A functional appliance is a special type of brace that is used in children. It can optimise growth aid correction of discrepancies in jaw size. Further orthodontic treatment is usually required to finalise the precise position of the teeth.
Due to the lower jaw being underdeveloped in this child, the upper teeth were relatively prominent. This had already resulted in injury of one the front teeth due to its vulnerable position. A combination of functional appliances and a fixed brace were used to correct the growth of the lower jaw and align the teeth. The teeth are now at much reduced risk of further trauma.