The vertical dimension: the high-angle problem.
When the patient who has excessive anterior facial height desires treatment for the correction of a malocclusion, the dimension of the dentition should be respected. The clinician must adhere to the anterior, posterior, vertical, and lateral limits of each patient's dentition--providing the musculature is normal--when the treatment plan is formulated. The goals of esthetics, health and function, stability, and treatment in harmony with growth are as valid for the high-angle patient as they are for a patient with a more normal vertical dimension. The diagnostic decisions made for the high-angle patient should be predicated on nonexpansion of the mandibular arch. Mandibular incisors must be overly upright. In addition, a decision on the mandibular third molars must be made prior to anchorage preparation-because their relationship to the mandibular second molars is critical if anchorage is to be properly prepared. A discussion of these topics as well as an illustrative case report are presented in this article.
Klontz
Herbert A
HA
drklontz@flash.net
D002508:Cephalometry; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000628:therapy*; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000379:methods*; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D014716:Vertical Dimension