2007 Annual Session - Non-Surgical and Non-Extraction Open Bite Correction in Adults with Ortho Miniplates

Ever since the development of the skeletal anchorage system (SAS) utilizing titanium miniplates as absolute orthodontic anchorages, we have been offering a non-surgical treatment option for skeletal open-bite adult patients. However, a non-surgical approach is not necessarily easy because most skeletal open-bite cases usually have not only vertical problems but also some anteroposterior and transverse orthodontic problems, including maxillary protrusion, an anterior crossbite, an asymmetric dentition and crowding. The most distinguished feature of SAS is to enable orthodontists to predictably move molars with ease in any of the three dimensions because the miniplates are always placed outside the dental arches with monocortical titanium screws and do not disturb any kind of tooth movement. Therefore, it has become possible to solve complex orthodontic problems of skeletal open-bite cases without the need for jaw surgery or bicuspid extraction. The most important step in open-bite correction with SAS must be to properly establish individualized treatment goals prior to treatment, taking into consideration 1) the level and cant of the occlusal plane, 2) the extent of the interlabial gap, 3) the amount of autorotation of the mandible following intrusion of the molars, and 4) the amount of true arch-length deficiency. In this session, the concept and methods for establishing individualized treatment goals, SAS biomechanics for non-surgical and non-extraction treatment, and the long-term outcomes will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Update knowledge of TADs
• Learn how to operate orthodontic miniplates
• Understand the indications and limitation of SAS biomechanics
• Add the innovative SAS biomechanics to their clinical strategies