Images from Abraham Blechman and Eugene A. Pescatore, "Magnetic Force Functional Orthodontic Appliances," US Patent 4671767, Jun 9, 1987.

Text from "Frankel Appliance: Patient Instructions," James A. McNamara et al

FRANKEL APPLIANCE

Today your child has been given a Frankel appliance, more specifically a function regulator of Frankel. This appliance was developed in East Germany in 1966 and has been used in this country to correct jaw imbalances and crowding problems since the mid­70s.

After the initial appliance insertion, your child may appear puffy due to the bulk of the appliance.

Speaking while wearing a Frankel appliance can be difficult in the beginning, although the amount of difficulty encountered by patients varies greatly. Your child is encouraged to speak slowly and clearly with the appliance in place. The patience of the parent and teacher in this regard is of utmost importance. We recommend having the patient read out loud for one half hour per day until speech patterns are reestablished.

As you can see by examining it, the Frankel appliance is extremely fragile and is likely to distort or break if subjected to undue pressure. The appliance must be kept in either the patient's mouth or in a storage container given to you at the time of appliance placement.