Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Author Spotlight: 3D Movement Assessment of Maxillary Posterior Teeth in Clear Aligner Treatment
Published on: February 23, 2024
A Protocol for Treatment of Minor Orthodontic Relapse During Retention
Damien Brezulier1, Yann-Loïg Turpin2, Olivier Sorel3
1Interne en Orthopédie dentofaciale, Service d'Odontologie et Chirurgie Buccal, CHU de Rennes, 2 Place Pasteur, 35000 Rennes, Université Rennes 1, 35000 Rennes, France.
Objectives:
Successful orthodontic treatment presupposes that the esthetic and functional outcomes are maintained. Bonded retainers on the incisors and canines provide this stability. Failure of one or two units exposes the teeth to a relapse. This article describes the use of a retainer wire and an elastic device to provide rapid, effective and esthetic correction of incipient crowding.
Clinical Aspects:
After removing the retainer, a fixed appliance comprising a replacement retainer and a clear elastic are positioned. This device exerts a free tipping force on malpositioned teeth. The space required to realign the contact points is obtained by stripping. When the misaligned teeth are corrected, they are bonded to the retainer and the height of the incisal edges is equalized.
Conclusions:
The combination of a new elastic-activated retainer and stripping makes it possible to ensure rapid and effective correction of moderate relapsed crowding.
Clinical Significance:
This article demonstrates the efficacy of a retainer used to correct incipient relapsing crowding. The esthetics of the anterior alignment is restored by means of an almost invisible device. This solution also permits functional guidance to be restored with minimal intervention on the dental tissues while avoiding conventional esthetic techniques involving lingual brackets. (J Esthet Restor Dent 28:359-366,2016).
Related Concept Videos
01:27Fractures: Bone Repair
Minor fractures with no bone displacement are treated by immobilizing the fractured bone using a cast or splint. However, in the case of fractures with displaced bones, the broken bones are repositioned before immobilization to ensure successful healing without deformation and loss of function. The realignment of fractured bone ends is performed through a process called reduction. If the...
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...