Removable Appliances in Orthodontics

Removable appliances are orthodontic appliances that can be inserted and removed by the patient. They comprise a number of components, each of along with their clinical uses, in separate chapters. Removable appliances began to be used routinely in the 19th century, butthese were relatively crude devices, constructed from vulcanite, with precious metal wires and sometimes depending for their action on the expansion of hickory wood pegs when soaked by saliva. Removable appliances have many advantages, they exert minimal interference with dentoalveolar growth, and are particularly useful for treatment during the developing stages of the dentition. The success of removable appliances depends on good design and attention to detail. Removable appliances must be well designed and accurately constructed to the specification of the orthodontist who, if necessary, must be able to construct an appliance himself exactly as he wants it.