Orthodontics Flashcards
What are the indications of fixed appliances?
3-dimensional tooth movements
Space maintainer
Arch expansion
What are the indications for removable appliances?
Space maintenance
Retainers
To reduce deep overbite
Bite opening
Expansion
Adjunct to fixed appliances
Functional appliances
Other simple tooth movements
Aligners.
How do fixed appliances work?
Extrusion
Intrusion
Rotational
Tipping
Bodily movement
Torquing
Force applied by FAs to achieve tooth movement = force couple.
How do removable appliances work?
A force is applied via the active component which achieves a tipping movement around the fulcrum axis.
What are the limitations of fixed appliances?
What are the limitations of removable appliances?
- Only tipping - main limitation.
- Lower arch treatment
- Cannot use inter-arch elastics
- Vertical movements, precision movements, rotations and multiple teeth movements can’t be achieved easily with RA, and so fixed appliances are used.
- Removable - relies on pt compliance
- Require construction (cost)
What are the phases of FA treatment?
- Levelling, derotation and alignment
- Overbite reduction
- Overjet reduction
- Space closure
- Finishing procedures
What are the basic principles of archwire selection?
a. NiTi wires provide less force than SS wires (for a comparable dimension)
b. SS wires are more rigid
c. SS wires have less friction allowing teeth (brackets) to slide more easily
d. NiTi wires have shape memory – they can be deformed when trying in the wire and will pull the teeth out to the original shape of the archwire.
e. SS wires can be formed (able to add bends)
f. You cannot torque with round wires
How do FA achieve root torque, derotation & bodily movement?
Torque - 3rd order in preadjusted brackets. Torque is the force couple generated between the archwire and the bracket. Incorporated in the bracket by the angle the bracket base makes with the bracket slot when viewed form the side. Need rectangular or square archwire.
Derotation - Thin and flexible wire with high elastic limit applied light forces onto teeth.
Bodily movement
What are different types of fixed appliances?
x
What is normal occlusion and malocclusion?
Normal occlusion = Minor but acceptable differences from ideal occlusion.
Malocclusion = Tooth position or jaw position outside normal range.
What are some examples of malocclusions?
- Crowding
- Spaced
- Increased overjet
- Reverse overjet
- Deep overbite
- Anterior open bite
What is the aetiology of malocclusion? General (4) and local factors (3)?
General
i. Skeletal pattern = position of roots.
ii. Soft tissues = position of crowns
iii. Jaw size
iv. Tooth size = crowding/spacing.
Local
i. Habits
ii. Anomalies = missing/extra teeth
iii. Fraenum
Why is there a need for tx of malocclusion? (3)
- Dental health (e.g. crowding can make caries and restorations more difficult, crooked teeth prone to perio, increased overjet predisposes to tooth trauma)
- Function e.g. difficulty eating.
- Aesthetics = low self esteem, quality of life.
What are 3 types of appliances used in orthodontics?
- Removable
- Fixed
- Functional
DEFINITION: Removable appliance?
A device placed within the mouth to correct or alleviate malocclusion and designed to be removed and replaced by the patient.
How do removable appliances work? (4)
a. Actively 1) Tips teeth and 2) moves blocks of teeth.
b. Passively 3) enables differential tooth eruption and 4) space maintenance.
How do removable appliances tip teeth?
A force is applied via the active component which achieves a tipping movement around the fulcrum axis.
What planes can the tipping of roots occur in removable orthodontic appliances?
a. mesio-distal in buccal segments
b. mesio-distal in labial segments
c. labio-lingual in class 2
d. labio-lingual in class 3
What 4 factors do you need to consider when choosing to use a removable appliance?
A. Angulation/inclination of tooth.
B. Distance to move
C. Skeletal pattern
D. Overbite.
Why are RA not commonly used in lower arch? (3)
- Less undercut for retention
- Less buccal sulcus for springs
- Tongue severely limits lingual space for springs.
What is the role of space maintenance?
When there is early extraction or exfoliation of teeth in primary dentition, an appliance may be placed to prevent teeth from naturally drifting into the space left which would prevent the eruption of its permanent replacement.
Name 2 main examples of removable retainers.
Hawley retainer.
Vacuum formed retainers (VFRs).
What are the benefits of removable retainers? (6)
- All the teeth can be retained with the single appliance.
