Orthopedic orthodontic treatment in a patient with anterior open bite due to tongue thrust

Abstract

A patient of 8 years of age, female, apparently healthy, said that her reason for consultation «I need braces to close my diastema». She was diagnosed as a skeletal class II due to retrognathism; hyperdivergent growth and a dolichofacial pattern. The patient showed an anterior open bite due to a tongue thrust habit, bilateral molar class I, bilateral canine class I, bimaxillary protrusion and lip protrusion. It was decided to perform treatment in two phases: fi rst, the orthopedic correction of the tongue thrust habit and correction of the eruption guide through the placement of a lingual trap and use of lingual reminders as well as a lingual arch for anchorage to guide the eruption and maintain Leeway space. A T4K trainer was also used. Orthodontics was the second phase: alignment, leveling, stripping, detailing and retention were performed with a non-extraction treatment. Retention was achieved through modifi ed maxillary and mandibular Hawley retainers.