Functional appliance treatment
Growth Modification.
Using growth strategically to improve jaw position and the bite.
Treatment overview
What is growth modification?
Functional appliances are specialised orthodontic plates and devices custom-made for the needs of the individual patient. They act on the jaws, jaw muscles and teeth to help correct jaw position and the bite.
These appliances generally need to be worn consistently to produce the intended correction.
The process
How does it work?
Functional appliances are timed around a child’s growth so that treatment can make use of active growth to correct the bite. The old Go Orthodontics treatment information identifies the pubertal growth period around 11–14 years as a common treatment window, with selected earlier treatment sometimes using growth around 8–10 years.
After functional appliance treatment, braces are often used to align the teeth and stabilise the corrected bite.
Individual suitability
Why Go Orthodontics?
Dr Shaun Goh has experience using functional appliances for different jaw and bite problems. More severe cases may require different appliance designs or more than one phase of treatment, which is discussed during the consultation.
Jaw growth is strongly influenced by biology and genetics, so functional appliances have limits. When the skeletal discrepancy extends beyond those limits, other options—including braces and, in selected severe cases, orthognathic surgery—may need to be discussed.
Specialist assessment matters
The appliance, timing and objectives need to be matched to the child’s growth stage and diagnosis. We assess these factors before recommending growth modification treatment.
Start with a specialist assessment
Find out what treatment fits your smile and bite.
No referral is required. Our team will assess your individual needs and explain the most suitable treatment options.