- Partial withdrawal possible.
- Less dental health hazard - no sharp wire present to traumatise tissues.
- Oral hygiene.
- Missing teeth can be replaced.
- Responsibility of the patient.
What are the disadvantages of removable retainers?
There is a release risk of both rotations and anterior diastemas if not worn everyday.
May not allow the vertical tooth position to settle.
Needs to be worn but this is down to the patient only so may have poor compliance.
How do bite planes in removable orthodontics work to reduce a deep overbite?
Passive eruption.
Enable differential tooth movement.
The patient bites on the front built up bite plane meaning the back teeth are no longer in contact.
Therefore due to passive eruption, the posterior teeth move up to become in occlusion once more which eliminates the overbite.
How can removable appliances be used to expand the arch to remove posterior crossbites?
Places acrylic on the posterior teeth to raise them above the opposing arch. This removes interference from opposing arch.
Then overtime active component of appliance is turned to slowly expand the arch to rectify the crossbite.
What are the 2 functions of functional appliances?
They reduce increased overjets and correct molar relationships.
What are the advantages of removable appliances?
Removable
Easy to clean
Adjunct to anchorage of teeth you want to keep stationary.
Simple/quick treatment (sometimes)
How do you check if a pt is using their removable appliance?
Good speech
Palatal gingivitis
Wear facets on acrylic
Springs passive, and no longer active as they have conducted their role.
Confident removal and insertion.
Why do we use removable appliances?
OH issues
When limited tx is appropriate
Skeletal modification (functionals)
Improve efficiency e.g. anchorage
Preference - clinican (& pt)
Retention
Unable to use other types of appliances e.g. repeat MRI scans
Making our job easier.
What are the 4 main components of removable appliances? Acronym?
Active component –> this causes the orthodontic movement but also displaces the appliance so need retention to keep it in.
Retentive component –> keeps denture in mouth
Anchorage –> Keeps teeth you want to maintain in same stationary space
Base plate –> Joins all active, retentive and anchorage components together.
ARAB.
What are the 2 forms of active component in removable appliances?
Springs = Z springs (canines). T springs (incisors)
Screws –> a. unilateral or bilateral distal orthodontic movement. b. arch expansion. c. anterior cross bite correction.
DEFINITION: fixed appliance (FA)?
An orthodontic appliance which is fixed to the teeth. IT is a method of moving teeth using a combination of brackets, arch wires and auxiliaries to push or pull the teeth into chosen positions.
What are the actions of fixed appliances?
Extrusion
Intrusion
Rotational
Tipping
Bodily movement
Torquing
What is the name of the force applied by FAs to achieve tooth movement?
Force couple
What are force couples?
Equal forces applied in opposite directions creates a force couple.
The forces are applied through interactions between FA components: arch wires, brackets, auxiliaries.
What different materials can brackets be made from?
Stainless steel, ceramic and plastic.
SS - lower friction, easy to remove and keep clean.
Ceramic - tooth wear problem, higher resistance, bracket # on debond.
Name the pre-adjusted bracket prescriptions.
1st order = in-out
2nd order = tip
3rd order = torque
These built-in factors (prescriptions) make brackets diffferant for each tooth and allow clinician to place straight piece of wire.
What is first order in preadjusted brackets?
In-out control.
Variation in thickness of bracket base for different teeth. Takes into abbount bucco-lingual thickenss.
What is second order in preadjusted brackets?
Tooth tip
Controlled by the angulation of the archwire slot. Takes into account the mesio-distal angulation of each tooth crown relative to occlusal plane. Greatest for canines.
What is third order in preadjusted brackets?
Torque
Tooth inclination control or “torque” is incorporated into bracket by angle the bracket base makes with the bracket slot when viewed from the side.
The torque is the force couple generated between the archwire and the bracket.
What type of wires do you need to use to apply torque?
Rectangular or square wires.
Cannot torque with round wire.
Where are permanent identification markers?
Distal-gingival position of the bracket.
Where do brackets need to be placed?
LACC = on the Long Axis and in the middle of the Clinical Crown.
Must be fully seated so minimum glue thickness.
How do archwires stay in?
Ligated into the bracket with coloured rings (modules/o-rings) or metal ties (ligatures).
