Pendulum and Pendex Appliances

Pendulum and Pendex appliances

Pendulum and Pendex are fixed intraoral orthodontic appliances custom-made for the upper dental arch. Their design allows force to be applied to the maxillary molars by means of springs positioned within the palatal area.

At KarDent, the appliances are manufactured from working models, impressions or intraoral scans. The appliance design, anchorage method, configuration of the metal components and extent of the acrylic section are adapted to the clinician’s prescription.

Pendulum appliance design

The conventional Pendulum appliance consists of a Nance-type palatal acrylic component, anchorage elements and two distalising springs. The TMA springs are incorporated into the acrylic section, while their active arms are inserted into palatal sheaths attached to the maxillary molar bands.

Anchorage may include occlusal rests or components attached to the premolars or deciduous molars, depending on the prescribed design. The conventional appliance uses 0.032-inch TMA springs and an extended palatal acrylic component that stabilises the construction.

Pendex – the version with an expansion screw

Pendex is a modification of the Pendulum appliance incorporating an expansion screw within the palatal section. Its design combines distalising springs with the possibility of controlled transverse development of the upper dental arch.

The screw type and position, the configuration of the metal arms and the division of the acrylic section are manufactured according to the clinician’s prescription. Pendex should be clearly distinguished from the conventional Pendulum appliance because the expansion screw is an essential part of its design.

Custom appliance design

Depending on the prescription, the appliance may be customised in terms of:

• the arrangement of the anchorage components,
• the design and configuration of the TMA springs,
• the position of the sheaths on the molar bands,
• the extent of the palatal acrylic component,
• the type and position of the screw in the Pendex appliance,
• additional adjustment loops and metal components,
• unilateral or bilateral appliance construction.

All metal components are formed and joined according to the technical design. The laboratory does not alter the appliance version or the direction of action of its components without prior consultation with the clinician.

Manufacture based on models or scans

Pendulum and Pendex appliances may be manufactured from physical models supplied to the laboratory, impressions or intraoral scans. In a digital workflow, the working models are produced using 3D printing technology.