Case Study: Open Bite Treatment

When an open bite malocclusion occurs, it is often considered to be a very difficult condition to treat. This is partly due to the fact that an open bite results from the interaction of a multitude of etiological factors, many of which have been reported on in the dental literature. An unfavorable mandibular growth pattern, heredity, imbalances between jaw postures, digit-sucking habits, nasopharyngeal airway obstruction, tongue posture and head position have all been reported to contribute to open bites.^1-3

Many techniques have been used and reported to orthodonticly treat anterior open bites. Extrusion or eruption of anterior teeth is a common method of bite closure. Yet, it was reported by Reitan⁶ that extruded teeth are less stable than intruded teeth. By applying intrusive forces to posterior teeth, we have a treatment option to close anterior open bites.^4-5

In the following case study, I will show how using Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADs) and a transpalatal arch can be a stable, effective and efficient method to treat an open bite malocclusion without having to worry about patient cooperation with elastics.