Content of consultation

"I'm concerned about the alignment of my teeth and want to straighten them out, but I want to avoid orthodontic treatment that would require me to extract teeth in the future," she consulted us.

Counseling and diagnosis results

After examining him, we found that he had a type of malocclusion where the bite is deep and the teeth are not aligned properly, but rather an overbite where the lower teeth are barely visible when the patient bites down with their back teeth.
An overbite is a type of bite where the movement of the lower jaw is restricted due to a deep bite, which places a lot of strain not only on the teeth but also on the jaw joints.
There are many causes of deep bite, including bone structure, tilted teeth, mouth breathing, and habits such as thumb sucking, but in the patient's case, he was unable to breathe properly through his nose, leaving his mouth wide open, and it is thought that the cause was mouth breathing.

In addition, it was found that the lower left front tooth (lateral incisor/number 2) was crowding, overlapping the adjacent teeth and growing unevenly.
Crowding occurs due to an imbalance in the size of the teeth and the jaw, making it difficult to brush the spaces between the teeth properly, making it easier for plaque, a mass of bacteria, to accumulate.
In addition, tooth decay is occurring due to plaque, and the bacteria in plaque cause inflammation of the gums, increasing the risk of periodontal disease, which eventually dissolves the bone supporting the teeth.

We diagnosed the patient as needing treatment to reduce plaque, improve the environment in the mouth, encourage nasal breathing, and correct the alignment of the teeth and bite.

The patient has a strong fear of dental treatment, and both the patient and his parents hope to "improve the alignment of his teeth without having to extract any teeth in the future as much as possible. We also want to correct the habit of leaving his mouth open."

Suggestions and treatments provided

First, we cleaned the patient's entire mouth and treated any cavities to improve the oral environment. After explaining the correct brushing method, we suggested orthodontic treatment to improve mouth breathing and tooth alignment.

If orthodontic treatment is started after all permanent teeth have grown in, it may become necessary to extract teeth. However, by encouraging the upper and lower jaws to develop properly during the jaw growth period and gradually improving mouth breathing, it is possible to straighten teeth without the need for extraction.
As a suitable treatment method for the patient, we proposed "Myobrace," a mouthpiece-type orthodontic device that promotes jaw growth and trains the muscles around the mouth to guide permanent teeth and the jaw into the correct position, and the patient agreed.
Myobrace is made from soft silicone so that it can be worn properly even at night, and has the advantage of reducing pain and stress during treatment.

First, we performed cleaning and cavity treatment, and then we fitted the patient with the first stage of Myobrace mouthpiece ``K1'' to improve mouth breathing, and then we trained him for a year to establish nasal breathing.
We instruct patients to wear the K1 for one hour during the day and one hour at night, and also to do daily exercises to strengthen the muscles around the mouth.

After a year, once we had confirmed that the K1 was being worn properly at night and nasal breathing had been established, we moved on to the second stage mouthpiece, the K1.
The purpose of K2 is to promote the growth of the jaw bone, continue nasal breathing, and "retain" the condition to prevent relapse after improvement.

Because Myobrace can be removed freely, treatment may not progress well unless you adhere to the recommended wearing times each day and continue with the prescribed training.
Therefore, it is essential that the patient themselves understands the need for treatment and that their family cooperates.
With support from the dental clinic and the patient's family, and the patient remaining motivated as he continued treatment, the overbite and crowding were improved with mouthguard orthodontics, and the teeth were led to the correct alignment.

Postoperative progress and current condition

My teeth are now perfectly aligned, giving me a beautiful mouth. There are no problems with my bite, and the progress is going well.

The patient was very pleased, saying, "I never thought that mouthguard orthodontics would be so pain-free and would make my teeth look so good. I'm no longer afraid of the dentist."

Currently, the patient visits our clinic once every three months for regular follow-up.

What are the risks of this treatment?

If you do not stick to the set schedule, you may not get the full effect.
・In cases where mouthpieces are not suitable, treatment may be difficult.
You may experience pain or discomfort as your teeth move.
If you do not brush your teeth properly or maintain them properly, you are at higher risk of developing cavities and periodontal disease.

Age/gender

7 year old boy

Treatment Type

Free medical care

Estimated treatment period

2 year and 6 months

Estimated number of treatments

Once ~

Estimated total treatment cost

345,455 JPY ~
Monthly treatment fee: 5,000 yen

Actual photo of treatment