Mara & Mara U

Mara & Mara U Appliances

MARA (Mandibular Anterior Repositioning Appliance) is used to achieve Class II correction treatment goals in the “noncompliant” patient. For the MARA patient to close his / her mouth and occlude the teeth, they must posture the jaw forward into the desired Class I occlusion.

Mara Appliance

Mara Detail
Mara Appliance
Mara Appliance Upper & Lower View

With the MARA, the mandible is held forward in Class I occlusion by the labs positioning of the buccal attachments on the molars. The MARA is anchored to the molars in the same manner that a Herbst appliance is i.e. crowns, modified crowns or bands. The lower buccal attachments are fixed to the molars while the upper buccal attachments (called Elbows) are removable. The upper Elbows being removable enable the Orthodontist and/or staff to make adjustments and advancements in the appliance. Each MARA comes with both upper and lower archwire tubes to facilitate the option of fixed mechanics being used in conjunction with MARA treatment. Additionally, advancement shims in various sizes are available by request.

Mara “U” Appliance

Mara U Detail
Mara U Appliance
Mara U Appliance Upper & Lower View

To enhance the effectiveness of the Mara Appliance in very deep overbite cases the U-Mara is an excellent alternative. In deep overbite cases when the mandible is advanced there is a large posterior open bite making it difficult for the patient to keep the upper elbow and lower loop properly engaged. The “U” modification addresses this problem by reversing the lower loop to provide additional millimeters of vertical engagement between the lower arm and upper elbow.