Some brackets are self ligating - door mechanism to hold the wire in place.
What are properties of archwires influenced by?
Different material - stainless steel, nickel titanium, TMA - changes features such as Young’s Modulus (Modulus of Elasticity, E).
Different cross sectional shapes - round, square, rectangular.
Different cross sectional sizes - 0012” to 0.021” x 0.0025”.
What different materials can archwires be made from?
Stainless steel –> more rigid. Less friction allowing teeth (brackets) to slide move easily. Can be formed (able to add bends)
Nickel titanium –> provide less force than SS. Have shape memory so can be deformed when placing wire and pull the teeth out to original shape of the archwire.
TMA.
Stages of fixed appliance tx?
- Levelling, derotation and alignment
- Overbite reduction
- Overjet reduction
- Space closure
- Finishing procedures.
These stages use different archwires and auxiliaries to achieve movements.
What instrument is used to place the archwire?
Matheiu pliers.
What instrument is used to place o-rings?
mosquito forceps
What are Weingart pliers used for?
Placing and removing archwires.
DEFINITION: class I incisor relationship
The tip of the lower central incisor occludes with (or projects onto) the middle third (cingulum plateau) of the upper central incisor.
What is the aetiology of Class I malocclusions
Usually dento-alveolar.
What are the problems that may require treatment in class I malocclusion?
Crowding (most common)
Spacing
Open bites (anterior and posterior)
Bimaxillary proclination (Sk3)
Crossbite (uni or bilateral)
What percentage of people have each type of incisor relationship
Class 1 = 60%
Class 2 div 1 = 20-25%
Class 2 div 2 = 10-15%
Class 3 = 5-10%
How may incisor inclinations vary in class 1 occlusions and why?
Sk 1 = normal incisal angles.
Mild Sk 2 = retrocline U or proclined L or both.
Mild Sk 2 = proclined U or retroclined L or both.
Occurs due to dento-alveolar compensation.
What are the common skeletal patterns in class 1s? A/P, Vertical, Lateral.
A/P = usually Sk 1 but not always due to dento-alveolar compensation.
Vertical = mostly average face height and proportions.
Lateral = Usually symmetrical
What is dento-alveolar compensation and why does this happen?
A mechanism in which the soft tissue produce a more class 1 relationship when the skeletal class is 2/3.
The lips and tongue tend to guide the erupting teeth into more ideal positions than the skeletal class would suggest (class 1).
What are 2 possible aetiologies of facial asymmetry? What intra oral signs are there of facial asymmetry?
- Biological variation - no one is symmetrical.
- Pathological - e.g. condylar hyperplasia.
Signs: centre line discrepancies or posterior cross-bites +/- mandibular displacements.
What is the classification of crowding?
Mild = 0-4mm
Moderate = 4-8mm (distal movement or extract premolars)
Severe = 8+mm (extract premolars)
What is the cause of spacing in Class 1 malocclusions? How can you treat?
Too little tooth tissue for arch size (either small teeth normal jaws or normal teeth large jaws).
Tx: i. close space
ii. Redistribute space
iii. Combination of both.
When might we not close spaces?
Might leave space to replace missing teeth e.g. implant or bridge. e.g. missing lateral.
Need to commit pt to lifelong wear of retainer otherwise space will open back up again.
DEFINITION: Bimaxillary proclination?
The proclination of the upper and lower labial segments.
What is bimaxillary proclination caused by and why is it hard to treat?
It is caused by the soft tissues - normally flaccid lips and large tongue push teeth out, and lips don’t resist this.
As it is caused by the soft tissues - it is prone to relapse.
What are the 5 categories of local factors which can affect a class 1 malocclusion?
Variation in tooth number (hyper/hypodontia).
Variation in tooth form and size (macro/microdontia/peg shaped laterals)
Abnormalities in tooth position (ectopic teeth/transposition)
Local abnormalities of soft tissues (median diastema etc)
Local pathology (dentigerous cysts etc).
What is transposition? What teeth are most commonly involved?
True transposition = both roots and crowns have swapped position.
Pseudotransposition = just the crowns have swapped position.
most commonly 3s and 4s. then 5s and 6s.
What are the causes of median diastema?
Big labial frenum
Digit habit causing proclination and spacing.
Unerupted supernumerary
Nasopalatine duct cyst.
