CONSTRUCTION BITE FOR AN
 ORTHOPEDIC CORRECTOR 1
 OR
 TWIN BLOCK APPLIANCE

This is the most important step in your office procedure to insure a properly constructed functional appliance.  It is essential that you have:

1. A Hanau hot water heater with water at 139 degree Fahrenheit.

2. Modern material Mfg. Co. Pink Base Plate Wax.

Procedure

1. For practice without a wax bite, have the patient close in an end to end position, with the lower incisors biting with the upper incisors.

2. Warm the wax in the Hanau hot water at 139 degrees fahrenheit.

3. Fold the wax. (see left)

4. Place the wax on the lower posterior teeth.  Keep the wax off of the anterior teeth so you can see the teeth clearly during taking of the bite.

5. Have the patient reposition the mandible forward, so the lower anterior teeth are in an end to end  vertical position with the upper anterior teeth,

6. The patient should close slowly until there is a 2 to 3 mm of space between the upper and lower central incisors.*

7. Remove the wax from the mouth.

8. Chill the wax in cold water.

9. Cut off the excess wax with scissors.

10. Place the wax between the model and look to see that you have a good construction bite.

The George gauge has recently been developed to give more consistently perfect construction bites.  I highly recommend the George Gauge, developed by Dr. Peter George, Orthodontist from Hawaii.

*We also need a minimum of 5 mm space (vertical opening ) in the bicuspid region for the Twin Block.

The George Gauge can be obtained from EOP (European Ortho Products) (800)328-8021, Minneapolis, MN.

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