Purposes and features of the use of lip bumpers in orthodontics. Why you need a lip bumper As an additional tool in the treatment of braces

In orthodontics, a variety of removable and non-removable structures are used. One of these is the lip bumper. It's removable orthodontic appliance, which is placed exclusively on the lower jaw and protects the dentition from external mechanical impact. It can be recommended for both adults and children.

A lip bumper may be needed in the following cases:

High load on the lower dentition from the cheeks and lips.
Excessive activity of the mental muscle and the muscle of the lower lip.
Availability bad habits such as nasal breathing, slipping the tip of the tongue between the lips, improper swallowing.
The need for minor alignment of the teeth mandible.
The need to correct the length of the lower dentition.
Treatment malocclusion in children.
An additional method of treatment of malocclusion in adults.

Correction with a removable orthodontic device lip bumper

Removable orthodontic appliances are easier to use than non-removable ones and do not cause much discomfort to the patient. One such device is the lip bumper. Orthodontics recommends using this design mainly for minor malocclusions, if the child has bad habits, if there is a mechanical effect on the teeth from the cheeks, lips, muscles.

Removable orthodontic appliances, such as a lip bumper, are a metal arch (photo above) that is attached to the molars with rings. The labial bumper does not touch the teeth and is located at a distance of approximately 2-3 mm from the front teeth and 4-5 mm from the side teeth. The more pronounced the curvature, the farther from the teeth is the labial bumper.

Orthodontics allows the installation of lip bumpers from the age of 6-7 years.

How to use a lip bumper

Many do not understand why lip bumpers are needed at all, if there are braces for straightening teeth in orthodontics. The lip bumper is used to achieve the following:

Protection of the dentition from the negative effects of the muscles.
Elimination of bad habits that can contribute to the curvature of the dentition.
Elimination of narrowing of the dentition.
Stimulation of the growth of the lower jaw.
Lengthening of the lower dental arch.
Elimination of crowded teeth.

In addition, the lip bumper is used to consolidate the results after treatment with braces.

The lip bumper is quite easy to use - the patient himself can take it off and put it on. At the time of eating, the design is recommended to be removed or washed under water after each meal. It is generally recommended to wear a lip bumper for several hours a day and wear it at night.

What does the lip bumper look like in the photo

The lip bumper (left photo) is a bit like a boxing mouthguard. It is a metal wire with a small plastic plate in the anterior section.

Lip bumper, a photo of which can also be seen on websites dental clinics, does not create a significant cosmetic defect, therefore it is especially popular not only among children and adolescents, but also adults. More photos can be found in patient reviews.

The lip bumper is a functional orthodontic appliance. The bumper is a thin vestibular arch made of a metal alloy.
It runs along the lower dentition behind the lower lip.
The device itself does not touch the teeth in the anterior part of the dental arch. The bumper is attached using metal rings worn on the molars, as a rule, the first permanent molars. Such rings, by the way, are quite common in orthodontics.

They have special mounts
with which you can fix thin wire structures, which include the lip bumper. In some cases, the lip bumper is attached using a common method such as contact soldering. Also, the ends of the lip bumper can be tucked into tubes soldered to the rings. At the ends of the lip bumper,
vertical loops for subsequent activation.
In the anterior section, the bumper arch is 2 mm away from the anterior teeth and has two plastic pads for abducting the lower lip.
In the lateral sections, the bumper arch is 4–5 mm away from the dentition.

In general, the method of fixing the bumper will depend on a number of factors that the dentist takes into account during treatment. The design of the lip bumper is chosen exclusively by the dentist, taking into account all the features of the clinical situation in oral cavity. Due to the fact that the bumper is located between the lip and the lower teeth, it protects the lower dentition from external pressure. External pressure is exerted by the lower lip during bad habits, for example, when biting. There is a special gap between the teeth and the bumper arch - this is done so that the teeth have space for straightening, that is, for vestibular straightening of the teeth. So the size of the created gap depends on how severely the teeth are crooked and their orthodontic correction is required.

