All about the Carriere Motion appliance

A Carriere motion appliance is a unique orthodontic device that is placed in the patient's mouth prior to the full orthodontic treatment and installation of braces or Invisalign aligners. The appliance is very simplistic in appearance and design, but very effective at drawing the top jaw backward and lower jaw forward to correct ones bite discrepancy. Dr. Bart is a Brampton and Burlington orthodontist who expertly uses the Carriere motion appliance to correct overbites and overjet in his patients.

What the Appliance Looks Like

If you can imagine the metal clip-on portion of a ballpoint pen detached from the pen, that is essentially what the Carriere motion appliance looks like. It's a little slender bar-like item with an attachment piece on both ends.

There are slight variations on the appliance itself, but most are some shade of matte or shiny dental-grade titanium metal. If you (or your child) want something a little more colorful, some of the Carriere motion appliances come in a variety of different colors. Just make sure you like the color(s) chosen as they are not replaced with any regular frequency.

How the Carriere Appliances Are Applied

If your Brampton and Burlington orthodontist determines that you need a Carriere motion appliance, the orthodontist will take measurements. These measurements indicate how many deviations away from proper alignment the patient's jaws are. Then the correct appliance is chosen and it is bonded to only 2 upper teeth and buttons are added on lower back teeth to support an elastics. When a rubber band is connected between the upper appliance and lower buttons it does allow for normal movement of the jaws, but works to pull the upper jaw back and lower jaw forward to align both jaws together. The removable orthodontic elastics create the correct amount of tension to make the appliance work. Usually, there are two Carriere motion appliances placed, one on each side of the mouth.

Level of Comfort

The patient may feel a little strange at first as the mouth cannot open as wide as before. The appliance does not impede chewing food, but it will need extra attention to clean after meals. Mild discomfort may be present for the first couple of days, as one gets use to the elastics, but this discomfort dissipate very quickly allowing return to normal every day life activities.

It's a "Pre-Treatment" Device

The Carriere motion appliance is a "pre-treatment" device. Although the orthodontist could go ahead with braces or Invisalign treatment, the results can be quicker if the jaws are properly aligned from top to bottom first. The course of treatment depends on the severity of the overbite of the patient.

If you (or your child) are pre-treated with the Carriere appliances, ask your orthodontist how long this part of the treatment is expected to last. The typical period is anywhere from four to eight months.

Using Invisalign After Carriere

If you are hoping to get Invisalign or braces after the Carriere motion appliances, there is good news. The Invisalign or braces products are often used in conjunction with Carrieres to make treatment time shorter. Ask Dr. Bart to show you how these orthodontic pieces work together when you come to the clinic for a consultation.