American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) Practice Exam

A flexible functional appliance is designed to alter the position of the jaw during functional movements while being adaptable to the patient's oral environment. The Jasper jumper is a type of flexible functional appliance that utilizes a spring mechanism, allowing for more freedom of movement and promoting favorable dental and skeletal changes without being rigid. The Herbst appliance, while an effective fixed functional appliance, is characterized by its rigid structure, providing a constant relationship between the upper and lower jaws. The MARA (Mandibular Anterior Repositioning Appliance) shares similar traits with the Herbst, relying more on fixed components to guide jaw movement. Forsus appliances, similar to the Herbst, are fixed mechanisms designed to correct Class II malocclusions by promoting forward positioning of the mandible but do not offer the same flexibility in terms of functional movement as the Jasper jumper. Therefore, the Jasper is distinguished as a flexible functional appliance due to its ability to permit natural movements within the mouth while still helping to address dental and skeletal alignment issues.