The DNA Appliance Has Just Arrived

It has well and truly begun. I received the appliance January 27, 2011 and have by now worn it three nights.

DNA Appliance in this instance stands for "Do Not Adjust" Appliance (*See correction below). There is some contradiction in terms here because you do in fact adjust the appliance periodically. I'm going to assume however they are using the term adjustment in the sense of orthodontic adjustments- like when people have traditional braces and go in for their monthly "adjustments" where the pressure on the teeth gets tightened. That is what they called it when I was a kid. And with the DNA Appliance you are not subject to that kind of adjustment.

Obviously "DNA Appliance" is also a catchy name for marketing purposes and serves to reinforce that it is coming from the field of Epigenetics. 

* 10/20/11 Correction: Apparently the information I received early this year about the name of the appliance is incorrect. It is NOT called "Do Not Adjust". DNA actually stands for "Daytime-Nighttime Appliance™"

 In the photo above note the Y-shaped divisions in the appliance. Note the metal device in the center. Periodically a small tool will be inserted into the metal device and the appliance will spread slightly at the lines of division. This will slightly spread the palate at the bony sutures (see previous blog post "What Is Epigenetic Orthodontics?"), and new bone will grow into the gap that was created, gradually reshaping the mouth.

In this second view we see what might be assumed to be a retaining wire across the front, such as found in traditional orthodontic retainers. But that is not the case. There is actually a substantial gap between my two front teeth and that wire. I believe the wire defines the position my teeth will be in by the time therapy is finished. Note also the ziggurat-like wires in the front. These are springy and touch the backs of the front teeth. However the pressure against the tooth is extremely slight and is hardly noticed.

I was instructed by the doctor that it is optimal to wear the appliance 16 hours a day. It is not necessary to wear it during working hours but should be worn otherwise. If I can achieve this optimal schedule, I should be finished with the therapy in a matter of months. If I cannot, it will extend the therapy perhaps to a year or more. I was also told that due to the timing of our natural biorhythms the bone cells we are trying to grow will not be active during work hours even if the appliance were to be in, so there is no reason to try and push it beyond the 16 hours/day.  In other words the cells will grow during the resting and sleeping periods, but not during times of high activity.

The appliance must be removed for eating, however.

Cleaning is to be done by rinsing and a denture-type soak. The DNA Appliance is not to be brushed.

More to follow in the next blog post.