title: The functional compensation: an interceptive procedure in the mixed dentition.
abstract: Functional compensation, like the morphologic one which accompanies it, is to be encountered naturally in each system or organ. It facilitates the performance of the required activities in spite of the defectiveness of one or more of their biocomponents. If the pathologic forms of compensation or simply their perturbing effects are noticed early enough, deleterious and irreversible effects on growth and development of the orofacial zone may be avoided. Instead of simply supervising dental evolution or limiting intervention to early procedures (extractions) until the time for corrective treatment, we propose functional interception. Inducing a therapeutic compensation by removable appliances, this therapy aims to modify the equilibrium of displaying forces and to favor a more physiologic alveolar and sutural growth. The proposed appliances are able to intervene in the postural and dynamic position of the mobile organs in the oral cavity. They compensate their action; that is, they correct, complete, or replace it. The bimaxillary appliance is called bioactivator "biprax". Based simultaneously on the principles of the activator and bionator, it exploits a normal display of the two praxisms-speech and deglutition. Being worn day and night, it is able to guide efficiently the evolution of dental, alveolar, and even basal relationships. Its interceptive use does not interfere in any way with the onset of a corrective treatment in the adult dentition.
mesh_terms: D000202:Activator Appliances; D002648:Child; D003818:Dentition, Mixed; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000628:therapy*; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000628:therapy; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D009968:Orthodontic Appliances, Removable; D009972:Orthodontics, Interceptive; D014061:Tongue Habits