Thus, the lip bumper does not have a mechanical effect directly on the teeth - rather, it even removes this mechanical effect, as it neutralizes the effect of the muscles of the lower lip. The application of a lip bumper returns the teeth to a natural environment where they can return to normal. Many patients do not understand why a dental bumper is needed at all? After all, braces do an excellent job of straightening your teeth. The fact is that now even the best and most modern braces only mechanically align the teeth, and they are no longer responsible for the further condition of the teeth. That is, after straightening your teeth, you remove them - and the braces will no longer help. However, it is worth considering - after all, for some reason the teeth are crooked, what will prevent them from doing it again after removing the braces? The curvature of the teeth is affected by the action of the chewing muscles of a person, the pressure of the mental muscle and lips, as well as such bad habits: breathing through the mouth, improper swallowing and protruding between the teeth of the tip of the tongue.

It is bad habits that most often cause repeated curvature of the teeth after the removal of braces.
All of them are accompanied by incorrect muscle movements, due to which the dentition is pathologically curved - the bite may even be broken again. It is in order to avoid this that lip bumpers are used. The strength of the muscles is so great that the retainer may not hold the result of orthodontic treatment. Muscles can even "move" a group of splinted teeth, their impact is so great.
Thus, the lip bumper performs two functions at once - it fights the negative effect of muscles on the dentition and bad habits, gradually teaching the patient to chew, swallow and breathe correctly. Thanks to the lip bumper, the effect of the treatment of curvature of the teeth will be really reliable. In addition, after treatment with lip bumpers, the dental arch is elongated, which makes it possible to eliminate the torsion of the teeth in the dentition.

bite correction methods

Section "Orthodontics" on the site

Imagine the situation: you need to take a group photo. The photographer is trying to arrange people so that everyone fits in the photo. Some people are forced to become sideways or half-sides, slightly covering their neighbor, so the whole person in the photo will still not be visible. Only faces will be clearly visible. The same thing can happen with human teeth. Due to constant influence from the outside, they are forced to “bunch up” and even twist. If the cause is precisely established and lies, for example, in the impact of one's own muscles on the teeth, then lip bumpers will help protect the curvature of the teeth in the dentition.

What is a lip bumper? lip bumper- this is a special orthodontic apparatus that really performs the function of damping external influences on the dentition, like a car bumper. It is a thin metal arc that runs along the lower dentition and is located behind the lower lip. The labial bumper does not touch the frontal teeth, i.e. in front of the dentition. How is he attached? As a fastening of the protective arc, standard metal rings worn on the molars are used. Such rings are widely used in orthodontic practice. So, these rings usually have special attachments for thin metal wire structures, which are also widely used in orthodontics. Another mounting option is also a very common contact soldering. The choice of attachment method depends on many parameters and is taken into account by the orthodontist when prescribing treatment.

So, the labial bumper is designed to protect the teeth from external pressure due to the fact that it is located between the lips and the surface of the teeth on the lower jaw. And the distance between the metal arc of the bumper and the dentition is deliberately made with a strictly defined gap. The secret is simple - the teeth need a place to come out and finally straighten. Therefore, the size of the gap will depend on the degree of curvature of the dentition.

Why not just use braces and straighten your teeth? Unfortunately, even the most modern braces only mechanically straighten the teeth, not caring about their future fate. In this case, the possible effects of one's own muscles or the so-called myofunctional effect are forgotten. Bad habits, such as mouth breathing, lip and chin pressure, can then negate any treatment. Myofunctional habits such as protruding tongue between teeth, improper swallowing, and mouth breathing are the most common causes curvature of the dentition. Incorrect and abnormal muscle efforts created by them contribute to maintaining the incorrect position of the teeth, interfere with treatment, and distort the dentition. Therefore, even after treatment with active orthodontic methods (braces, arches, etc.), the dentition almost always curves again and a recurrence of malocclusion occurs. You can correct the situation using trainers or lip bumpers.

So it turns out that the lip bumper is trying to do two important jobs at once: to fight against the harmful effects, gradually accustoming the patient to the “correct behavior”, and also creates conditions for aligning the dentition. So, thanks to the lip bumper, stable and encouraging results of treatment are achieved.

