ORTH 5217 - Case Analysis

The course is divided into three main sections: 1) guidance of eruption, 2) approach to early treatment, and 3) evaluation of long-term post-treatment results. The lecture course is designed to aid the students to gain a better understanding what can be done to alleviate problems later in dental development with appropriate action in the mixed dentition. The discussion about possible intervention includes observing the development of the dentition clinically and radiographically, when to extract deciduous teeth and the reasoning for these extractions, and when to begin biomechanical therapy in the mixed dentition and the reasoning for initiating early treatment. In addition the course reviews cases that have been followed up after at least ten years post-treatment with complete orthodontic records. Discussion includes observation of dental, facial, and cephalometric changes that occur with maturation of the individual and includes problems encountered in retention.