What is Myobrace?
Myobrace is a growth guidance appliance. This system not only addresses teeth but the supporting structures as well, which is very important for the airway and overall health. The Myobrace system is a series of oral appliances that address habits and expands the arch as well as the airway. This preventive pre-orthodontic treatment focuses on addressing the underlying causes of crooked teeth, unlocking natural growth and development often without the need to extract teeth. Treatment is best suited to children aged 3 to 15 and involves using a series of removable intraoral appliances that are worn for 1-2 hours each day plus overnight while sleeping.
Why Choose Myobrace?
Waiting until all permanent teeth have come in to begin orthodontic treatment can often lead to irreversible damage affecting not only your child’s teeth but also their overall health and development.
Poor myofunctional habits (poor oral habits) are evident before all permanent teeth are present, which means treatment of the causes can begin as early as three years of age.
Myobrace is designed to address incorrect myofunctional habits by teaching children to:
- Breathe through their nose
- Rest the tongue correctly in the roof of the mouth
- Swallow correctly
- Continue widening the jaws so they grow to their full and proper size.
This makes sufficient room for the teeth, allowing them to come in naturally straight, without the need for braces.
How Myobrace Works
The Myobrace System consists of a series of intra-oral appliances that are worn for 1-2 hours each day plus overnight while sleeping.
The appliances assist in correcting poor oral habits and expand the arch-form while exerting light forces to align the teeth and jaws. Separate appliances are used depending on the child’s age and type of orthodontic problem.
The patient education program, known as Myobrace Activities, is used to further correct the myofunctional habits causing the incorrect dental and jaw development. The Activities are to be performed twice daily in conjunction with wearing the Myobrace appliance and consist of a series of breathing, tongue, swallowing, lip and cheek exercises.
What to Expect During Your Child’s Myobrace Treatment
Treatment is recommended for children ages 3 to 15 as soon as poor myofunctional habits are recognized. There are typically four stages of treatment with Myobrace involving: habit correction, arch development, dental alignment, and retention.
Habit Correction
Habit Correction involves teaching your child to breathe through the nose instead of the mouth, retrain the tongue to rest in the correct position, swallow the right way and keep their lips together when not eating or speaking.
Focusing on correcting these oral habits gives your child the best chance to grow their jaws to their proper size, which allows for balanced facial development and good airway health, consequently it allows teeth to come in straight, thereby eliminating the need for braces later on.
Arch Development
Arch development may be required to widen the upper jaw allowing sufficient space for the teeth and tongue. Children with underdeveloped jaws over 7 years of age can be recommended to use appliances and techniques in combination with The Myobrace System to achieve additional jaw development.
Dental Alignment
At the stage when the last of the permanent teeth are erupting, the Myobrace for Teens is used to align the teeth into their natural position. If the teeth need further alignment, clear aligners can still be used for a much shorter period to provide optimal results.
Retention
Retention aims to ensure good oral habits are maintained, preventing the need to wear a permanent retainer or wire for an extended period. With braces, a retainer is usually required to prevent relapse from occurring. Myobrace treatment allows for more stable orthodontic results and improved overall health.
Cost of Myobrace in Alpine
In general, Myobrace treatment costs between $4,500 and $6,500. There are several factors that may affect the cost of your Myobrace treatment:
- The severity of the orthodontic case
- The length of the treatment
- Your preferred finish
Your doctor will provide you with an estimate of the overall cost– as well as possible payment plan options –after an initial consultation.
Schedule an initial consultation & examination
Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
For light plaque buildup, a simple soak in water with a denture cleaning tablet followed by a light brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush should be enough to clean your Myobrace.
It is important to wear 1-2 hours during the day, and overnight while sleeping. It is also important to do your daily Myobrace exercises. The Myobrace system works if you are compliant! You can split up daytime wear into shorter time periods that add up to 1-2 hours a day. It is easiest to combine wear with a habit you already have, it doesn’t have to be disruptive to your daily schedule. A great time to wear your Myobrace is while watching TV or reading. Find what works best for you, and stick with it.
The concepts behind Myobrace treatment can be applied to adults too, however since growth has already occurred, Dr. Brittany prefers to use alternate appliances like Vivos for adults.
Patient Testimonials
Jessica Wissler
Dr. Johansen is fantastic!
Emily Beaty
Meeting with Dr Johansen has changed the way I think about my sleep and my health. Small health annoyances that I thought were normal are going away and so many aspects of my health are improving after just a few months of treatments. She is amazing!
Brad Duerson
Dr. Johansen is very personable and knowledgeable! I went to bed one night without my Vivos and woke up gasping for air. I put in my Vivos appliance and slept well the rest of the night. I needed to know this wasn't a fluke, so I purposefully went to bed the next night and had the same result after putting in my Vivos. :)
