Innovations in Orthodontics: Skeletal Versus Dentoalveolar Expansion Utilizing Clear Aligners and TAD-Assisted Expanders.

Hypoplastic maxilla is a common skeletal anomaly that compromises function and esthetics. Beyond just a narrow-appearing smile, this abnormality presents significant restorative challenges in adult patients as it is often associated with crowding, compromised axial inclination of the teeth, lack of alveolar bone support, root proximity, and occlusal trauma.1 Recent research also confirms association of maxillary deficiency with nasal stenosis and a predisposition to compromised nasal airflow and pharyngeal collapse during sleep.2,3 Maxillary transverse skeletal deficiency is often but not always associated with posterior dental cross-bite. In most cases, maxillary posterior teeth are flared buccally and mandibular posterior teeth are excessively lingually inclined masking the underlying skeletal problem.4 Advances in 3D imaging in dentistry, namely ultra-low radiation cone-beam imaging technology, have significantly enhanced clinicians' ability to diagnose and subsequently treat a maxillary transverse deficiency.5.

More Than Straightening Teeth: The Orthodontist's Role in Sleep Dentistry.

In 2023, the ever-evolving field of orthodontics continues to provide clinicians opportunities to positively impact their patients' oral health and overall well-being. Clear aligners have sustained their upward trend of being utilized more frequently than ever and delivering outstanding results in cases that were previously deemed to be "impossible" to treat with aligners. Technology has advanced and new companies that rely heavily on intraoral scans combined with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) have continued to demonstrate their impact on decreasing treatment time and increasing predictability. However, certain critical topics remain controversial. Airway constrictions, sleep apnea, and extraction of premolars and its effect on a patient's facial profile are all highly polarizing and debatable subjects among orthodontists, their referring general dentists, and their patients themselves. In this article, the authors will attempt to demystify and clarify the facts behind obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the role of the dental professional.