Unique Approach To Solve Three Issues: Strategic Correction of Anterior Open Bite, Excessive Overjet & Class II Malocclusion

Treatment of anterior open bite in adolescents is filled with difficult-to-resolve issues. The primary cause of the condition may be complex and difficult to diagnose and treat.¹ Habits such as tongue thrust, fingers or other items in the mouth and prolonged use of pacifiers have been blamed. Another important cause, partial airway obstruction, may force the patient to have an anterior, lower positioned tongue with little molar contact that will stimulate formation of a narrow, deep palatal vault, posterior crossbite, and supra-eruption of the molars. Some patients have an anterior open bite due to a genetic predisposition with no other apparent cause.^{2, 3, 4, 5}

It is estimated that a Class II, Division I malocclusion is the most frequent treatment problem in orthodontic practice, with an estimated 35% of American children having a Class II malocclusion. For a successful non-extraction therapy, the patient should have minimal or no mandibular arch length discrepancy, preferably with a meso-facial or brachi-facial type. Patients with mandibular high angles will tend to develop an anterior open bite due to an extrusive force component.⁶ Molar intrusion based on implant anchorage may be used to correct as noted by the authors.⁷