Functional approach to a Class II patient with upper first molar impaction.

The lack of the left first molar maxillary and the left second molar maxillary, caused respectively by impaction and agenesis is a very rare case, which determines an important occlusal imbalance and asymmetrical mandible movement. A gnatologic and functional orthodontic approach were planned to improve the retrognathic mandible and the muscular activity using kinesiograph and electromyography.

Treatment of skeletal class II division 1 malocclusion with mandibular deficiency using myofunctional appliances in growing individuals.

Class II division 1 malocclusion is the most common malocclusion seen in day-to-day practice. The majority of the patients with class II division 1 malocclusions have the presence of underlying skeletal discrepancy between maxilla and mandible. The treatment of skeletal class II division 1 depends upon the age of the patient, growth potential, severity of malocclusion, and compliance of patient with treatment. Myofunctional appliance can be successfully used to treat growing patients with class II division 1 malocclusion having retrusive mandible. This article presents a discussion on treatment of class II division 1 due to mandibular deficiency with growth modification approach using myofunctional appliances and a series of three case reports of treatment of skeletal class II division 1 malocclusion using myofunctional appliance followed by fixed mechanotherapy.

Treatment of class II division 1 malocclusion with myofunctional trainer system in early mixed dentition period.

Dentofacial growth interferences, caused by abnormal lip and tongue function in the mixed dentition period are a common clinical condition. The main purpose of the treatment in such cases is to eliminate oral dysfunction, establish muscular balance and correct or diminish maxillary incisor protrusion. The position of the teeth is determined by the lip and tongue pressure. Lip function may have been the cause of forcing teeth in to malposition they occupy. The case report is presented where the myofunctional trainer T4K is used during growth phase.

The effect of 904 nm low level laser on condylar growth in rats.

A growth center of the mandible that contributes to its length and height is the mandibular condyle. Proliferation of prechondroblasts, followed by synthesis of the extracellular matrix and hypertrophy of the cartilage cells, governs the major part of condylar growth. The sample consisted of 54 male rats, weighing between 60 g and 80 g, divided randomly into three groups. Group I was the control group, group II was irradiated bilaterally, and group III was irradiated on the right side. Laser irradiation (lambda = 904 nm, 2000 Hz, pulse length 200 ns and output power 4 mW) was performed, and the procedure was repeated after a 50-day interval. Two months later, the rats were killed. In a single blind manner the lengths of denuded mandibles and the lengths of mandibles on soft tissue were measured. The growth of the mandibles in the unilaterally irradiated group (P < 0.001) and the bilaterally irradiated group (P < 0.05) was significantly more than that in the control group. There was no significant difference between right and left condylar growth in the bilaterally irradiated group (P = 0.3). Soft tissue analysis also verified these results (P < 0.001). Histomorphometric results also revealed a significant difference between laser-irradiated groups and the control group (P < 0.01). We concluded that particular laser irradiation with the chosen parameters can stimulate condylar growth and subsequently cause mandibular advancement. These findings might be clinically relevant, indicating that low level laser irradiation can be used for further improvement of mandibular retrognathism.

Craniofacial growth in children affected by juvenile idiopathic arthritis involving the temporomandibular joint: functional therapy management.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to asses the effects of a functional appliance on condyles damaged by juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). and 2) to evaluate its ability to reduce alterations in craniofacial development. STUDY DESIGN: Seventy-two JIA patients with temporomandibular involvement, ages ranging between 4 and 16 years, were treated. All of them presented temporomandibular joint involvement. They were treated with an activator and followed for 4 years. RESULTS: At the second examination, it was possible to observe a reduction in mandibular retrusion and in the sagittal discrepancy between mandible and maxilla, a reduction in the angle of divergence, a counterclockwise rotation of the mandible, a reduction of the gonial angle, a longer mandibular ramus, a reduction in the discrepancy between anterior and posterior height caused by an increase in posterior height and a forward positioning of the chin. CONCLUSION: The functional appliance reduces the severity of facial alterations improving mandibular and condylar growth.

Neuromuscular diagnosis in orthodontics: effects of TENS on the sagittal maxillo-mandibular relationship.

AIM: This study was conducted in order to assess the changes in the occlusal position of the mandible after ULF (Ultra Low Frequency)-TENS relaxing procedure in subjects in pubertal growth phase with diagnosed Angle Class II division 1 and mandibular dentoalveolar retrusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed on 19 patients (13 females, 6 males) with an Angle Class II division 1, aged between 10 and 15 years old (mean age 12.26, SD 1.32), characterised by mandible dentoalveolar retrusion and optimal vertical facial dimension, diagnosed by clinical and cephalometric evaluation. Diagnostic neuromuscular registrations were made for all subjects. The casts were mounted on articulator in habitual intercuspal position with a tooth-guided wax bite registration. Reference points were chosen at molar level. Subsequently the same casts were mounted in myocentric position and compared to the habitual intercuspal position, assessing the sagittal shift after TENS procedure. STATISTICS: Mean and standard deviation were calculated on the amount of shifting at the left molar reference point after TENS procedure. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), using STATA statistics package, was carried out in order to evaluate the influence of sex and age on the amount of molar shift. RESULTS: Nine subjects showed, in the sagittal plane, a forward mandibular shift in neuromuscular myocentric position compared to habitual intercuspal position. Six subjects showed no differences between habitual and myocentric position in the sagittal plane. Four individuals showed a backward mandible shift after TENS indicating worsening of the II molar class in the sagittal plane. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that TENS recorded occlusion in subjects with Class II division 1 with mandible dentoalveolar retrusion allows to visualise an unusual trend of growth. The advancements of the mandible were not taken into account. These results could offer new diagnosis and prognosis methods for Class II malocclusions.

