The distal jet simplified and updated.

S we introduced the Distal Jet* to the pro­ fession more than six years ago, it has achieved worldwide acceptance as an esthetic fixed appliance that can produce consistently reliable distal molar movement without the need for unusual patient compliance.1-22 Our experience with hundreds of Distal Jet cases has helped us identify key components of the appliance that could possibly be upgraded and modified. These observations were con­ firmed by a number of other clinicians. The most frequently encountered problems have been: • Inadequate visibility of the screw. • Difficulty in accessing the hex-head opening. • Stripping of the screw, activation wrench, or both during treatment. • Inability to obtain positive engagement of the lock on the tube to fully compress the spring. • A feeling of “looseness” of the appliance in the retention phase. With this information, we set out to make the Distal Jet an even more effective and practi­ cal tool for orthodontists.