proper facial development, potentially reducing the need for future orthodontic interventions and enhancing facial profile, while integrating with professional care from speech therapists and dentists for comprehensive treatment.

Myobrace is one among many pre-orthodontic palatal expanders available for kids. Contact us for a consultation to see what treatment is best for your child. Most of our patients have teeth crowding, mouth breathing and possibly even pediatric sleep apnea.

Exploring Myobrace: An Overview

Welcome to the world of Myobrace, a revolutionary pre-orthodontic treatment that breaks the conventional norms of orthodontics. Myobrace targets the root causes of crooked teeth, promoting natural growth and dental alignment without relying on braces or tooth extractions.

This innovative system comprises a series of removable intraoral appliances and educational activities, tailored for children between the ages of 3 to 15, to help correct poor oral habits and encourage proper jaw development. Myobrace stands out by not just fixing teeth, but by enhancing overall health through improved airway function and promoting nasal breathing.

The Goals of Myobrace Orthodontic Expanders:

• Optimize facial growth, profile and smile esthetics
• Optimize tongue function
• Stop Mouth Breathing
• Improve Sleep
• Establish healthy breathing patterns
• Create a stabile bite
• Balance the jaw and facial bone relationships
• Establish healthy posture

Why Do Teeth Get Crooked and Crowded?

The reason why teeth become crooked and crowded is because of poor tongue function, unhealthy mouth breathing patterns and a diet consisting of foods that are too soft. This is why kids mouths and faces do not grow large enough for all their teeth to fit and bite properly. If tongue and breathing problems are not corrected, your child will fall behind again in their development 1-2 years after appliance therapy. That is right, the teeth will get crowded and crooked all over again, if the root cause of developmental problems are not corrected. Kids continue to grow till at least the age of 19.

What are Expanders?

We prefer the use of the term “growth appliances.”  They are devices that promote growth of the jaws. Myobrace is just one example. The goal is to grow the jaws into a more optimal size and shape. Teeth will have space to fit. The tongue will have room to move freely. And air will pass without resistance between the nose, mouth and lungs. Growth appliances work by applying a light force in the direction the jaws need to grow. They are not mechanical devices and do not cause pain. The appliance mimics tongue pressure and encourages proper tongue position. Appliance therapy is synergistic with swallowing and tongue movement. Most kids only need to wear the appliances at night for 6-12 months during treatment. The appliances are usually not worn during the day or while eating.

Other Expanders for Kids

1. Schwarz Appliance
2. ALF
3. Crozat
4. Twin Block
5. Biobloc

The Myobrace Pre-Orthodontic System

The Myobrace system is meticulously designed to direct children’s oral development. Utilizing a series of removable intraoral appliances, it corrects poor oral habits and aligns the jaws and teeth. The treatment process is initiated with habit correction and is personalized to each child’s orthodontic needs, ensuring that the journey towards optimal dental and facial health is as unique as the child themselves.

As treatment progresses, it addresses different aspects of oral development, from arch development to dental alignment, ultimately leading to retention and maintaining the beautiful results achieved.

How Myobrace Promotes Proper Oral Habits

Myobrace transcends its function as an appliance; it’s an educational pathway that fosters good oral habits in children. By teaching the correct tongue resting position and proper swallowing techniques, Myobrace lays the foundation for preventing malocclusion and ensuring dental development is on the right track.

The program includes exercises that focus on breathing, tongue position, and swallowing, complementing the physical benefits of the appliance with a comprehensive approach to oral health. Moreover, by encouraging nasal breathing, Myobrace helps to correct oral rest posture and mitigate the issues associated with mouth breathing, fostering healthier and more efficient breathing habits. Addressing insufficient habitual nasal breathing is crucial for overall well-being and improved oral health.

The Link Between Myobrace and Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders

Myobrace plays a crucial role in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT), a treatment designed to correct improper resting postures of the tongue and lips that often lead to orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs). These disorders can lead to a cascade of dental issues, including malocclusions and gum disease. By retraining the tongue and facial muscles through OMT, Myobrace not only enhances dental alignment but also fortifies overall health by promoting nasal breathing patterns and eliminating harmful oral habits.

This collaborative approach, managed by an array of professionals including therapists and dentists, underscores Myobrace’s interdisciplinary nature and its ability to address a variety of orofacial issues, including sleep disturbances.

Addressing Tongue Thrust with Myobrace

Tongue thrust is an orofacial myofunctional disorder that can alter dental alignment and affect speech. Myobrace actively treats tongue thrust by softly guiding the tongue into its appropriate position and re-educating the oral muscles. By wearing the Myobrace appliance during the day and overnight, patients can rectify the oral habits associated with tongue thrust, leading to significant improvements in their dental health and speech patterns.

