Never wait to take action after a problem arises when you can actually prevent it from occurring in the first place. That is one of the preventative philosophies that we apply regularly here at Molonglo Dental Surgery. This overarching approach to dentistry extends to our use of Myofunctional Therapy for Children.
Many parents believe that wearing braces is a rite of passage for their teenage children. However, isn’t it more effective to prevent their teeth from becoming crooked so that they won’t have to wear braces?
This simple “nip it in the bud” concept is clearly illustrated by the preventive Myobrace® System offered here at Molonglo Dental Surgery. We offer this preventive pre-orthodontic treatment to children from 6-15 as a way to avoid the future prospect of wearing expensive and uncomfortable braces.
What Causes My Children’s Teeth to Become Misaligned?
There are many underlying causes that can result in your children developing crooked teeth. The most prevalent of them is that of developing bad orofacial habits from an early age, which include thumb sucking, nail-biting and tongue thrusting.
Normal dental arch development depends on the position of the tongue within the dental arch during your child’s growth and development stage. When forces of the tongue, cheeks, and lips are in balance, the result is an ideal arch formation. However, these forces may be influenced by a host of factors, such as posture, muscle and facial abnormalities, posture, upper airway obstruction, and the aforementioned orofacial habits.
How Does Myofunctional Therapy Work?
The Myobrace® System focuses on these underlying causes with a treatment protocol aimed at improving the correct function of the oral and facial muscles.
Simply by wearing a series of removable intra-oral appliances for 1-2 hours during the day, in addition to overnight wearing, your children can avoid the unnecessary pain, discomfort and stigma of wearing metal braces in their teen years – not mentioning the extraction of healthy teeth required to accommodate the braces.
Myobrace offers a very different approach to late-stage correction of misalignment issues. As opposed to more aggressive movements exerted by traditional metal braces, the Myobrace appliance uses light force to align teeth – an approach that works best with still-growing teeth.
Although the optimum treatment age for Myobrace users is 6-10 years, older children can also benefit from the treatment. In addition to the daily wearing of the appliance, Myobrace users are also put on a relatively simple series of My functional exercises.
The total treatment duration for Myobrace is comparable to that required for traditional brace treatment, although it involves a painless and less cumbersome process.
What Are the Benefits of Using Myobrace?
Myobrace offers a host of treatment benefits. Besides straightening your child’s teeth, it corrects their poor oral habits, encourages proper eating habits, aids proper jaw development and alignment, optimises their facial development and improves overall health.
It achieves these goals primarily through helping the child to breathe through their noses as opposed to mouth breathing. The child would also be guided into the proper ways of tongue rest positions, swallowing patterns and lip alignment.
Conversely, if parents choose to wait until after all the child’s permanent teeth have developed, it can lead to irreversible teeth damage, with consequences to the growing child’s overall health and development.
For more information about our Myofunctional Therapy, call our friendly team at Molonglo Dental Surgery on 02 6287 1222.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Myobrace is a myofunctional orthodontic system that is designed to guide proper jaw development and deliver straighter teeth the natural way. Unlike traditional braces that use mechanical forces to straighten your teeth, Myobrace addresses the root causes of crooked teeth. It also helps to correct the bad habits associated with misaligned teeth, such as mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, and incorrect swallowing patterns. By training the tongue to rest in the correct position, it encourages proper breathing and swallowing. In essence, Myobrace helps improve dental alignment and facial development without the need for fixed appliances.
Depending on the length and complexity of the treatment, the cost of Myobrace treatment in Canberra typically ranges from $3,500 to $5,500. At Molonglo Dental Surgery, we offer flexible payment plans (eg. Afterpay) to make the treatment more accessible for families.
The ideal age for Myobrace treatment is between 5 and 15 years. For best results, it is generally recommended for pre-teens – before the arrival of all their adult teeth – around ages 10 to 12. Early intervention is critical to the success of the Myobrace system as it guides natural jaw growth and correct myofunctional habits. For younger children, Myobrace can prevent crowding and misalignment by addressing underlying habits early on, thus reducing the likelihood of future orthodontic issues.
Depending on the child’s compliance and the complexity of their orthodontic needs, the treatment duration ranges from 12 to 18 months. The Myobrace system involves a series of removable appliances worn for 1 to 2 hours daily and overnight while sleeping. For optimal results, consistent use is crucial.
No. The Myobrace therapy is designed to be a gentle and comfortable alternative to traditional braces. It uses removable appliances, made with flexible materials, that apply light forces to guide teeth and jaws into proper alignment. Most children find the system far more comfortable than fixed braces. Importantly, it does not involve brackets or wires that can cause irritation.
In the majority of cases, yes. Myobrace addresses the underlying causes of crowding and misalignment early, often eliminating the need for braces or extractions later on. With a focus on natural growth and development, the system allows teeth to straighten as they erupt. For severe orthodontic cases, dentists may still recommend traditional braces or other types of treatment.
Some private health funds provide rebates for Myobrace under their orthodontic coverage. It’s best to check with your provider, as policies vary between health funds. At Molonglo Dental Surgery, we can assist in determining your eligibility before starting treatment to ensure you maximise any available benefits.
At Molonglo Dental Surgery, we take pride in our ability to combine airway-focused care with gentle coaching to help your child thrive with Myobrace therapy. Our approach goes beyond just straightening teeth. We address overall oral health and development to ensure long-term benefits without compromising on your child's comfort and safety. With a focus on myofunctional orthodontics, we provide personalised care to correct habits and guide natural jaw growth.