Twin block appliance v forsus etc

[tunaandcheesesandwich]

My DS (14) has a receding jaw and will need to wear a twin block appliance on top of his fixed brace for about a year. I also have the alternatives of a Forsus, Powerscope or Herbst, which are all metal structures that attach to a fixed brace without the need for all the plastic moulding of a twin block appliance.

Has anyone got any experience of any of the above? My DS would have to eat with the twin blocks on, which looks difficult as the back teeth will not meet.

He is fine about wearing his brace but is worried about how unsightly the twin blocks look, so if the other options look better I might go for one of them. I don't know what to do so if anyone has any thoughts I would be grateful.

[LIZS]

ds has twin blocks atm - he's 16 - and a fixed wire on top . Hopefully soon (month 8 so far) he will dispense with the blocks and have a lower wire. he doesn't eat with them in but wears them all the rest of the time, they aren't that visible, and the change is really noticeable. Not offered any of the alternatives you mention but this is on NHS.

[tunaandcheesesandwich]

Thanks LIZS. I have been told that my DS should wear them all the time, even for eating, although when he is at home I suppose he could take them out and leave them by his plate on the table !

How does your DS feel about wearing them? Can he talk ok with them, and how much do they show at the sides?

[LIZS]

They really don't show unless he opens wide. Slight lisp but he has got used to it. We have several boxes to store them in so he keeps one in his pocket for mealtimes, games and music.

[maccie]

My dd wore the twin blocks for 12 months and has now ended that stage of treatment and is to be fitted with fixed braces in a few days. She was also advised to eat with them in and she really did try but as you have found the back teeth don't mere to chew. She told them at her next appointment that she was wearing them 24 hours a day other than eating and they said that was fine. She had progressed well so they knew she was wearing them as much as she possibly could.

Could they not do the treatment in 2 stages for your ds ? I think it could have been too much for my dd as she was very self conscious about the blocks as she couldn't close her mouth.

[tunaandcheesesandwich]

My DS has already been wearing various fixed braces for over 2 years, and will need them for another couple of years, so he is getting really fed up with them. However, he has got used to the fixed braces and doesn't really mind wearing them.

I am just worried about how the twin blocks may affect his confidence as they look very bulky in the mouth. And also what he will do about eating at school? When he was wearing elastics in his mouth, he often didn't put them after lunch at school as he had to rush to get to a club and didn't have time to go to the toilets, so this same issue could occur with the town blocks

[tunaandcheesesandwich]

Twin blocks, not town blocks!

[LIZS]

Honestly ds can pop them in and out in seconds, just like a sports mouthguard. He has dyspraxia but has managed fine, they've been in and out all over the place and not got lost or broken , yet!