Twin block brace

[Cal47]

Hi my 10 yr old girl has just been given her twin block braces but they are clear plastic no wires, called Trutain look like mouthguards with blocks at the back. Shes been told its up to her to hold the blocks in place which is finding hard and keeps forgetting and relaxing instead so i have to keep reminding her. Does anyone have any experience with these type of twin blocks. Also at night when shes asleep shes relaxing her mouth and therefore not pushing jaw forward. Im at my wits end. I thought the brace would hold her jaw forward not her have to do it. Any help or advice would be great. Thank you xx

Hi, my 13 yr old son has had a twin block for more than a year (he had to have a palate expander first). It has been excellent.

My son wears it at all times. The only time they come our is when he cleans his teeth. He had a little pain on the first night. I gave medicine so could sleep and he never complained again.
The first check up, they said he had progressed extremely fast. Now when we go for a check, they grind down the device and hand it back.

The more the child wears the device, the better.

It is far better than jaw surgery. I hope you and your daughter cope well. To be really honest although these appliances are to correct teeth problems, it has a really good effect on the child's appearance.

My son has lost his receding chin. You should strongly encourage her to wear it.

That’s strange as they should be held in without her holding them in by closing her jaw. The child normally has to bring jaw forward to close mouth but that’s it

Molly 357 thats what i thought but the orthodontist said she had to hold her jaw forward at all times. And if she doesnt it slips back so i have to keep reminding her, its so hard as i wont be there all the time especially at school. I was wondering if its because its a new clear one, bit like an invisilign. Im beside myself with it x

threechildren did your son have the twin block with wires and tighten with a key? My girls one we dont tighten at all but ive heard about the wires/key ones and wondering if that'll be better. X

My daughter had to keep her mouth closed to bring her jaw forward. But she couldn’t close her mouth without bringing jaw forward. Is that the same? I don’t think it was comfortable to relax it as blocks clashed so had to keep mouth closed to keep it comfy

It worked wonders and v quickly, especially as she ate with it so sped the process up.

Molly357
Im not totally sure, my daughter seems to think even though its closed she has to also push her jaw forward too?? My problem is my daughter has development issues so doesnt always explain properly how things are feeling etc. What about when your daughter spoke? Did she have to try to talk through clenched mouth or talk normally then close her mouth back after? Also what about sleeping? As my daughter relaxes while sleeping shes not keeping her mouth closed therefore her jaw isnt being held forward xx

There are lots of videos on you tube that might give you an idea. Speaking was hard but back to normal with lots of practice. Yes it was pushed forward too much with brace but then settles back - it’s how they work. It wasn’t pleasant and was painful but worked. My other child will have to have it too.

Ds' was expandable but we did not do that at first. If it slips back maybe the mould needs redoing or the clips adjusting.

I'm an orthodontic nurse. Twin block braces work absolutely amazingly if they are in at least 23 hours a day literally.
If you're finding that her jaw relaxes back too far that the blocks aren't meeting at night maybe go and speak to your orthodontist they might be able to enhance the blocks. It is one of the most difficult appliances that we offer but it gives the greatest chance to reduce the overjet without orthognathic surgery.

Ive looked at the videos but they all seem to be with the "normal" twin block with metal and plastic that you tighten. Was your daughters like that? Mine is weird as has no wires at all, is just really like a clear mouthguard with added plastic blocks. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond, i just feel bit lost with it all and dont want to get it wrong.

No tightening . Mainly plastic. Think they are different options but main issue is whether her mouth drops open too far to stop blocks from working as I don’t think they should as quite bulky.

20viona have you heard of the one my daughter has its a Trutain clear one with no wires or metal and doesn't need tightening. My concern is that when she sleeps her mouth is open slightly and the jaw goes back so shes wasting 9 hours. Ive booked to go back in Weds but was thinking of asking can she change to a normal twin block with metal, wires etc x

Sounds like an acrylic based retainer with blocks from your description, no Iv not had experience of this we stick with the classic as it works so well.

I was just a general dentist but IME the key is usually for the palate expander, not twin blocks?

There's a long thread on here about twin blocks if you have a search but totally agree with ortho nurse @20viona advice.

Can't even find trutain twin blocks on google? Looks like they do mostly vacuum formed retainers.

I cant find anything either in google which is why its even more difficult. I want to ask the Orthodontist to just give her the normal one but im worried they'll say ive been given what weve got and if i dont like it I'll have to go private which i cant afford 😯

Hasten to add the orthodontist originally told me we were getting the "normal " ones and gave me a leaflet "functional braces". Just when we arrived last week to fit it turned out to be these other ones x

I can't see how these would work really because most kids in twin blocks are in mixed dentition so with traditional twin blocks it's easy to adjust the acrylic to accommodate erupting teeth which isn't really feasible on a retainer. Defo have a chat to your orthodontist.

20viona shes only 10 but all her adult teeth are through so im not sure if this has made a difference to what they've given me. Im taking her again Weds to discuss. Her brace has only been in 4 days but i want to make sure we dont waste time on something that wont work. Thank you for responding xx

It's nice that you're so encouraging for your daughter. I see so many patients and parents point blank refusing or giving up twin blocks at the first hurdle and demanding fixed braces. They do two totally different things and not everyone understands that lol. Good luck and please let us know how she gets on!

My DD had a twin block. She really hated it and was told not to eat with it in but it was AMAZING and completely changed the shape of her face. She ended up only having it for about 3 or 4 months rather than the 9 they originally said and now has a fixed brace. It’s so worth it

I cant find anything either in google which is why its even more difficult. I want to ask the Orthodontist to just give her the normal one but im worried they'll say ive been given what weve got and if i dont like it I'll have to go private which i cant afford 😯

As far as I am aware the twin block is the first part of the treatment and is generally followed by fixed braces. I know DD had it to bring her chin forward and also to widen her palate to avoid extractions. The fixed brace then straightens the teeth. I don’t think it’s anything to do with NHS / private day It’s just part of the process

In America they eat with them but not generally in UK but it’s slowly coming in . It makes it work much quicker. Agree that twin block and then fixed braces once jaw in right place. Watching you tube videos of other kids talking about wearing them really helped my daughter as felt so horrible at start.