Fixed Vs Removable Twin Block for Overjet reduction
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does the Fixed Twin-Block accelerate overjet reduction compared to the conventional removable Clark Twin-Block appliance? A scoping study
IRAS ID
221960
Contact name
Peter Mossey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Dundee
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
One quarter of children aged 8 -12 years have sticking out upper front teeth. This type of bite can be a source of distress as these children are often bullied about their dental appearance, resulting in poor self-esteem. Furthermore, there is a greater risk of dental damage from physical activities due to the prominent position of the upper teeth.
Orthodontics can be carried out for such patients and studies have shown that those who have undergone treatment often have improved self-esteem and reduced risk of dental damage. In the UK the treatment to correct this bite involves using a removable brace known as a ‘twin block’ to help move the teeth into a more ideal position.
The disadvantage of the twin block is that it is a two-piece removable brace that can be taken out by the child and if it is not worn, the bite will not be corrected. Historically, one-piece fixed braces (which are not removable), have been proposed, however, these have substantial problems with breakages. For this reason, the removable two-piece twin block has remained popular among orthodontists and patients.
The proposed design of the twin block brace will allow it to remain in two pieces whilst being fixed in the mouth. This would mean the child would not be able to remove the brace, therefore allowing the bite to be corrected quicker, whilst reducing the likelihood of breakages.
This study has been designed to determine how quickly the fixed design of the twin block works when compared with the removable twin block. This would allow other orthodontists in the UK to learn a new method of correcting this type of bite and improve outcomes for children.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
17/ES/0126
Date of REC Opinion
2 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion