REMOVABLE APPLIANCES

Dr. SHAIKH ANALHAQ A.

 Definition
REMOVABLE APPLIANCE ARE ORTHODONTIC
DEVICES WHICH CAN BE TAKEN OUT BY THE
PATIENT FOR CLEANING AND WHICH ARE
DESIGNED TO APPLY FORCES TO THE TEETH BY
MEANS OF SPRINGS SCREWS AND OTHER
MECHANICAL COMPONENTS.
 Advantages
1.Tipping movement
2.Can be removed
-for cleaning of teeth & appliance
-if in pain
-on socially sensitive occasion
3.Less conspicuous
4.Can be undertaken by general
practitioner with adequate
training
5.Manufactured in lab
-less chair side time
-more patients can be treated
6.Inexpensive
Disadvantages
1.Only simple malocclusion can be
corrected
2.Multiple rotations cannot
be corrected
3.Uncooperative patients may
leave out the appliance-
prolongs treatment
4.Multiple tooth movement
- one at a time- prolongs Rx duration
5.Lower appliance not well tolerated
6.Cases other than I premolar
extraction cannot be treated easily
 Indications
Growth modifications during mixed dentition.
Limited tipping, rotation required.
Arch expansion.
Retention after fixed treatment.
 Components of removable appliances

Retentive Components
Baseplate
Active components
 Retentive Components

Retention: Means whereby displacement of appliance

is resisted.

Clasp: any hook or band attached to a natural tooth

and used to anchor a partial denture or an
orthodontic appliance.
 CLASPS

The name clasp is derived from a French

word “UYPTAN” which means “to embrace”.
Clasps are the retentive components of the
orthodontic appliances.
 IDEAL REQUIREMENTS
 Unobtrusive.
 Not impinge.
 Close contact to the tooth.
 Usable in both deciduous and
permanent dentition.
 Adequate retention.
 No active force on the anchor tooth.
 Rigid
 Easy to fabricate and also replace if
needed.
 Not interfere in the growth of jaws and
eruption of teeth.
 USES

• To secure the appliance in position

• To prevent rolling of appliances
• To resist forces of displacement
• To provide retention & anchorage
• For engaging elastics
 MODE OF ACTION

• Clasp engage onto the undercuts

(constricted areas on the teeth.)
• Two types of undercuts.
– Buccal / Lingual Cervical undercuts.
– Mesial / Distal Proximal undercuts.
Circumferential Clasp

• Fabricated using wire 0.9mm

• -Also known as ‘C’ clasp or Three Quarter Clasp
 Simple clasp used to engage buccocervical undercut
 Cannot be used in partially erupted teeth
Jackson’s Clasp

- V.H. Jackson 1906

- Fabricated using 0.9mm wire
- Also known as Full clasp or ‘U’ clasp
- Engages both buccocervical undercuts
 Simple design
 Offers adequate retention
 Inadequate retention in partially erupted teeth
Triangular Clasp

-Fabricated using 0.6mm wire

-used between adjacent posterior teeth
-Indicated for additional retention
Adam’s Clasp
-Also known as Liverpool Clasp,
Universal Clasp,
Modified Arrowhead Clasp

Parts
Bridge
Arrowhead
Retentive arms
• Adams clasp / modified arrowhead clasp /
liverpool clasp / universal clasp.
• C. PHILIPS ADAMS in May 1950.
• Most widely used clasp.
• Distobuccal and mesiobuccal undercuts.
• Does not separate teeth like a arrowhead
clasp.
• 0.7mm posteriors
0.6mm anteriors.
 Advantages

• Small neat and unobtrusive.

• Any tooth.
• Both deciduous and permanent
dentition.
• Even on semi erupted tooth.
• No specialized pliers required.
• Can be modified as needed.
• No. of variations are available.
 Disadvantages
• Unwanted palatal tipping if gets
activated.
• May lead to elongation of tooth if is
fitting tightly.
• Can be repaired only if fractured
through the arrowheads.
• Cannot be given on proclined anteriors.
 Modifications

Adams clasp with single arrowhead:

