Cervical neckgear--villain or savior?
An understanding of growth and development and the effect our appliances have on a person's growth and development is necessary in the selection of the therapeutic appliances we choose to use, out of the multitude available. Timing of treatment is also important in effecting positive changes in skeletal and dental relationships. Early treatment to correct skeletal discrepancies and gain arch length can allow for an increase in nonextraction therapy. Cervical extraoral appliances, maxillary fixed expansion appliances, and mandibular labial "E" arches can be used early to effectively reduce of skeletal discrepancies and to gain arch length without the fear of rotating the mandible down and back, permanently increasing the mandibular plane angle. Case reports are presented to illustrate the beneficial changes that can occur with early treatment with these appliances.