Thoughts on the early treatment of Class II malocclusion.

The timing of Class II, division 1 malocclusion treatment is discussed in the context of the development of the dentition within the craniofacial environment. The occlusion of the dentition actually serves as the key that controls and maintains the exact position of the mandible vis-à-vis the maxilla during childhood, pubescence and throughout adulthood. Research and clinical evidence suggest that treatment which 'disturbs' the interdigitation of teeth in the Class II malocclusion can lead to correction of the distocclusion.

Natural head position and natural head orientation: basic considerations in cephalometric analysis and research.

Natural head position (NHP) provides the key for meaningful cephalometric analysis because an extracranial reference line is used instead of intracranial reference lines, known to be subject to considerable biological variation in their inclination. Although the principle of natural head position is being recognized in the orthodontic literature, its registration may contain an element of unavoidable error that requires correction. A new concept of natural head orientation (NHO) has been introduced to maximize the contribution of NHP to cephalometrics.