Adult patient treatment with previous open bite by atypical deglution. Case report

Abstract

The previous open bite is a malocclusion in which one or more teeth do not get the occlusal plane and no contact is made with their antagonists. Its treatment is difficult and there is controversy in the need for a surgical approach. The present case relates to the management of a 61-year-old female patient, treated at the clinic of the Mexican Institute of Orthodontics, who came for "separation of her teeth." The clinical and radiographic evaluation presented a skeletal class I, biprotrusive, with overbite of -30% with low and non-consonant smile, atypical swallowing as an etiological factor that allowed the diagnosis of anterior open bite. The treatment consisted of the placement of Roth slot .022 prescription brackets with tubes up to upper and lower third molars, placing more gingival braces with respect to the center of the anatomical crown of both arches to achieve extrusion and closure of the open bite and arch of smile; in centrals at 1.5mm, laterals at 1mm and canines at 0.5mm. The use of posterior occlusal bumpers and also of short and light anterior elastics from the first day of treatment was essential. Correction of the position of the teeth was achieved in a period of 18 months, which also induced a change in the swallowing pattern. Through the proposed treatment plan it was shown that occlusion stability can be given and that not every patient with an open bite is a candidate for surgical treatment for the correction of this malocclusion.