For more than 27 years, Myofunctional Research Co. (MRC) has recognised breathing disorders as the major cause of malocclusion, poor jaw growth and TMJ disorder. By effectively changing the way orthodontics for children is performed, the Myobrace® myofunctional orthodontic system, by MRC, fundamentally delivers airway and habit correction to resolve orthodontic problems.
What causes orthodontic problems
What causes orthodontic problems
The majority of children now have crooked teeth, which is evident from three to five years of age and is often attributed to hereditary factors. However, rather than blame genetics for crooked teeth and poor jaw development, modern research has produced evidence that points to other causes.
Mouth breathing, incorrect tongue positioning, reverse swallowing and thumb sucking – known as incorrect myofunctional habits – are the real causes of malocclusion and poor cranio-facial growth.
If a child breathes through their mouth during the
day or while sleeping at night, the tongue drops to the bottom of the mouth, which results in upper and lower jaw development problems.
This restricted development limits the space available for erupting teeth and prevents them from emerging into their ideal natural position
Incorrect tongue positioning restricts development of the maxilla causing crowding.
Reverse swallowing restricts mandibular development, causing crowding and class II.
The Myobrace® System
Myofunctional Research Co. (MRC) fills the need for less mechanical and more biologically based, myofunctional pre-orthodontic treatment by offering a wide range of modalities that address the underlying causes of malocclusion and airway dysfunction. The Myobrace® myofunctional orthodontic system packages airway and habit correction, arch expansion, and dental alignment into a comprehensive treatment system ideally suited to treat children aged 3-15 years. By focusing on the aetiological factors that cause malocclusion, the appliances aim to correct the poor myofunctional habits affecting the teeth, jaws and facial development, offering patients a more natural orthodontic solution.
How Myobrace® Appliances Work
Since 1989 MRC has pioneered the use of singlesized, pre-fabricated appliances using myofunctional habit correction while the child is still growing to improve jaw development. This allows the teeth to align correctly without the need for braces and has added health benefits as well. The fundamental keys to this treatment are obtaining correct nasal breathing, correcting tongue resting position, and retraining the oral muscles to function correctly. Along with habit correction, Myobrace® appliances apply light forces to the teeth to assist the teeth to align into their natural position, usually with no need for braces or extractions.
The appliances are worn for just 1-2 hours each day, plus overnight while sleeping. A successful treatment outcome requires good patient compliance. There are 3-4 stages of appliances that are designed for each dentition, which are specific to that age group. Myobrace® appliances effectively train the tongue to position correctly in the maxilla, retrain oral musculature and exert light forces to expand the jaws and align the teeth. The effect of the correct tongue position and patented DynamiCore™ develops the arch form, allowing better arch length and improving dental alignment.
Correct Breathing
Correct Rest Position
Correct Swallowing
Lips Together At Res
Above: Case study using the Myobrace® for Teens appliance series with the BWS™ and lip trainer – see appliance selector on
myoresearch.com. The Myobrace® routinely improves arch form, gains space and aligns the anterior teeth into a stable position. Class II correction with Myobrace® completed by correcting breathing and tongue position. More cases on www.myoresearch.com