Extra-Alveolar Bone Screws for Conservative Correction of Severe Malocclusion Without Extractions or Orthognathic Surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Evaluate management of challenging malocclusions conservatively (no extractions or orthognathic surgery). RECENT FINDINGS: Most malocclusions have a predominately environmental etiology. Optimal esthetics and function are restored by aligning the dentition over the apical base of bone at the appropriate vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO). Extra-alveolar (E-A) anchorage is achieved at three intraoral sites: mandibular buccal shelf (MBS), infrazygomatic crest (IZC), and anterior ramus. MBS and IZC bone screws effectively anchor the conservative correction of severe dental and skeletal malocclusions. All bone screw sites are effective for anchoring lever arms to recover impacted teeth. Rather than extracting teeth, E-A anchorage corrects crowding by retracting the posterior segments to increase arch length. Skeletal malocclusion is corrected by aligning teeth over the apical base of bone and restoring the VDO by retracting and posteriorly rotating the dental arches as segments. Challenging dental and skeletal malocclusions can be treated routinely via determinate mechanics anchored with E-A bone screws.

Severe unilateral scissors-bite with a constricted mandibular arch: Bite turbos and extra-alveolar bone screws in the infrazygomatic crests and mandibular buccal shelf.

A 33-year-old woman had a chief complaint of difficulty chewing, caused by a constricted mandibular arch and a unilateral full buccal crossbite (scissors-bite or Brodie bite). She requested minimally invasive treatment but agreed to anchorage with extra-alveolar temporary anchorage devices as needed. Her facial form was convex with protrusive but competent lips. Skeletally, the maxilla was protrusive (SNA, 86°) with an ANB angle of 5°. Amounts of crowding were 5 mm in the mandibular arch and 3 mm in the maxillary arch. The mandibular midline was deviated to the left about 2 mm, which was consistent with a medially and inferiorly displaced mandibular right condyle. Ectopic eruption of the maxillary right permanent first molar to the buccal side of the mandibular first molar cusps resulted in a 2-mm functional shift of the mandible to the left, which subsequently developed into a full buccal crossbite on the right side. Treatment was a conservative nonextraction approach with passive self-ligating brackets. Glass ionomer bite turbos were bonded on the occlusal surfaces of the maxillary left molars at 1 month into treatment. An extra-alveolar temporary anchorage device, a 2 × 12-mm OrthoBoneScrew (Newton A, HsinChu City, Taiwan), was inserted in the right mandibular buccal shelf. Elastomeric chains, anchored by the OrthoBoneScrew, extended to lingual buttons bonded on the lingually inclined mandibular right molars. Cross elastics were added as secondary uprighting mechanics. The maxillary right bite turbos were reduced at 4 months and removed 1 month later. At 11 months, bite turbos were bonded on the lingual surfaces of the maxillary central incisors, and an OrthoBoneScrew was inserted in each infrazygomatic crest. The Class II relationship was resolved with bimaxillary retraction of the maxillary arch with infrazygomatic crest anchorage and intermaxillary elastics. Interproximal reduction was performed to correct the black interdental spaces and the anterior flaring of the incisors. The scissors-bite and lingually inclined mandibular right posterior segment were sufficiently corrected after 3 months of treatment to establish adequate intermaxillary occlusion in the right posterior segments to intrude the maxillary right molars. The anterior bite turbos opened space for extrusion of the posterior teeth to level the mandibular arch, and the infrazygomatic crest bone screws anchored the retraction of the maxillary arch. In 27 months, this difficult malocclusion, with a Discrepancy Index score of 25, was treated to a Cast-Radiograph Evaluation score of 22 and a pink and white esthetic score of 3.