DEFINITION: anterior open bite (AOB)?
When there is no contact or vertical overlap of the lower incisors by the upper incisors whilst the mandible is in occlusion.
What are the 3 main causes of AOB?
- Skeletal causes (increased lower face height) (good indicator is symmetrical)
- Habits such as digit sucking (normally asymmetrical)
- Soft tissue cause - tongue pushing - (this is hard to diagnose and usually the diagnosis of exclusion).
What are the classic clinical features of a digit sucking habit?
A. Can produce an asymmetrical AOB or reduced overbite.
B. Proclined upper incisors.
C. Retroclined lower incisors.
D. Associated with unilateral posterior cross bite with a displacement on closure an centreline discropancy.
What are some features of soft tissue open bites?
They are v rare but are caused by endogenous tongue thrust.
Can cause anterior or posterior open bites.
AOB is commonly symmetrical.
It is a diagnosis of exclusion.
What is a buccal crossbite?
When the buccal cusps of the lower teeth occlude buccally to the buccal cusps of the upper teeth.
What is a scissorbite?
When the buccal cusps of the lower teeth occlude lingually to the lingual cusps of the upper teeth.
What can cause posterior transverse occlusal issues (cross and scissor bite)? (3)
- A narrow maxilla i.e. transverse skeletal discrepancy.
- Digit sucking habits.
- Local problems often related to local crowding.
What are 3 forms of posterior cross bites?
- Unilateral - one side
- Local - only one tooth affected.
- Bilateral - both sides affected.
What should you always check for when a crossbite is present? Especially unilateral crossbite.
Mandibular displacement.
DEFINITION: mandibular displacement?
When there is a significant movement (more than 1mm) of the mandible between the first contact in RCT and final position in ICP.
Why might you accept a bilateral cross bite? (3)
- They are not associated with mandibular displacement.
- Usually reflect a larger lateral skeletal discrepancy.
- If treated then there is a greater risk of relapse.
What are 2 common forms of treatment for Class 1 malocclusions?
- Usually orthodontic management alone is possible unless severe variation in vertical and lateral norms.
- Can be treated with fixed appliances.
- Can consider extractions if more than 4mm of crowding present.
How common is Class 1 malocclusion?
60%
When would you particularly check for mandibular asymmetry?
Centre lines are off.
Cross bite.
DEFINITION: Class II div 1
The lip of the lower central incisors occludes (or projects) behind the middle third (cingulum plateau) of the upper central incisor (Class II)
The upper central incisors are proclined or of averages inclination (div 1) (and the overjet is increased).
What are the aetiological factors of Class II div 1?
Skeletal factors
Soft tissue factors
Associated habits
Dento alveolar factors.
What is the incidence of class II div 1?
20-25%
What is the skeletal pattern of class II div 1 usually? (A/P, vertical, lateral)
- A/P = usually sk Class 2 (76% class 2 (ANB > 4 degrees) - usually small mandible rather than prominent maxilla.
- Vertical - mostly average (but can also have increased and reduced face height and proportions.)
- Lateral - usually symmetrical but facial asymmetry possible.
What are some associated intra-oral features of facial asymmetry?
Centre-line discrepancies.
Posterior cross-bite +/- mandibular displacements.
What do you look for if someone has centre-line discrepancies or posterior cross-bites +/- mandibular displacements?
Facial asymmetry
What soft tissue factors cause Class II div 1 malocclusion?
A. Lip competence
B. Low lower lip resting height - lower lip doesn’t cover upper central when upper lip gently lifted.
C. Lower ‘lip trapping’ –> producing dento-alveolar effect - lower lip caught behind upper incisors.
D. Tongue to lower lip to help create anterior oral seal (AOS) - tongue to lower lip seal.
E. Influences stability of treatment cases.
What is the usual lip morphology in Class II div 1?
Usually incompetent lips, often markedly.
- Lip competence increases from age 8 to 14.
- Patient becomes more socially aware.
Lower lip line
- Resting height of the lower lip should ideally cover incisal third 21/12 to control upper incisor position.
Upper lip matters less in terms of control of upper incisor position, but a gummy smile may be cause of aesthetic complaint.
What are 2 causes of incompetent lips?
Class 2 skeletal class
Increased vertical dimension - lips can’t meet.