What happens when I put on double block brakes?

When I decide a patient would benefit from Twin Block braces, I usually give my patients a rundown of what will happen, and I thought this would be a helpful article for readers wondering “What happens when I wear twin blocks?” ” This article discusses the practical aspects of starting twin block treatment from the patient’s point of view.

It all starts with making the braces, then fitting and adjusting them, then wearing them.

How are they made?

• I would take a cast (impression) of each jaw. Sometimes I can use the same impression I took for your jaw records, sometimes I need a new impression. The other thing I have to do (and this is the special part) is get you to bite down on a little plastic thing with notches for the front teeth on each jaw to bite down on. (This is called “the jig”.) When you bite down on the notches, your jaw is usually in an improved position.
• I sent these molds to the orthodontic factory at the friendly orthodontist and they make the two separate removable braces to fit your teeth in such a way that when you close your mouth, your lower jaw slides forward so your front teeth are on the same position when you were biting the notches.

Each of the braces may have different combinations of clips and components, and this would be different from one orthodontist to another, but there are typically 2-4 clips on each part, and typically the upper brace has a device in the middle that It can be used to flare the top clamp and flare the top jaw with it.

Once the twin blocks are made, you will need to go back to install them. Usually it fits great the first time, but sometimes you need to adjust it to get it right, and then you’re ready to wear them.

So it’s up to the patient to use them. I advise full-time use for my patients, but I don’t expect them to be able to use it full-time from day one. Like many new things, double block braces take some getting used to. Start with a few hours, then increase.

I find that patients are usually able to wear them full time after about a week of racking up hours. The biggest change will be speech, which will quickly return to normal if the patient talks a lot; reading a book out loud is great practice. Once speech is normal, the twin block user is much more confident and is more likely to use them the rest of the time, especially at school.

What benefits can a patient expect?

• They are usually easy for patients to adapt.
• They are usually quite comfortable.
• They are easy to talk to (after a day or two)
• They are easy for the orthodontist to make adjustments to
• They are very versatile and can sometimes be modified for different problems.
• They are pretty robust (but don’t try this at home!)
• Patients see great improvements quickly, so it encourages them to use it more
• They can also help maintain space for the permanent teeth to come in.

What can you do to make it work better?

• Use as directed
• Adjust the reaming screw device with the indicated frequency.
• Keep clean
• Do not clean it with hot water.
• Keep it super secure when you’re not using it
• Contact the orthodontist immediately if there are any problems.

I usually find that twin blocks give excellent results in 6-9 months, and then the patient is ready to move on to the next phase of treatment.