Crozat Expander is an Anterior Growth Appliance
If you are looking for an alternative to braces that is less aggressive and more holistic, the Crozat Appliance may be just what you are looking for. The Crozat produces a gentle outward pressure that increases during swallowing. The pressure from the device gently aligns teeth by creating more space in the jaw slowly over time. As space in the dental arches increases, crowded teeth eventually have enough room to fit side-by-side and are naturally straightened. Since the Crozat device is a slow growth appliance there is no pain during the treatment process. Dental braces have come under scrutiny as a painful and aggressive therapy that is cosmetic and does not respect biology and physiology.
The Crozat Device is a Fixed Forward Growth Appliance
The Crozat is a stable wire that does not corrode. It is custom designed by the holistic dentist and varies patient to patient. The device is typically placed on the tongue/palate side of the teeth. It is necessary to have an upper and lower appliance. Often times the dentist will use an ALF on the lower jaw. The Crozat is a fixed appliance that stays in the mouth all the time. The Crozat is usually adjusted by the dentist approximately one time per month. The dentist slowly reshapes the appliance making it wider to allow for more forward and outward growth.
Facial Asymmetries can be Balanced by the Crozat
Crozat can correct facial asymmetries since it depends on coordinated muscle actions such as swallowing, talking and breathing. When symmetric movements create pressures used for expansion, the new growth is rebalanced the the balanced pressure. No one is symmetrical left to right, but our natural forces when channelled properly help us become more balanced.
The Best Expander Depends on the Conditions
There are many different kinds of expanders for kids and the Crozat is just one of many holistic orthodontic appliances used by Dr. Adams. The Crozat appliance was invented by Dr. Crozat in 1919. The Crozat is the sister appliance of the ALF appliance. It is a springy wire that is great for moderate expansion and alignment in children.
Crozat vs ALF Appliance
The Crozat is different than the ALF in that there is a metal connector that crosses from one side of the palate to the other. This feature helps in cases where more expansion in the back of the maxilla and palate is necessary. The Crozat is a forward growth appliance and is also considered an arch development appliance. It is used to grow bone in a more forward and wider direction. The Crozat is capable of aligning teeth and making them straighter, but it does so by creating more room in the mouth for all the teeth to fit.
Dr. Adams likes using Crozat appliances. But he more often use Schwarz, ALF, Twin Block and DNA appliances.
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