Related Experiment Videos
Missing upper lateral incisors: orthodontic considerations in young patients
Annals of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons
|November 17, 2001
Summary
Deciding whether to close, open, or maintain space for missing lateral incisors requires careful orthodontic planning. This decision impacts overall dental management, considering various patient-specific and treatment factors.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Orthodontics
- Prosthodontics
Background:
- Congenital absence of lateral incisors is often identified around age 9.
- Orthodontic treatment decisions for missing lateral incisors are integral to comprehensive dental management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the critical factors influencing the orthodontic decision for managing space associated with missing lateral incisors.
- To provide a framework for integrating orthodontic space management with prosthetic solutions.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical considerations for space management in cases of missing lateral incisors.
- Analysis of factors influencing orthodontic and prosthetic treatment planning.
Main Results:
- The decision involves balancing skeletal and dental factors, including crowding, overjet, overbite, and canine eruption position.
- Aesthetic considerations such as crown size, shape, color, gingival contours, and smile display are crucial.
- Patient/parental attitudes, prosthetic service availability, and treatment timelines significantly influence the plan.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive management of missing lateral incisors necessitates a multidisciplinary approach.
- The optimal orthodontic strategy depends on a thorough evaluation of numerous clinical, aesthetic, and patient-related factors.
- Successful outcomes require careful consideration of prosthetic restoration feasibility, costs, and biological implications.