Original articles
The philosophy of the tooth positioning appliance

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Abstract

It is not necessary or desirable to treat every case of malocclusion that is presented. Many, if not most, of these children of 3 to 6 years can be safely put under observation in order that the tendency of growth can be noted. A fair percentage will be seen to improve as Nature seeks to correct some earlier period of retarded growth. Others may require the correction of a habit which is obstructing the normal course of development. Still others, such as the cases shown here, require slight mechanical corrections before normal function can be established and the forces of normal occlusion can exert their influence. Practically all of these cases suffer from low and improperly balanced muscle tone, and myofunctional therapy is used both during treatment and afterward to overcome this deficiency. As the span of attention is short in these younger cases, appointments must be kept brief and appliances simple; however, if these conditions are observed, the preschool children will be found to be among our most cooperative patients.

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Read before the Fall Meeting of the New York Society of Orthodontists, Nov. 14, 1944.

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