Adams clasp with J hook

Adams clasp with additional arrowhead

Adams clasp with distal extension

Double clasp on maxillary central

incisors
Schwarz Clasp

Designed by C. M. Schwarz
Oldest & for a considerable amount of time most
generally used
Adj: Arrowhead bent towards papilla to engage
undercuts
 Can be used in deciduous or permanent teeth
 Skill to fabricate
 Can be used only on posterior teeth
Duyzings Clasp

-Simple design
-engages buccal undercut of molars
-half clasp can also be constructed
Adj: Bending towards the tooth or undercut area
Southend Clasp

-0.7 mm wire
-spans two adjacent margins of anterior teeth
Adj: readapting into interdental area
 Esthetically more pleasing
Ballend Clasp

• Wire having a knob or ball like structure on one end

• utilizes interdental undercuts
• Indicated when additional retention required
Delta Clasp

• Designed by William J. Clark

• Similar to Adams clasp in
principle
• Retentive loops were triangular in shape hence the
name
• Engage interdental undercuts
• USED IN TWIN BLOCK APPLIANCES
Adj: -hold retentive loop and twist inwards
-bending towards interdental undercut as it
emerges from acrylic
 ADVANTAGES
• Design of the closed loop does not open up
with repeated removal.
• Less subject to breakage.
• Provides excellent retention on lower
premolars.
• Suitable for use on most posterior teeth.
Crozat Clasp

• Crozat in 1920
• Along with the u clasp a stright wire is soldered on
the base (Cresent).
• Strong retention is possible
 Active components

 Labialbow
 Springs
 Elastics
 Screws
 LABIAL BOWS

• Labial bow is an essential component of

removable orthodontic appliances

• It can be either active or passive

• The principal function of the bow is to retrude
the anterior teeth
• It can be used for retentive purposes
 Parts of labial bow
• The incisor segment
• Vertical loops
• The occlusal or cross
over section
• The retentive ends
 Types
• Short labial bow
• Long labial bow
• Roberts retractor
• Reverse labial bow
• Begg’s labial bow
• Mills retractor
• Fitted labial bow
• High labial bow with apron springs
• Split labial bow
 Short labial bow
Indications
• Retraction of anteriors
• Anterior spacing with proclination
• Overjet reduction
There should be good contact between canine
and premolar
• 0.7mm wire used

• Fabrication:- labial segment of wire is placed

at the junction of the incisal and middle third.
Vertical segment starts from mesial third of canine,
should be perpendicular to the incisor segment &
should be away from gingiva

Occlusally, it passes between canine and premolar

Retentive ends adapted on the lingual or palatal side.

Activation - Compressing the U-loop by 1mm

 Long labial bow
Indications
• Anterior space closure
• Overjet reduction
• Closure of the space distal to the canine
• As a retaining device at the end of fixed
therapy
• Guidance of canine during canine retraction
using palatal retractor
• 0.7 mm wire used in active purpose
• 0.9 mm wire used in passive purpose
• Fabrication - same as short labial bow but
occlusal wire passes between two premolars
• Activated by compressing the U-loop
 Roberts retractor
• It was first designed by G.H Robert
• Indication
it is suitable only for retraction of four incisors
following retraction of canines
• This is a flexible bow which is constructed from
0.5 or 0.6 mm wire inserted into a stainless
steel tubing to give support to either end of the
bow
• Fabrication
Labial segment of wire is placed at the junction of the
incisal and middle third
Extends only two thirds of the mesiodistal width of the
lateral incisors
A coil of 3mm internal diameter placed mesial to
canine
Distal part is supported in a stainless steel tubing
• It is activated by closing the coil or giving palatal bend
at the emergence of the coil
 Reverse labial bow
• Indication
For retaining tooth positions
For minor tooth movements
• 0.7 mm wire used
• Fabrication:-loops are placed distal to the
canine and the free ends of the U-loops
are adapted occlusally between the
premolar and canine
• This is too stiff for effective incisor retraction
• The stability ratio is poor
Activation
First the U-loop is opened this results in lowering of
the labial bow in the incisor region .
A compensatory bend is given at the base of the
loop
 Begg’s labial bow
(Wrap Around / Around the Globe Bow)
• Popularized by P.R . Begg
• It is used as retainer after fixed orthodontic
therapy
• 0.9 mm wire is used
• Fabrication
consists of labial wire that extends till the last erupted
molar
U-loop is incorporated at the pre molar and molar area
to close the band spaces
• Advantage of this bow is that there is no cross-
over wire between the canine and premolar
there by eliminating the risk of space opening
up
 Mills retractor
• It is also called extended labial bow
• Indication
Large overjet
For alignment of irregular incisors
• 0.7 mm wire is used
• This labial bow has an extensive looping of the wire so
as to increase the flexibility and range of action
• Poor patient acceptance
• Complex design
 Fitted labial bow
• Used to secure the incisors firmly after they been
rotated
• It acts as retainer
• It is not used in active tooth movement
• 0.7 mm wire is used
 High labial bow with apron spring

