Objective: Open bite is one of the most challenging malocclusions to be corrected orthodontically. Miniscrew enabled orthodontists to treat open bite cases successfully. In this case report, a 22 years old female who had history of previous orthodontic treatment with open bite was retreated with maxillary molars intrusion with the aid of alveolar miniscrews.
Case: The patient showed a skeletal Class III malocclusion with a modest asymmetry complicated by anterior open bite. Despite the severity of the malocclusion, patients desired noninvasive treatment. Therefore camouflage orthodontic treatment was chosen with or without premolar extractions. The posterior teeth were splinted on the palatal side with rapid maxillary expansion (RME), and an intrusive force was then applied to the miniscrews on the buccal side. Following the major transverse correction, appropriate extraction decisions were made for remaining anteroposterior correction. Additional miniscrews were used as skeletal anchorage for space closure after extractions. The maxillary incisors were attempted to be bodily moved for completion of incisor relationship. As a result, a symmetric arch and Class I occlusion with favorable inclination were achieved.
Discussion and Summary: This report suggests that the application of RME & miniscrews in the transverse discrepancy may be an effective approach for camouflage treatment of open bite cases. This step-by-step procedure can be proposed as an effectively replacement of invasive orthognathic surgery.