A simple appliance for controlling the vertical dimension

Research on the developing dentofacial complex by Enlow, Woodside, Moss, Bjork, McNamara, Sassouni and Harvold has indicated that, in some patients, what orthodontists have been treating as an anterior/posterior problem is really a vertical problem

OPA Recommendations for use:

High Pull Headgear
Use with high pull cap and safety modules. Force level should be light 3 ounces or roughly 100 grams. We recommend using NewGear High Pull Extra cushion headgear with light force springs or NewGear Vertical Pull headgear.

Wear Time

The OPA should not be considered a nighttime appliance. It is best thought of as a part-time appliance.

For the first week, we suggest 4-5 hours of daytime wear. Daytime wear is required until the patient can wear the OPA all night. Ten hours of wear in every 24 hours, will produce a noticeable change in 3-4 months.

Any day the patient wears OPA all night, no daytime wear is needed. If the patient does not wear OPA all night, then 4 hours daytime wear is required.

Recheck Appointments

Visits to check the OPA patient need to be no more often than every 6- 10 weeks.
   

Reforming OPA

For severely constricted arches: Heat the OPA in very hot water (180 degrees F or 90 degrees C) water for 30 seconds. 

Temper in cool water. Place on the study model and adjust the width to conform. No attempt to adapt to the individual teeth should be made.  This will prevent self-adjustment of the teeth within OPA's ideal arch form.

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