Kids and teens are often treated orthodontically and it’s unique in Germany that half of the treatment duration is performed with removable appliances. Special attention is to be paid because removable appliances work much worse than fixed ones. With removable appliances most of the tooth movements can only be performed inefficiently or with nothing but a lot of luck. Because of their limited capacities they can only be used for simple orthodontic treatments. But even simple tooth movements don’t succeed with removables because the thick acrylic braces cause severe speech impediments and therefore young patients only wear them at night. Yes, you read that right: Wearing removables at daytime isn’t compatible with a normal every day life. Like scientists from the University of Tübingen have shown young patients wear their inconvenient removable orthodontic appliances for a median of ten hours per day. At any occasion you are blamed for the lack of wear-time by your orthodontist. He should know that its enhancement isn’t possible.
It’s no wonder that one or two thirds of orthodontic treatments with removable appliances end up with a failure or are broken off at an early stage. Even those few successful treatments with removables require twice as much time as fixed ones. Moreover, it’s not surprising that your health insurance or your parents have to pay additional costs.
It’s strange, isn’t it? Removable appliances are mostly inefficient, inconvenient, lead to early break-off or failure and are more expensive – why are they used? This secret can be easily revealed: As far as orthodontists are concerned removables are equal to gold-dropping donkeys. With a little effort they bring a huge benefit. It’s very sad that our health insurance is stupid enough to pay the most for the worst orthodontic treatment!
Kids, please reject this treatment: If an orthodontic wants to use removables during your orthodontic treatment then laugh at him and ask for an honest treatment with fixed appliances. A unique exception is the treatment of a large incorrect overbite with a single removable appliance. This can be regarded as justified, but everything else is nonsense!