Gerbst appliance for correction of distal bite in adolescents

Class 2 non-removable corrector

Created individually for each patient

Treatment time — from 8 months

from 80 340 rub

The Herbst appliance — is a fixed structure for the treatment of complex distal bite. It consists of 2 telescopic beams with hinges. The beams are attached to the 6th tooth from above and the 4th tooth from below by means of metal rings that are placed on the teeth. The appliance is made of medical steel or titanium alloy from individual impressions or digital scans.

Principle of operation of the Gerbst apparatus

The apparatus is used for the treatment of distal bite — a pathology in which the lower jaw is in a pronounced posterior position relative to the upper jaw. Therefore, the main task of the apparatus — is to push the lower jaw forward in order to stimulate oppositional growth and restrain the growth of the upper jaw. Telescopic beams ensure that the lower jaw is continuously extended and held in this position. While wearing the Herbst, the muscles are realigned and the position of the temporomandibular joint is changed.

Indications for treatment with the Gerbst appliance

The main diagnosis for the Gerbst appliance — is a pronounced distal bite. It is characterized by:

Underdevelopment, small size of the lower jaw relative to the upper one,
Excessive growth of the upper jaw,
The presence of a sagittal gap — the distance between the upper and lower front teeth.

The most effective age for using the device is from 11.5 to 14 years old. It is also used to treat adult patients, but less often than in adolescence.

How is Gerbst treatment?

Gerbst is used to correct the bite as an additional instrument to the bracket system or separately. In our practice, we most often use it in braces as a second stage of treatment — after we have corrected the position of the teeth and created straight teeth.

Before manufacturing the device, ordinary impressions or digital scans are removed from the dentition
Based on dental models, the Herbst apparatus is modeled and manufactured in the laboratory
The device is installed by an orthodontist: locks from braces are removed from 6 and 4 teeth and metal rings are fixed to which beams are attached

The schedule of visits to the orthodontist with Herbst follows the standard schedule of bracket activations — on average every 1.5 months.

The average duration of treatment with the appliance — 1 year.

What should I do if the appliance breaks?

If the metal rings have come off, they can be fixed to your teeth at your appointment. If it is the design of the appliance that is broken, it will be repaired in the lab where it was made.

But if the appliance is broken, it is extremely rare.

But appliance failures are extremely rare — the retainers are usually held tightly to the teeth and the design is very secure.