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ALF APPLIANCES
(Advanced Lightwire Functional)
Background
It is not often a major breakthrough occurs in our professional lifetime that has a monumental impact on patient treatment. The ALF appliance represents just such a discovery. Thanks to the genius and perseverance of Dr. Darick Nordstrom and laboratory technician Heather Ashton the ALF appliances are custom designed to help correct cranial base and cranial distortions present in the chronic pain, orthopedic/orthodontic type patient.
Philosophy of the ALF Appliance
• Forces should mimic or be similar to those of the tongue in the mature, tooth-together swallowing reflex.
• Appliances should be minimally intrusive on the intra-oral function. Stable completion requires a mature swallow, defined by:
| -correct vertical dimension and tongue space, with well functioning TMJ's |
| -correct location of premaxilla, with anterior coupling, and nasal breathing. |
| -release of dento-cranial lesions, and establishment of resilient cranial motion. |
N-Sagittal
For class 2 cases
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Basic ALF |
ALF
Lip bumper
for anterior crowding
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