Nance Holding Appliance | Upper Space Maintainer Poway, CA

The Nance holding appliance is most commonly used to passively hold the upper first molars in place.

Several instances warrant the use of Nance appliance:

  1. Premature loss of upper baby tooth may require space maintenance if the succeeding permanent tooth is not expected to grow in within the 6 months following the loss of the baby tooth. Its purpose in this case is to prevent the back teeth from sliding forward and blocking the developing adult teeth out of the dental arch.
  2. A Nance appliance can be used to hold corrected positions of the teeth following another orthodontic treatment with a Pendulum appliance or Headgear for instance
  3. It can also serve as an anchorage device providing additional reinforcement to the back teeth where their movement is not desired

The Nance appliance is a rather simple appliance that is concealed on the roof of the mouth. It consists of a band on each first molar, an acrylic button in the front of the palate, and a stainless-steel wire connecting those three components. It is custom designed for each individual patient, and as such requires three different appointments for its installation.

In modern orthodontics, the Nance appliance is mainly used for space maintenance in younger patients.

Initial Placement

  • The first appointment takes no longer than 5 minutes and can be done at the same time as the consultation appointment if desired. Separators or small rubber bands are placed between the upper back teeth. They are used to make space between those teeth, and allow for the band fitting at the second appointment. It is important to avoid flossing the areas with the separators. As they begin to move, the back teeth will be sore for a few days.
  • The second appointment consists of band fitting around the molar (back) teeth, and taking the mold of the upper dental arch. The mold is used to design and custom make the appliance for each individual patient.
  • The third appointment is the delivery appointment, meaning the space maintainer is ready to be cemented in patient’s mouth. It is also time to educate the patient or parent on how to take care of the appliance.

Ready to schedule an appointment to Align Orthodontics for a Nance holding appliance in Poway, California? Call our orthodontist and team today at 858-487-0173 and book a visit with Dr. Mirna Nguyen.