Upper Lip Horizontal Line: Characteristics of a Dynamic Facial Line.

Background: Upper lip appearance received major attention with the introduction of diverse treatment modalities, including lip augmentation, rhinoplasty surgery, and dental treatment designed to support the upper lip. Our objectives were to define the prevalence and characteristics of the upper lip horizontal line (ULHL), which is a dynamic line appearing during a smile, in relation to gender, malocclusions, aging, and facial morphology. Methods: First, the prevalence and gender distribution of ULHL was examined from standardized en-face imaging at full smile of 643 randomly selected patients. Second, cephalometric and dental cast model analyses were made for 97 consecutive patients divided into three age groups. Results: ULHL appears in 13.8% of the population examined, and prevailed significantly more in females (78%). The prevalence of ULHL was not related to age nor to malocclusion. Patients presenting ULHL showed shorter upper lip and deeper lip sulcus. The skeletal pattern showed longer mid-face, shorter lower facial height and greater prevalence of a gummy smile. Conclusions: Female patients with short upper lip, concavity of the upper lip, and gummy smile are more likely to exhibit ULHL. The ULHL is not age-related and can be identified in children and young adults. Therefore, it should be considered when selecting diverse treatment modalities involving the upper lip.

Comparison of lateral photographic and radiographic sagittal analysis in relation to Angle's classification.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to compare sagittal jaw relationships derived from standardized profile photographs (soft tissue) to those derived from lateral cephalograms (hard tissue) with respect to Angle's classification of malocclusion. METHODS: A total of 110 randomly selected subjects (mean age: 13.75 ± 1.46 years) undergoing treatment (Postgraduate Program in Orthodontics at Tel Aviv University) were assigned to three groups based on Angle's classification (Class I: n = 30; Class II: n = 50; Class III: n = 30). Standardized profile-view photographs and lateral radiographs (cephalograms) were compared using 11 soft tissue and 8 skeletal measurements, respectively. RESULTS: Tragus, infra-orbital, nasion, A point, B point, and pogonion were found to be the most reliable soft tissue reference points. A similar pattern of diversity was found between the three groups of Angle's classification (Class I/II/III) for the photographic soft,-tissue and the radiographic skeletal measurements (e.g., soft tissue A'N'B' =11.43°/13.30°/8.85° and hard tissue ANB = 3.13°/4.64°/-1.31°). Soft tissue A'N'B' measurement provides complementary information to hard tissue ANB measurement. CONCLUSION: Analyzing profile photographs for evaluating sagittal jaw relationships is a practical tool in determining soft tissue harmony. Soft tissue measurements provide a sagittal differential diagnosis in relation to Angle's classification of malocclusion.

Stability of anterior open bite correction of adults treated with lingual appliances.

The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the stability of treatment outcomes of adult anterior open bite (AOpB) cases, treated non-surgically, using a conservative approach with lingual orthodontics (LO). Thirty-nine adult AOpB patients consecutively treated by one operator (SG), with Ormco™ Generation 7 LO brackets and a conservative treatment protocol, with or without extractions, were evaluated clinically before treatment, at the end of active orthodontic treatment, and after a follow-up period, divided into a short-term group (ST): 1-2 years post-treatment, and a long-term group (LT): more than 2 years and up to 11 years post-treatment. All patients had a positive overbite at the end of active treatment (T2). Stability of the open bite correction was seen in 87.2 per cent of the patients (T3). Relapse to a negative overbite was seen in one patient (2.5 per cent). Post-treatment improvement of the overbite was demonstrated, with no difference between the ST and the LT groups. Stability of the transverse molar relations was significantly correlated with stability of AOpB correction. The LO appliance with the presented treatment protocol is a viable procedure for AOpB correction in adult patients, who are not suitable for surgical procedures, to improve or to enhance facial aesthetics. Post-treatment improvement of the overbite was observed in patients treated with this treatment approach in this study.

Increased occurrence of dental anomalies associated with infraocclusion of deciduous molars.

