Hello, fellow ALFers ,

A very concerned mother brought her 6 year-old daughter for a consultation. During the checkup visit at her dentist’s office, she had inquired about the exposed root. The dentist recommended a periodontal procedure a few years down the road to cover the root with a free gingival graft. He also stated that it was too early to do any orthodontic treatment.

Images 1 + 2, March 2017

This type of root exposure occurs commonly when there is insufficient space in the...

Hello, fellow ALFers

I am so grateful that Dr. Darick Nordstrom has been sharing his ALF designs with us! One thing that intrigues me about the basic ALF design is that it tickles our imagination and creativity to come up with variations and innovations of lightwire designs. 

When I took my first ALF course in 2003, I thought the design I was taught was written in stone. In hindsight, this was helpful to prevent a complete information overload as cranial osteopathy,...

Hurray, I am aware of two additional laboratories fabricating ALF and other lightwire appliances.

Boone Dental Arts

Luke Stukenholtz
Boone, Iowa
Tel. (515) 230-7009

Luke took my “ALF Therapy and the Cranial Concept 101” course last May in Durango, CO. It was immediately apparent that he had excellent wire bending skills. No wonder … at age fourteen, he started spending time with his father in the dental lab and had fun copying everything dad did.

Luke was particularly...

 The silent prayer of an ALF dentist: "I hope it will not come loose ..."

Let's discuss some options for retention, including and beyond the traditional ALF crib. The following material is an excerpt from my next online course "ALF Beyond the Basics".

Dr. Nordstrom’s ALF Cribs

• TWO retentive crescents: lingual and buccal
• If a crib comes loose, it distorts easily if the patient bites down on it.

Foiled Cribs

• The foil makes the crib...

ALF therapy during the mixed dentition phase is a gentle, powerful way for arch development. To bring about the best results for our patients, we need to envision where we want to end up: with enough space for the permanent canines and bicuspids to erupt.

Here is what can easily happen: the patient starts out with anterior crowding. We develop the maxilla and now everything looks good.

The patient may wear a night-time Hawley retainer...

Strategic Placement of Resin Ledges 

There is a fine line between keeping the ALF securely in the patient’s mouth and making it a struggle to get it out. You know what I am talking about …

GENERAL TIPS ABOUT RESIN LEDGES 

• Place resin BEFORE activating/adjusting the ALF. It is easier to bond ledges against a body wire that is passive.
• Material: I like Premise Flowable because it flows easily yet holds...

You most likely have come across this situation: your patient started ALF treatment when s/he was already entering the late mixed dentition phase. With the roots of the primary molars shortened from absorption, the buds of the permanent teeth were not carried along during arch development. Now, one of the premolars is erupting with the lingual cusp underneath the body wire. How to best deal with this ...?

Here are a few options:

1. Take an impression for a new...

 Cranial Osteopathy and Dental Malocclusions

Cranial osteopathy is a complex subject. It can be dry until things start making sense. Getting a basic understanding is challenging at best.
A good way to start is understanding the principles and familiarizing yourself with the terminology.

Cranial strains are a significant factor for facial growth and development and play a big role in malocclusions. Watch "Cranial Osteopathy as Part of ALF Therapy" if you'd like to learn or...

Dr. Nordstrom's ALF InterFACE is developing an online presence helping patients and parents to find resources and providers, and offering healthcare providers online ALF-specific seminars and continuing education credits. The best time to get listed is NOW.