Scientific studies have shown that the use of lip bumpers not only reduces the excessive activity of the muscles responsible for the possible impact on the teeth, but also helps to lengthen the dental arch when the teeth are crowded. So the mechanism therapeutic effect lip bumper is quite understandable:

reduces the activity of the chin muscle.
reduce excessive pressure of the lower lip on the teeth
contributes to the lengthening of the dental arch

As a result, it turns out that the lip bumper is used in cases where it is necessary that the lower teeth move forward. That is why the labial bumper is recommended for patients with mixed dentition, in patients with a class 2 permanent dentition, and in some other cases determined during examination.

The lip bumper is an orthodontic product, the action of which is aimed at neutralizing the pressure of the lips and cheeks on the dentition of the upper and lower jaws.

This orthodontic appliance contains the following items:

metal arc - made of fine wire medical stainless steel;
pelots - serve to remove the lower (upper) lip from the dentition;
tubes - used to fix a metal arc, attached to rings;
rings - for fixing the structure on the supporting teeth, as a rule, these are the first molars;
loops - located at the ends of the product, calculated as needed to adjust the gap between the dentition and the lips.

The principle of operation of the lip bumper

The lip bumper is a functional device that contributes to the normalization of the process of work of all muscle groups of the dentoalveolar apparatus.

Very often the cause of the incorrect position of dental units in oral cavity is the excessive impact on them of the muscles of the chin, lips, cheeks.

The action of the lip bumper is to relieve muscle tension on the dental arches, normalize the functions of swallowing, chewing, breathing, which contributes to the creation favorable conditions for the formation of the physiological position of the teeth.

The labial bumper is located closer to the transitional fold at a distance of 1 - 2 mm from the central incisors and gums, 3 mm from the canines and 5 mm from the premolars. If necessary, during a visit to the orthodontist, the product is activated to exclude the possibility of a vestibular (towards the lip) inclination of the front teeth.

Varieties of lip bumper

The possibility of using the device at various stages of human development determines its type:

Bumper pacifier - used to correct the incorrect position of the tongue in the baby's mouth. It should be remembered that prolonged sucking on a pacifier is harmful. Its use is stopped after the child reaches the age of two.
The Hinz plate is a bumper dummy designed for older children (up to five years old), educational correct location tongue in the mouth.
Pre-orthodontic trainers are silicone pads that are worn at night and reduce the muscular impact on the dentition.

Indications and contraindications for the use of the lip bumper

This orthodontic product allows not only to deal with certain deviations in the position of the teeth, but also to consolidate the previously achieved treatment results during the active therapeutic period.

The use of a lip bumper is indicated in the following cases:

crowding anterior section dentition;
diastema, three;
the need to lengthen the dental arch;
as a retention device.

Contraindications for the use of a lip bumper may include:

diseases of bone tissue and blood;
the presence of an allergy to the material of construction;
extensive adentia;
increased gag reflex in the patient;
diabetes, malfunction of the adrenal glands;
severe psychological discomfort.

Pros and cons of applying a lip bumper

The use of this device has a number of advantages:

elimination of bad habits in children;
the ability to relieve excessive muscle pressure on the teeth;
teaches the correct position of the tongue in the oral cavity;
possibility of use as a prophylactic device in infancy.

The downsides to using a lip bumper are:

the possibility of damage to the soft tissues of the oral cavity;
the adaptation period sometimes causes discomfort for the patient;
low aesthetic design.

The need to manufacture the device from metal is dictated by the effectiveness of this particular material.

Duration of lip bumper treatment

The age of the patient, the condition of the dentition, the thoroughness of fulfilling the requirements of the orthodontist determines the timing of wearing the orthodontic structure. The duration of the treatment period ranges from 6 - 8 months to 3 - 4 years.

Hygienic care of the product depends on the type of lip bumper. If this is a kind of dummy bumper, hygiene measures are carried out the same as with an ordinary dummy.

It is necessary to regularly rinse the product under running warm water and clean it with toothpaste and a brush. While eating, the lip bumper must be removed - this will protect the product from mechanical damage.