Nonextraction and nonsurgical treatment of an adult with skeletal Class II open bite with severe retrognathic mandible and temporomandibular disorders.

AIM: The treatment of an adult patient with a skeletal Class II Division 1 malocclusion, retrognathic mandible with downward and backward rotation, anterior open bite, and temporomandibular disorders is presented. Treatment objectives included establishing a stable occlusion with normal respiration, eliminating temporomandibular disorder symptoms, and improving facial esthetics through nonextraction and nonsurgical treatment. SUBJECT AND METHODS: The patient was a Japanese adult female, who had previously been advised to have orthognathic surgery. An expansion plate was used to reshape the maxillary dentoalveolar arch. Distalization of the maxillary arch and forward movement of the mandible were achieved by reduced excessive posterior occlusal vertical dimension, through uprighting and intruding the mandibular posterior teeth, and rotating the mandible slightly upward and forward. The functional occlusal plane was reconstructed by uprighting and intruding the mandibular posterior teeth with a full-bracket appliance, combined with a maxillary expansion plate and short Class II elastics. Myofunctional therapy and masticatory and cervical muscle training involved chewing gum exercises and neck-muscle massage. RESULTS: The excessive posterior vertical occlusal dimension was significantly reduced, creating a small clearance between the posterior maxilla and mandible. The occlusal interferences in the posterior area were eliminated by the expansion of the maxillary dentoalveolar arch. As a result, the mandible moved forward, creating a more favorable jaw relationship. Distal movement of the maxillary arch was also achieved. The functional occlusal plane was reconstructed and a normal overjet and overbite were created. Adequate tongue space for normal respiration was established during the early stage of treatment. A stable occlusion with adequate posterior support and anterior guidance was established in a treatment time of 25 months, without orthognathic surgery, extraction, or headgear; this result was maintained at more than 1 year 8 months posttreatment.

The effect of tongue appliance on the nasomaxillary complex in growing cleft lip and palate patients.

Midfacial deficiency is a common feature of cleft lip and palate patients due to scar tissue of the lip and palate closure procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the physiological force of the tongue to move the maxilla in forward position. This research has been done experimentally by, before and after treatment following up in private practice. Ten patients (6 female, 4 male) with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate were selected. All of them had Cl III malocclusion with maxillary deficiency due to scar tissue of lip and palate surgery. Their age ranged from 7.6 to 9.8 years. All the patients were delivered tongue appliance to transfer the force of the tongue to maxillary complex. The mean observation time was 13+/-2 months to achieve positive overjet. Pre- and post-lateral cephalograms were compared to evaluate the skeletal changes with paired t-test. The results showed that after the application of tongue appliance, normal sagittal maxillomandibular relationship was achieved. SN-ANS angle was increased 1.9+/-1.8 - P < 0.03. This study showed that the tongue appliance could transfer considerable force during rest and swallowing period to the maxilla. This method might be considered to improve the deficient maxilla by means of growth modification and redirect concept.

Planas direct tracks in young patients with Class II malocclusion.

In Brazil, Class II malocclusions affect approximately one-third of children in the primary dentition period, and approximately two-thirds of the adolescent population. According to many authors, this type of malocclusion worsens with time, due to facial growth during childhood, both in terms of quantity and quality, and the facial pattern is established at an early age. The application of the Planas Direct Tracks concept and technique may represent an interesting tool for the correction and prevention of Class II malocclusion in an early treatment approach, working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, applying oral functions and muscle activity to correct the malocclusion.

Orthodontic treatment of a patient with hypophosphatemic vitamin D-resistant rickets.

Hypophosphatemic vitamin D-resistant rickets, when developed later in life, is less severe and may not be characterized by rickets or other osseous deformities. A Japanese girl, age nine years and one month, was first seen in the Dental Hospital of Osaka University, complaining of the crowding of the maxillary teeth. At one year of age, the patient was admitted to Osaka University Hospital for her leg deformities. Although the patient has been administered 4 micrograms 1 alpha/-hydroxyvitamin D3 and 1.0 g phosphorous daily, the serum phosphate has been low and never reached normal level. This case was a Class II division 2 malocclusion with severe anterior crowding and retarded mandibular growth. We treated her with a functional appliance (elastic open activator), followed by the extraction of four premolars and the use of an edgewise appliance. No unfavorable root resorption or bone defect occurred. Good occlusion was achieved and the facial features were pleasing.