Abstract: The present invention relates to a palatal expansion device that has a screw having an activator (e.g., one or more activation arms) wherein the screw connects two blocks, each block having an opening for receiving the screw; a stabilizer attached to the blocks; and an anti-wind-back mechanism (e.g., a spring extension) positioned opposite the activation mechanism. In another embodiment, the present invention includes a palatal expansion device that has at least one screw, wherein the screw connects with one or more blocks and the blocks have an opening for receiving the screw. The device further includes one or more stabilizers attached to the blocks; a ratchet that engages the screw; and a built-in activator that communicates with the ratchet. This design allows essentially unidirectional rotation of the screw. The ratchet system includes, in one aspect, a pin/pocket arrangement, or a ratchet wheel/spring arrangement.

Abstract: The aim of this face bow and protraction headgear design is to correct the anterior open bite in dentally Class III open bite cases. Patients were selected and full coverage acrylic cap splint-type rapid maxillary expansion appliance was cemented and activated twice a day for 5 days. After sutural separation, newly developed face bow and protraction headgear was worn and 750 g of force was applied. Newly developed appliance consisted of a face bow and forehead pad. The face bow had intraoral and extraoral components and was custom made individually for each patient. The intraoral bow was inserted from the distal openings of the tubes which was soldered to the extraoral face bow. The extraoral face bow was extended backward till the front of the ear then turned upward and ended at the level of the hooks on the forehead pad. In this extraoral appliance design only the forehead was used as anchorage unit.

Abstract: In a facebow which overcomes the adverse effects and limitations of current designs by rotating the maxilla in a downward and forward direction, which assists in correcting anterior open bites, this being accomplished by a design that produces forces above the center of resistance of the maxilla and parallel to the Frankfurt horizontal plane. The extra-oral headgear design is characterized by providing two independent adjustments (forehead width and horizontal/vertical dimensions) that allow the appliance to be customized to each patient. In particular the two independent adjustments are provided by a fully adjustable forehead pad and bilateral adjustable blocks on opposite sides of the facebow extra-oral frame to provide horizontal and vertical adjustments.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance for use in a mouth of a user has an acrylic support plate with a wide Nance button and an anterior bite plane, a plurality of retaining wires, a plurality of rigid wire rods, a lock, a coil spring, a tubular member and first molar bands. The acrylic support plate has the retaining wires extending therefrom and is made of acrylic material constructed during installation of the support plate. The first premolar teeth are fixedly attached to the retaining wires chair side. The first molar bands are removably attached to each wire extension of respective tubular member. When the coil spring is compressed between the acrylic support plate and the tubular member by tightening the lock, the tubular member moves in a distal direction by force of the coil spring. The force is aligned with centers of resistance of molars in the mouth of the user.