Il trattamento ortodontico precoce in dentizione decidua con dispositivi elastodontici

Aim.
To evaluate skeletal and dentoalveolar changes induced by elastodontic appliances after the early treatment of transverse maxillary deficit and anterior open bite in primary dentition.
Materials and methods.
C.P., a healthy 2.6 year-old female showed a transverse maxillary deficit with unilateral crossbite and functional shift on the right.
B.F., a healthy 2.6 year-old male showed an anterior open bite due to thumb sucking, and abnormal swallowing.
The children were evaluated only with an intra- and extra-oral exam, without panoramic radiograph and lateral cephalogram, and without cast analysis. Moreover, the cooperation of the children has been assessed.
Treatment plan included just an elastodontic appliance and the parents were instructed to its use.
Results and conclusions.
The goals of occlusal harmony, function and dentofacial aesthetics were reached in a short term treatment: six months for the first child and eight months for the second one.
Posterior crossbite and anterior open bite are malocclusions that develop early in childhood. Deciding when or even whether to treat an orthodontic problem in the primary dentition is still a controversial issue: a unilateral posterior crossbite as a result of a functional displacement of the mandible is one of the few malocclusions which should be considered for correction in the primary dentition.
Elastodontic therapy in preschool children is an effective method to restore normal occlusion.