Case of the Month

This 11 year old patient presented with the following main orthodontic problems:

1.  Insufficient space for the upper canines to erupt fully
2.  Class II bite (posterior teeth not interdigitating well)
3.  Moderate crowding in the upper arch, mild in the lower

The summarized orthodontic treatment plan was to shift the upper posterior teeth back into proper bite position while creating room for the canines to erupt fully and align.  We utilized a very patient friendly appliance called a Carrier Distalizer as shown in the next photos.  More traditional methods might have included the wear of a headgear.  The patient wore rubber bands from the lower molar (back tooth) up to the upper first premolars where you see the little hook to accomplish the shift of the back teeth and the space creation.  Below are pictures of the appliance showing treatment progress.

 The patient did an excellent job with rubber band wear and the final pictures showing the treatment results are below.  The alignment of the teeth and the bite both look excellent and we were able to achieve our goals without extracting teeth.  The total treatment time was 16 months.

Common Bite Problems Seen in Children

The following is a video from the American Association of Orthodontists that discusses the common bite problems we see in children in the mixed dentition (children between the ages of 7 and 11 that have a combination of permanent and primary (baby) teeth present). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvB7ga6lNsc&feature=relmfu