Functional orthopedic treatments are treatments aimed at guiding jaw growth during the growth and development periods of patients. Various devices called functional orthopedic appliances are used for this purpose. These devices are of two types: removable devices that patients can put on and take off themselves, and fixed devices that are put on by the orthodontist and must remain in place. Which one is used depends on the patient's oral structure and the orthodontist's treatment plan. In cases where the lower or upper jaw is too far forward or backward, or is narrow, the use of these appliances can yield very successful results in patients during their growth and development period.
Functional orthopedic treatments, or jaw treatments, can also be successfully performed using transparent aligners.