OBJECTIVE: To test the null hypothesis that there is no relationship between infraocclusion and the occurrence of other dental anomalies in subjects selected for clear-cut infraocclusion of one or more deciduous molars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experimental sample consisted of 99 orthodontic patients (43 from Boston, Mass, United States; 56 from Jerusalem, Israel) with at least one deciduous molar in infraocclusion greater than 1 mm vertical discrepancy, measured from the mesial marginal ridge of the first permanent molar. Panoramic radiographs and dental casts were used to determine the presence of other dental anomalies, including agenesis of permanent teeth, microdontia of maxillary lateral incisors, palatally displaced canines (PDC), and distal angulation of the mandibular second premolars (MnP2-DA). Comparative prevalence reference values were utilized and statistical testing was performed using the chi-square test (P < .05) and odds ratio. RESULTS: The studied dental anomalies showed two to seven times greater prevalence in the infraocclusion samples, compared with reported prevalence in reference samples. In most cases, the infraoccluded deciduous molar exfoliated eventually and the underlying premolar erupted spontaneously. In some severe phenotypes (10%), the infraoccluded deciduous molar was extracted and space was regained to allow uncomplicated eruption of the associated premolar. CONCLUSION: Statistically significant associations were observed between the presence of infraocclusion and the occurrence of tooth agenesis, microdontia of maxillary lateral incisors, PDC, and MnP2-DA. These associations support a hypothesis favoring shared causal genetic factors. Clinically, infraocclusion may be considered an early marker for the development of later appearing dental anomalies, such as tooth agenesis and PDC.

Malposition of unerupted mandibular second premolar in children with palatally displaced canines.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypotheses that (1) the distal angulation of unerupted mandibular premolar (MnP2) is significantly greater in children with palatally displaced canines (PDC) than in those in a control sample; and (2) delayed tooth formation is significantly more frequent in children with both malposed MnP2 and PDC than in children with PDC only. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined retrospectively panoramic radiographs from 43 patients with PDC who had no previous orthodontics. A control sample consisted of age- and sex-matched patients. The distal angle formed between the long axis of MnP2 and the tangent to the inferior border was measured. Dental age was evaluated using the Koch classification. RESULTS: A significant difference was observed between the mean inclination of the right side MnP2 in the PDC group (75.4 degrees) and that of the control group (85.8 degrees). This difference was highly statistically significant (P < .0001). The same evaluation was carried out for the left side, with similar results. The average dental age was found to be delayed in patients who showed both abnormalities (malposed MnP2 and PDC) compared with patients who showed the PDC anomaly only. CONCLUSION: Both hypotheses are retained. Statistically, PDC and MnP2 malposition are significantly associated suggesting a common genetic etiology, despite taking place on opposite jaws. While the presence of PDC or MnP2 anomaly has been associated with a delay in tooth formation, we find the presence of both anomalies to show a more profound delay. Our findings suggest a delay in tooth formation as a possible common genetic mechanism for these 2 malposition anomalies.

Root resorption following treatment with aligners.

Can orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption (OIIRR) be the result of Invisalign treatment? Since OIIRR was first described in the literature, orthodontists have been looking for a treatment procedure where no root shortening will occur. In the past decade, Invisalign orthodontic treatment has become very popular, and there is no description of OIIRR after this treatment. Therefore, it might be incorrectly concluded that the body is immune to this type of orthodontic treatment modality and no OIIRR appears as a result of this treatment. The following case report demonstrates an aspect of the complexity of OIIRR.

The accuracy of the cementoenamel junction identification on periapical films.

In the study of orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption, many researchers use the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) as a bisecting reference point to measure the amount of root shortening. The accuracy of the identification of the CEJ point might affect the conclusions of those studies. This study aims to find the effects of angular changes between the tooth and the film on the validity and reproducibility of identifying three different CEJ points, ie, the most apical CEJ point between the crown and the root, the most mesial CEJ point, and the most distal CEJ point. An extracted maxillary central incisor was placed in a special jig and radiographed at four different tooth to film angulations. Eight examiners were asked to identify the buccal and palatal CEJ, whereas six examiners were asked to identify the mesial and distal CEJ points, all on a computer monitor. The distances between the identified points and the apex were computed and compared with the actual ones. The angular changes between the tooth and the film did have a statistically significant effect on the identification of some of these CEJ points. The difference was significant on the identification of the buccal and palatal points but not on the mesial and the distal ones.