Treatment of Class III Malocclusion and Anterior Crossbite with Aligners: A Case Report

• Published in: Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Vol. 58; no. 5; p. 603
• Main Authors: Inchingolo, Alessio Danilo, Patano, Assunta, Coloccia, Giovanni, Ceci, Sabino, Inchingolo, Angelo Michele, Marinelli, Grazia, Malcangi, Giuseppina, Di Pede, Chiara, Garibaldi, Mariagrazia, Ciocia, Anna Maria, Mancini, Antonio, Palmieri, Giulia, Rapone, Biagio, Piras, Fabio, Cardarelli, Filippo, Nucci, Ludovica, Bordea, Ioana Roxana, Scarano, Antonio, Lorusso, Felice, Giovanniello, Delia, Costa, Stefania, Tartaglia, Gianluca Martino, Di Venere, Daniela, Dipalma, Gianna, Inchingolo, Francesco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27-04-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Aesthetics; Care and treatment; Case Report; Case reports; Case studies; Cephalometry; Cooperation; corrective orthodontics; Dental occlusion; Humans; Incisor; invisalign; Malocclusion; Malocclusion, Angle Class II; Malocclusion, Angle Class III - therapy; Orthodontic appliances; Orthodontics; Patients; removable orthodontic appliances; Retention; Surgery; Teeth; Tooth Movement Techniques; Italy; orthodontics; invisalign; corrective orthodontics; tooth movement techniques; removable orthodontic appliances
• ISSN: 1648-9144; 1010-660X; 1648-9144
• DOI: 10.3390/medicina58050603

The article describes the orthodontically treated case of a 25-year-old patient with skeletal and dental class III malocclusion, anterior crossbite, which caused functional and aesthetic problems, occlusal trauma, and incisor wear. Treatment with transparent aligners was proposed to meet the patient's needs, using the sequential distalization protocol. While sequential distalization is well documented for class II malocclusion treatment in maxillary arch teeth, further investigations are necessary for class III malocclusions. In fact, lower teeth movements are more complex due to mandibular bone density and the presence of the third molars, which are often extracted to perform distalization. In addition, the use of intermaxillary elastics helps control the proclination of the anterior teeth as a reaction to distalizing forces. At the end of the treatment, the patient reached molar and canine class I and positive overjet and overbite. The inclination of lower incisors and the interincisal angle have improved, resulting in aesthetic and functional enhancement.