The alignment of impacted and ectopic teeth using the Easy-Way-Coil (EWC) System.
BACKGROUND
Teeth that do not spontaneously erupt in the dental arch or are ectopic must normally be surgically exposed. For orthodontic correction a traction device must be attached to the affected tooth over which the already-raised mucoperiosteal flap is lowered to improve the periodontal condition.


METHODS
The author has developed a system at his private orthodontic practice for this purpose, and it has proven itself over a 10-year period. A traction spring is fastened to a lingual button that is attached to the etched tooth surface using an adhesive. The appliance is activated by systematically shortening the spring.


RESULTS
A total of 103 patients were treated successfully in this way, 45 of whom had presented a unilaterally ectopic canine requiring an average treatment time of 17.8 months from surgical exposure to removal of the fixed appliance. None of the patients suffered inflammatory reactions in the oral mucosa adjacent to the traction spring during the treatment. Two impacted teeth were ankylosed and could not be aligned.


CONCLUSIONS
The EWC-System is clinically a reliable, efficient, easy to use and economical system for the alignment of impacted and ectopic teeth.
Schubert
Michael
M
Dr.Michael.Schubert@t-online.de
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D014079:Tooth Eruption, Ectopic / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome