2020 Winter Conference - Buccal Shelf (BS) Screws for Class III Openbite Correction

Common anterior open bite corrections include extractions and a variety of appliances, such as, high-pull headgear, bite blocks, and elastics. In more severe cases, orthognathic surgery is required to correct the skeletal malocclusion. While surgery proves to be a reliable treatment option, many patients reject it for the prohibitive cost, pain and long recovery time. Recently, TADs have allowed orthodontists to treat some of these patients without orthognathic surgery through intrusion of the posterior mandibular molars and rotate the occlusal plane. They provide a treatment alternative for mild-to-moderate open bite cases without other skeletal contributing factors. This lecture will demonstrate how to properly identify and eliminate the etiology of anterior open bite and create effective strategies to correct it with buccal shelf (BS) TADs and extractions. After this lecture, you’ll be able to apply BS screws in your daily practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the etiology of anterior open bite.
• Articulate the biomechanics of BS screws in the correction of anterior open bite.
• Locate the buccal shelf and explain steps of BS screw placement.