Rods / Mara

The Rods ("Herbst") is a non-removable orthodontic appliance that is used for the treatment of an "overbite". The Rods were developed by Dr. Herbst in 1912, so it is known in the orthodontic scientific literature as the Herbst appliance. Its principal function is to hold the lower jaw forward in a normal biting position by means of metal rods. Although the appliance creates a desirable facial change immediately, it takes almost a year for the muscles of the face and the jaw to accomodate to the new position and effect a stable change.

The MARA appliance is designed to function in the same fashion and works better for people who can open their mouth very wide, or who are concerned with the esthetics of the rods.  MARA is an abbreviation for "mandibular anterior repositioning appliance" and was a joint creation by Dr. Douglas Toll of Germany and Dr. Jim Eckhart from California in 1991. As with the Herbst, the mara has no removable parts, so cooperation is not an issue and the patient's profile immediately looks better after the appliance has been inserted.