title: Miniplate with a bendable C-tube head allows the clinician to alter biomechanical advantage without physically moving the skeletal anchorage device.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article introduces a binary function of a miniplate with a bendable C-tube head used in corticotomy-assisted segment intrusion. The advantage of the device is that the point of force application can be altered without having to move the miniplate or place an additional anchorage device.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases for this study were selected from patients who received perisegmental corticotomy with compression osteogenesis (Speedy Surgical Orthodontics) for segmental intrusion. For the skeletal anchorage on patients who received Speedy Surgical Orthodontics for posterior segment intrusion to improve on severe open bite correction, the C-tube was placed on the buccal wall of the maxilla for traction of orthopedic force as a temporary skeletal anchorage. The C-tube head portion is made with titanium grade II, which makes bending easy with a Weingart plier. This adjustment regains distance and range needed to continue intrusion of posterior segment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As an alternative to orthognathic surgery to correct a severe open bite, perisegmental corticotomy combined with orthopedic force application from a temporary skeletal anchorage device can be used. The corticotomy-assisted segment intrusion is a 2-stage procedure: first, the corticotomy is performed in the palate and 2 weeks later in the buccal alveolus. A C-plate was placed in the midpalatal area, and a C-tube was placed apical to the buccal corticotomy site. Elastics were used with orthopedic forces to induce compression osteogenesis. As the intrusion took place, the elastic stretched, and resultant force and range in the buccal segment decreased. The C-tube head was adjusted by bending to gain more distance, reviving the elastic force on the posterior segment until desired intrusion was accomplished.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The miniplate with a bendable C-tube head serves for temporary skeletal anchorage of orthopedic traction force to achieve segmental intrusion and has the advantage that the bendable head can be adjusted to improve the force application for intrusion without having to move or place another temporary skeletal anchorage device.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Orthodontics, Kyung Hee University, School of Dentistry; and †Department of Orthodontics, School of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea; and ‡Division of Orthodontics, Department of Orofacial Science, University of California, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Kyung-Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Hyo-Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Seong-Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyu-Rhim
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001860:Bone Plates; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D024343:Open Bite / Q000601:surgery; D052280:Orthodontic Anchorage Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*