What is a Carriere Appliance and How is it Used?
Correcting your bite before getting braces.
Has your Orthodontist recommended a Carriere as part of your treatment plan?
Learn about how Carriere appliances correct dental bites prior to placing braces.
Carriere appliances are attached to top teeth for overbites and bottom teeth for underbites.
What is a Carriere Appliance?
A Carriere appliance is an orthodontic molar distalizer. This appliance begins to correct the bite prior to braces being placed.
Elastics are attached to the appliance using gentle, consistent force to move teeth into proper biting position.
When do we use a Carriere?
A Carriere appliance is used for dental overbites (Class 2 malocclusion) and dental underbites (Class 3 malocclusion). In an ideal bite, back teeth should interdigitate; fit like gears. Carriere appliances help move teeth into an ideal biting position.
This appliance is effective in moving teeth to correct bites. However, if the overbite or underbite is caused by jaw position, a different orthodontic treatment plan is recommended.
Elastics are attached from the top Carriere to a lower lingual holding arch for overbites.
Carriere appliances are placed on the bottom for underbites with elastics attached to a back brace.
Wearing a Carriere during your Smile Journey
Carriere appliances come in two pieces for overbites; the Carriere bar and a lower lingual holding arch. For underbites, the Carriere bar is placed on the bottom teeth and the elastics are connected to top braces.
Placing elastics are easy and should be changed several times throughout the day, when eating and at bed time. Since this appliance is activated by stretchy elastics, if the elastics are not worn around-the-clock consistently, the appliance will not be effective.