There Is an Alternative CHOICE to Braces

by Amy DeFrance

            From the time her first permanent teeth started appearing, they were coming in crooked.  It would clear that Elizabeth would need some orthodontic services in the future.  At age 8, our primary dentist referred us for orthodontic consultation.  I got two opinions.  The first orthodontist said to come back in 3 years, when she is 11.  The second one took pictures and wanted to see her again in 6 months to see if her palette started widening on its own.  After 6 months, he gave us two options.  Extract some teeth now and likely permanent teeth later or wait to see what happens.  He didn’t really have a recommendation one way or the other.  50/50 was his opinion.

            Well we decided to wait and boy are we glad we did.  About 4 months after that appointment, my mom picked up a brochure at a holistic physician’s office about Myofunctional Therapy treatment OR Orthodontia without Braces.  We found the only dentist in Lee County that uses this therapy, which was developed in Australia and used throughout Europe for the last 3 decades.  We’re only 6 months in but look at the changes. 

          

8-8-11 Before MyoBrace

2-23-12 6 Months Later

8-8-11 Before MyoBrace

2-23-12 6 Month Later

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            So what is it?  Well you can find out all the details at their website www.myobrace.com, but basically Elizabeth has been taught and practices mouth exercises to learn proper tongue position, proper swallowing, and proper breathing which are needed to develop straight teeth.  She wears a flexible MyoBrace while she sleeps and for an hour a day while reading.  There is a web-site for the kids and ‘houses’ that they go into that teach them the exercises, and as they develop, they move from house 1, to house 2, to house 3.   Just like regular braces we expect this to be a 2 year process, but there is no pain involved and it costs 40% less than traditional braces from what I can tell talking to other friends.

            I am so excited at the quick changes in just 6 months.  But the key here is that this therapy must be done BEFORE their mouth stops growing around the age of 11.  Starting at ages 6-7 is ideal, but we were still in the window at age 8 with a few years to benefit from the therapy.  I wish we had known about it when she was 6, but am glad we found it before it was too late.  The dentist in Lee County that uses this therapy is Dr. Mark Corke in Fort Myers.  (239) 936-5442   www.fortmyerslaserdentist.com.