• Used in retraction of one or more teeth

• Large overjet
• It is very similar to a Roberts retractor
• Highly flexible
• Light force
• Fabrication
A heavy base arch of 0.9mm to 1mm wire extends into
the buccal sulcus
apron spring made of 0.4mm wire is attached to the
high labial bow
• Activation
It is activated by bending the upright arms of the apron
springs towards the teeth
3mm activation at a time
Disadvantages are difficulty in construction and soft
tissue injury
 Split labial bow

• Used for anterior

retraction
• Closer of midline
diastema
 SPRINGS
Most commonly used active elements

Requirements:
 springs should deliver optimum force
 should possess high degree of elasticity
 should have long range of action
 Force systems delivered depend on
Intrinsic properties- cannot be altered by operator
-modulus of elasticity
-yield strength
Extrinsic properties- operator can exercise control
-length of wire
-thickness of wire

Small changes in diameter and length have a profound

impact on the force delivered
Effect of wire diameter on force delivered
-amount of activation
0.5mm- 3mm activation
0.7mm- 1mm activation- little margin of error

Effect of wire length

Coil- increase length of spring
Lower force with same amount of activation
 Classification of Springs

I. Based on direction of tooth movement

1. Springs for mesio-distal tooth movement
2. Spring for labio-lingual tooth movement
3. Springs for expansion of arches
II. Based on nature of support
1. Self supported springs
2. Guided springs
3. Auxiliary springs
III. Based on presence of loop or helix
Single Cantilever Spring
active arm
Parts coil
retentive arm
• 0.5-0.6mm wire
• coil with internal diameter of 3mm
• used to move teeth labio-lingually or mesio-diatally
Double Cantilever Spring / Z spring

• Constructed using 0.5 or 0.6 mm wire

• Spring perpendicular to palatal surface of tooth
• Indicated where incisors are to be proclined
Activation: Opening both coils
 If not perpendicular to palatial surface of teeth, it
tends to intrude teeth.
‘T’ Spring
• Constructed using 0.5 mm wire
• Buccal movement of premolars and molars
Activation: Pulling spring away from the baseplate
Coffin Spring

• Described by Walter.H.Coffin in 1881

• Made in 2 segments, large enough to make contact
with all teeth to be moved
• Made of 1.25 mm wire
• Spring stands 1 mm away from the soft tissues
Indications:
Transverse arch expansion – Unilateral crossbite with
lateral mandibular displacement

Advantage over screw – Differential expansion can be

obtained.

 Unless expertly made and adjusted, tends to be rater

unstable.
 Canine Retractors
• Type of spring
• used to move canine in distal direction

CLASSIFICATION
I. Based on location -buccal
-palatal
II. Based on presence of helix or loop
III. Based on mode of action -push type
-pull type
Buccal Self Sopported Canine Retractor

• 0.7 mm wire
• buccally placed canine is to be moved palatally and
distally
• coil just distal to long axis of tooth
Activation: by 1mm
Distal -closing the loop
Palatal -anterior limb is bent towards the tooth
after it emerges from the coil

 Uncomfortable to patient
 Stability increased- flexibility compromised
Supported Buccal Canine Retractor

• identical in design to self supported retractor

• 0.5mm wire supported in tubing
Activation: by 2mm
Reverse Loop Canine Retractor

• can be used in shallow sulcus

Activation: 1mm
i. cut off 1mm from the free end & readapt it
ii. opening the coil
‘U’ Loop Buccal Canine Retractor

• can be used in sallow sulcus

Activation: free end is cut by 1mm & readapted
 Requires frequent adjustment
Palatal Canine Retractor

-canine placed palatally requiring distal buccal

movement
-coil of 3mm placed between the initial & final position
of canine
THANK
YOU