title: Outcomes and stability in patients with anterior open bite and long anterior face height treated with temporary anchorage devices and a maxillary intrusion splint.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Temporary skeletal anchorage devices now offer the possibility of closing anterior open bites and decreasing anterior face height by intruding maxillary posterior teeth, but data for treatment outcomes are lacking. This article presents outcomes and posttreatment changes for consecutive patients treated with a standardized technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 33 consecutive patients who had intrusion of maxillary posterior teeth with a maxillary occlusal splint and nickel-titanium coil springs to temporary anchorage devices in the zygomatic buttress area, buccal and apical to the maxillary molars. Of this group, 30 had adequate cephalograms available for the period of treatment, 27 had cephalograms including 1-year posttreatment, and 25 had cephalograms from 2 years or longer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During splint therapy, the mean molar intrusion was 2.3 mm. The mean decrease in anterior face height was 1.6 mm, less than expected because of a 0.6-mm mean eruption of the mandibular molars. During the postintrusion orthodontics, the mean change in maxillary molar position was a 0.2-mm extrusion, and there was a mean 0.5-mm increase in face height. Positive overbite was maintained in all patients, with a slight elongation (<2 mm) of the incisors contributing to this. During the 1 year of posttreatment retention, the mean changes were a further eruption of 0.5 mm of the maxillary molars, whereas the mandibular molars intruded by 0.6 mm, and there was a small decrease in anterior face height. Changes beyond 1 year posttreatment were small and attributable to growth rather than relapse in tooth positions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrusion of the maxillary posterior teeth can give satisfactory correction of moderately severe anterior open bites, but 0.5 to 1.5 mm of reeruption of these teeth is likely to occur. Controlling the vertical position of the mandibular molars so that they do not erupt as the maxillary teeth are intruded is important in obtaining a decrease in face height.
authors.affiliation: Adjunct associate professor, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. Electronic address: smileboone@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nicole R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Scheffler
authors.affiliation: Kenan distinguished professor, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Proffit
authors.affiliation: Professor and associate dean, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Ceib
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000628:therapy*; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry; D017090:Occlusal Splints; D024343:Open Bite / Q000628:therapy*; D052280:Orthodontic Anchorage Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D009969:Orthodontic Wires; D012008:Recurrence; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D015050:Zygoma / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D003722:Dental Alloys; C040654:titanium nickelide; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium