Abstract

The aim of the project was to ascertain the efficacy of treatment with standard appliances (Interrim”G”Retainers, firm Ortho-Tain Inc, USA) of small children with different malocclusions. According to the instruction, Interim”G”Retainer is prescribed for the correction of: overbite, overjet, crowding, spacing and rotations. It is not prescribed for: Angle III occlusion, crossbite caused by a mandibular lateral displacement. These appliances are used during the exchanging of teeth in the mixed dentition, regardless of the number of teeth present. The Interim”G”Retainer is worn passively at night. Treatment was started in 28 children with Interim”G”Retainers. We estimated the efficacy of Interim”G”Retainers as follows: during every visit we measured the patient’s width of the dental arch to ascertain for how many millimeters the arch had expanded; we compared the extent of the widening of the dental arch in patients with changes in the dental arch with the width of the dental arch in children who had not received treatment; we estimated the clinical changes that had occurred. The length of treatment is determined by what anomaly you treat. The treatment of the rotation of the lower incisor can sometimes last only for a few months. Some patients require complicated treatment.
Orthodontic treatment with standard appliances is successful when they are used according to instructions. The rate of the widening of the dental arch was higher when standard appliances were used. Standard appliances can be recommended in the case of very timid children to establish contact with them. They serve as an option in children who are reluctant to wear an individually made appliance 24 hours a day.
Standard appliances are suitable for correcting bad habits. In Estonia their use is economically justified as they cost half as much as individually made appliances and sometimes it is enough to use one appliance only.