Z2 appliance: the pre-adjusted appliance based on Chinese normal occlusion / 华西口腔医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Z2 appliance is the pre-adjusted appliance designed for Chinese orthodontic patients. The prescription of the appliance is based on Chinese normal occlusion, which is much different from the West in the first and the second orders as well as the third one. The appliance routinely includes 20 brackets and 8 molar buccal tubers with 3 standard arch forms. Clinically, continued light force is used in whole treatment. The side-effects such as forward tipping of incisors, bite deepening and loss of molar anchorage are reduced further due to fewer tips built into the anterior brackets as well as lower friction elastometric modules used during aligning and leveling. In condition of arch are leveled completely, 0.48 mm x 0.64 mm stainless steel archwire with 1.47 N retraction force is the best combination for sliding mechanics, which is proved by 3D nonlinear finite element study. Self drilling micro-screw is used for maximum anchorage. In finishing stage 0.53 mm x 0.64 mm NT arch wire is added in order to get full torque expressing. The research of Chinese pre-adjusted appliance has been lasted for more than 10 years in the department and clinical studies on Z2 appliance show that with minimal wire bending, treatment is more efficient and result is high quality and more consistent for Chinese orthodontic patients.