The consistent positioning of the tongue is critical to prevent improper swallowing patterns, which Myobrace targets with precision.

Improving Sleep Disordered Breathing

The Myobrace system is instrumental in addressing sleep disordered breathing and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. By improving the function of upper airway muscles and repositioning the tongue, Myobrace helps keep the airways open during sleep, promoting better breathing patterns. The resultant improvements in nasal breathing and airway clearance can lead to a reduction in symptoms associated with sleep disorders, offering patients a more restful and healthful sleep, and effectively helping to treat obstructive sleep apnea.

Moreover, the positive influence of Myobrace on mandibular positioning not only enhances facial aesthetics but also increases blood oxygen saturation, which is particularly beneficial for individuals with sleep disordered breathing.

Myobrace and Child Facial Development

The impact of Myobrace goes beyond teeth, shaping the fundamental structure of a child’s facial development, including facial skeletal growth. By re-educating the oral muscles, it fosters physiological jaw growth, thus optimizing facial development and addressing the underlying causes of crooked teeth. This holistic approach often negates the need for future orthodontic interventions, such as braces or extractions, by enabling natural growth and development.

The result is not just a straighter set of teeth but a more balanced and natural facial structure.

Preventing Malocclusions in Children

Malocclusions, or misalignments of the teeth, can lead to a host of dental problems later in life. Myobrace offers a preventive approach, correcting oral dysfunction and guiding jaw growth to create space for teeth to develop naturally and align correctly. By targeting these issues early on, Myobrace can prevent the onset of malocclusions and reduce the likelihood of children needing braces.

Its role as a myofunctional orthodontic device is to stimulate the growth of jaw and facial bone structure, rather than just reposition teeth, which sets it apart from traditional braces.

Enhancing Facial Esthetics Naturally

The pursuit of facial esthetics naturally aligns with the goals of Myobrace treatment. By addressing muscle imbalances and correcting improper oral habits, Myobrace supports the development of a harmonious facial structure. The improvements in facial growth lead to not only a straighter smile but also a more stable bite, contributing to overall facial esthetics.

The story of a 13-year-old who experienced a corrected deep bite and improved facial development within 12 months of Myobrace treatment is just one testament to its effectiveness.

Integrating Myobrace with Professional Care

Myobrace therapy is not a standalone treatment; it integrates into a broader network of professional care, incorporating insights from speech therapists and dentists. The interdisciplinary nature of Myobrace therapy allows for a holistic treatment plan that addresses the full spectrum of a patient’s oral health needs.

Role of Speech Therapists in Myobrace Therapy

Speech therapists, also known as speech language pathologists, are critical in the Myobrace journey, working alongside practitioners to rehabilitate speech while correcting orofacial myofunctional imbalances. The integration of speech therapy exercises and physical therapy into the Myobrace Activities protocols ensures a more effective treatment outcome, with speech therapists addressing the nuances of speech problems that may be linked to myofunctional issues.

The Importance of Regular Dental Checkups

The success of Myobrace therapy is amplified by maintaining good oral hygiene and regular dental visits post-treatment. These checkups are crucial for the early identification and management of any dental issues that might arise, ensuring the long-term stability of the results achieved with Myobrace.

Myobrace as an Alternative to Conventional Orthodontics

Myobrace offers a substitute for conventional orthodontic methods, emphasizing early intervention for minor orthodontic issues and minimizing the potential need for braces in the future. This non-invasive approach is especially appealing for younger patients who may find conventional braces uncomfortable or intimidating.

How Myobrace Can Prevent Relapse Post-Braces

A key aspect of Myobrace therapy is its attention to retention practices and correcting poor oral habits, which are vital for preventing orthodontic relapse after braces have been removed.

By ensuring proper oral posture and function, Myobrace contributes to the stability of the dental alignment achieved through orthodontic treatment.

Real-Life Success Stories: Myobrace in Action

The transformative power of Myobrace comes to life in the narratives of those who have directly experienced its benefits. From significant improvements in dental alignment to better breathing and sleep patterns, Myobrace users report a marked enhancement in their overall quality of life.

Summary

In conclusion, Myobrace stands out as a holistic and preventative form of orthodontic care that truly transforms oral health. By re-educating oral muscles, ensuring proper facial development, and integrating seamlessly with professional care, Myobrace offers a revolutionary approach to achieving a healthy smile and improved quality of life.