Myofunctional orthodontics: the ever increasing demand

Myofunctional Research Co. has expanded its MRC Clinics concept with the opening of new centres at 1 Spring Street in Bondi Junction in Sydney and 2/201 Ron Penhaligon Way, Robina on the Gold Coast. MRC Clinics provides early orthodontic treatment without the need for braces and currently has 8 centres in NSW and Queensland, 3 in New Zealand, 11 in the US and one each in Germany and Russia.

MRC Clinics is an offshoot of the Queensland-based Myofunctional Research Co's highly successful global orthodontic appliance business.

"The demand for early orthodontic treatment continues to grow," said Daniel Smith, Operations Manager at Myofunctional Research Co. "and MRC is the leader in providing effective myofunctional orthodontic treatment - often without the need for braces or extractions.

"MRC takes a different approach to orthodontic treatment. Through our appliances, we change the oral environment by removing the poor oral habits that are the major cause of malocclusion, naturally aligning the teeth and resulting in better jaw and facial development."

Mr Smith said that MRC's well-established Trainer System is now the dominant early-myofunctional treatment system preferred by dentists and orthodontists around the world. MRC has constantly developed the most advanced dental appliances for more than a decade and now these latest appliances will exclusively be under the Myobrace name.

"Now, Myobrace is the unified brand taking MRC and myofunctional orthodontics into the future," he said. "The Myobrace System incorporates the advanced range of dual-moulded appliances, with additional features that provide improved myofunctional habit correction and dental alignment. This means a wider range of growing children and a wider range of malocclusions can now be treated with The Myobrace System.

Mr Smith said that whilst it is all very well to have advanced appliance systems, these systems must also be simple to use, easy to deliver and cost-effective for both doctor and patient.

"Myobrace uses a three-stage appliance system that takes into consideration a patient's age, dentition and type of malocclusion - allowing for a clear and more precise approach to diagnosis and appliance selection.

Another significant advancement has been the development of the Myobrace Certified Provider program. This program caters to doctors wanting a more efficient approach to making myofunctional orthodontics really work in their practice. This global initiative gives dentists and orthodontists access to additional training, priority support, patient educational programs and improved practice layout systems that can result in increased financial benefits for both the doctor and patient. Some of the potential benefits of becoming a Myobrace Certified Provider include:

• Being able to treat a wider range of patients;
• Increase patient flow in your practice;
• Free up doctor time by delegating more tasks to trained auxiliaries;
• Less chair-side time is required per-patient; and
• Financial benefits can be achieved for both doctor and the patient.

"The growing demand for Myofunctional Orthodontics in both the professional and public arenas is seeing an increasing number of practices entirely devoted to these evolutionary treatment methods," Mr Smith said. "The Myobrace System will allow myofunctional orthodontics to become the standard orthodontic treatment - treating earlier and treating myofunctional habits first will allow orthodontic treatment to become simpler and more effective.

"Myobrace will take paediatric orthodontic care into the future and will be the first preference for parents concerned about the growth and development of their children."