Smile makeover treatments.

The demand for aesthetic smile makeover treatments is increasing, especially with the rise in social media use. Historically, healthy tooth structure was sacrificed in order to achieve rapid results but this would invariably lead to compromise of the occlusion and a less-than-ideal result.Multi-disciplinary treatment planning, including the use of orthodontic treatment, is now routinely used in order to achieve optimal results.

Management of missing maxillary lateral incisors in general practice: space opening versus space closure.

The aim of this paper is to inform the reader of the main principles considered in the management of mild hypodontia involving the absence of one or more maxillary lateral incisors. With increasing demand and limited resources of hospital dental services, general dental practitioners (GDPs) are required to actively participate in the restorative management of mild hypodontia cases. The objectives of this article are to discuss the arguments for and against space opening versus space closure and to highlight key points to consider in treatment planning.

Scope of practice and supervision of orthodontic therapists in the United Kingdom: Part 2: a national cross-sectional survey of orthodontic therapists.

Background: Orthodontic therapists (OTs) are the most recent addition to the orthodontic clinical team. The General Dental Council (GDC) and the British Orthodontic Society have formulated guidance and guidelines relating to their scope of practice and level of supervision, however there has been no contemporary UK-based research investigating practice and supervision of OTs. The aim of this study was to investigate the scope of practice and level of supervision of OTs working in the UK.

A Predictable Alternative to a Smile in Six Months?

The aim of this article is to explore the use of Incognito™ Lite as an alternative to competitors advertising a ‘Smile in Six Months’ or rather short-term orthodontics for improving dental appearance through tooth movement. The focus is on the varied clinical use of this appliance system and its comparative advantages, disadvantages and placement techniques. Some alternatives are discussed and appraised.

Scope of practice and supervision of orthodontic therapists in the United Kingdom: Part 1: a national cross-sectional survey of orthodontists.

Objective: Since the introduction of orthodontic therapists (OTs), there has been little research on the scope of practice and the level of supervision they receive. This study investigates how OTs are being utilised and supervised, and how this compares with current recommendations.

Methods And Participants: A postal cross-sectional survey was mailed to all UK General Dental Council (GDC) registered specialist orthodontists.

Class I Correction Using a Combination of an Upper Lingual and Lower Labial Appliance.

No orthodontic system combines aesthetics and comfort which delivers optimal treatment outcomes. This case report outlines how combining an upper lingual and a lower ceramic appliance can provide the best combination ofaesthetics whilst maintaining patien comfort, when undertaking class II camouflage treatment involving extraction of the upper first premolars.

Effectiveness of photographs of study models for IOTN scoring.

Aim: The aim'of the present study was to investigate whether the same orthodontic information can be obtained from study models or photographs of study models in order to assess the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). The study also aimed to assess inter- and intra-examiner reliability in the assessment of orthodontic treatment need.

Sample: Thirty sets of start and finish study models, demonstrating a range of malocclusions, were non-randomly obtained from patients treated at the University of Manchester Dental Hospital.

The Management of the Dilacerated Impacted Maxillary Central Incisor.

The clinical problem of how best to manage a dilacerated, impacted maxillary central incisor will only be encountered rarely. The treatment aim should be to achieve results that are indistinguishable from normal appearance in a way that is appropriate for the patient. This article discusses the incidence of dilacerations in maxillary incisors and describes the treatment approaches available − orthodontic alignment or surgical removal and management of the resulting space, considering orthodontic repositioning, autotransplantation and various prosthetic replacements.

An Overview of the Surgical Correction of Dentofacial Deformity.

The correction of severe dentofacial discrepancies involving a combination of orthodontic and surgical therapies (termed ‘orthognathic treatment’) is commonplace. There is an abundance of evidence within this field but it is often inconsistent. This article is an evidence-based overview of such treatments and is aimed at the general dental practitioner.

The invisible Hawley retainer.

Unlabelled: This paper provides an overview of orthodontic retention. A clinical case is presented using the aesthetic Clearbow® to retain a hypodontia case prior to restorative replacement of a developmentally absent upper right lateral incisor tooth (UR2).

Clinical Relevance: Orthodontic retention is an important part of treatment.

Lingual Orthodontics: The future?

The increase in demand for adult orthodontics has been mirrored by an increased availability and demand of cosmetic appliances. This article focuses on one type of cosmetic appliance--the lingual appliance. Factors to consider in case selection as well as the advantages and disadvantages of lingual appliances are discussed.

An alternative approach to debonding lingual brackets.

This clinical pearl describes a technique of debonding the lingual brackets with minimum discomfort to the patient. It also reduces the risk of swallowing or aspirating the brackets and decreases the risk of enamel damage.

The "Floss-Ligature" Ligation Technique.

This clinical pearl describes an alternative technique to aid effective ligation of rotated teeth during the aligning stage of fixed appliance treatment. This technique has the potential to improve patient experience and confidence, by reducing the risk of trauma and discomfort and treatment efficiency, by ensuring complete ligation of even severely rotated teeth.

Transposition of maxillary canine to central incisor site: aetiology, treatment options and case report.

Dental transposition is relatively infrequent anomaly of the developing dentition. This article focuses on canine transposition and explores the aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of this challenging anomaly. Specifically, the management of a case of canine transposition involving an unerupted maxillary central incisor is described.

Invisible orthodontics part 3: aesthetic orthodontic brackets.

Unlabelled: In this, the third part of the series, aesthetic orthodontic treatment will be considered. The previous two articles have looked at invisible orthodontics with Invisalign and lingual brackets. This article will discuss the properties and use of aesthetic brackets, along with examples of orthodontic treatment cases using the aesthetic brackets.

Invisible orthodontics part 2: lingual appliance treatment.

Unlabelled: The aim of this second article of the three part series is to sum up the current developments in lingual orthodontics. This article attempts to review the development, advantages and disadvantages, bonding techniques, bracket mechanics, patient factors and types of lingual appliance systems available. In addition, the article shows examples of treated cases with lingual appliances.

Invisible orthodontics part 1: invisalign.

Unlabelled: This paper discusses the invisible orthodontic treatment modalities of Invisalign aligners, lingual appliances and aesthetic brackets. The first part of this three-part series will discuss Invisalign aligner treatment. The second part will discuss lingual appliance treatment and the third part will focus on aesthetic brackets.