The 5th Japan Academy of Aligner Orthodontics Annual Congress 2018

Facial First' Concept in Aligner Orthodontic Treatment for Adult Patients

Treating adult patients with borderline space discrepancy can be somewhat confusing and needs a sound judgment whether or not an extraction treatment plan is really needed. Adult patients often demand not only straight teeth, but also an improvement in overall changes in facial esthetics. For most Asian patients, facial tapering is one of the most desirable outcomes when seeking orthodontic treatment including clear aligner therapy. As majority of clinicians have impression that the way to deliver marked change in facial profile often involves some tooth extraction. However, an extraction treatment done unnecessarily can result in dished in anterior teeth, unesthetic gummy smile, too concave facial profile, and aged-look appearance, especially in adult population with thinner soft tissue profile and existing bony facial appearance.
This presentation will showcase a variety of aligner orthodontic treatments with a more conservative non-extraction approach with focus on the facial esthetics and harmony of the face. A good number of non-extraction treatments with favorable and optimal change in facial esthetics will be presented and discussed.