Adult Orthodontics

Question 1

Why do adults seek orthodontic treatment?

Answer 1

improve dental appearance
- refused treatment as a child
- lack of earlier opportunities
- unhappy with result of earlier treatment e.g. relapse

adjunctive
- facilitate restorative treatment
- after periodontal drift
- part of surgical correction of jaw discrepancy

Question 2

Orthodontics - how may it differ in adults compared to children (factors to consider)

Answer 2

lack of growth
- adults non growing
- growth modification not possible
- overbite correction more difficult
- mid palatal suture closed
periodontal disease
missing/heavily restored teeth
physiological factors
- decreased cell turnover, initial movement may be slower
adult motivation

Question 3

ideal occlusion - give Andrew’s 6 keys

Answer 3

Tight approximal contacts with no rotations
Class 1 incisors
Class 1 molars
Flat occlusal plane or slight curve of Speed
Long axis of the teeth have a slight mesial inclination except the lower incisors
Crowns of the canines back to the molars have a lingual inclination