Combined use of F22 aligners and intermaxillary elastics in mild skeletal Class II: Two case reports

The aim of these two case-reports is to illustrate and compare the therapeutic effects of Class II elastics in combination with F22 aligners in an adult and an adolescent patient, respectively.

Two patients with a mild skeletal Class II malocclusion, associated with mild-to-moderate crowding, presented for orthodontic treatment. The first patient was 12 years old, while the second was 40 years old. In both cases, the goal was to obtain bilateral molar and canine Class I with ideal overjet and overbite, and Class II skeletal relationship improvement in the young patient as well. Both treatments were approached without extractions and using clear aligners (CAs) in combination with Class II elastics, giving the patient the opportunity to take advantage of a therapy that is both comfortable and aesthetic.

Final records of both cases demonstrate how appropriate analysis and diagnosis enable CAs in conjunction with Class II elastics to be used with considerable efficiency and efficacy for Class II treatment. In the first case, the key to success was exploiting residual jaw growth, while in the second case it was careful orthodontic digital planning.

In the presence of good patient compliance, CAs associated with Class II elastics provide satisfactory occlusal outcomes if biomechanics and digital set-up are carefully evaluated and executed and if diagnosis is appropriate.