Cerec 3 for orthodontics: a tool for treating deep bite

Bite-opening procedures are used in the early stages of orthodontic fixed treatment in order to: ease antero-posterior tooth movements; bracket the mandibular arch and level the Curve of Spee; prevent mandibular brackets from debonding; use regular straight archwires to proceed with treatment. For these purposes, removable or bonded biteplanes are universally recognized as very effective when the bite-opening is needed. Conventional orthodontic procedures include clinical solutions which effectively open the bite, but they all lack sufficient hygiene, comfort, and esthetics. The authors propose the use of the CAD-CAM technology with the Cerec 3 system (Sirona, Bensheim, Germany) to create an overcrown able to open the bite through clinical crown lengthening of the mandibular second premolars. The laboratory steps are described and the clinical efficacy is demonstrated with an orthodontic case report.