Using loop connectors as an interim mode of treatment: An interdisciplinary approach

Abstract

To tackle a large midline diastema and generalized spacing existing before extraction often poses a challenge to the treating prosthodontist. The situation becomes even more complicated if the patient is a teenager, with multiple missing teeth, associated deep bite and where the jaw bone growth has not yet been completed. Possible treatment options would include a removable prosthesis, a fixed partial denture or an implant supported prosthesis. Treating such cases with a simple removable prosthesis cannot be justified if a deep bite existed which would result in posterior disocclusion. Also a conventional fixed partial denture or closure of the diastema with light cure composite (LCC), would result in a seemingly large tooth, which would be unaesthetic in appearance. Implant supported prosthesis is a possibility, if the patient's jaw bone growth has been completed. Another simple non-invasive solution to this problem would be to fabricate a non-rigid connector using loops. This presentation describes the procedure for fabrication of an interim loop connector for a 16 year old female patient who had lost one of her maxillary central incisors as a result of trauma. Patient also had multiple spacing in the maxillary anterior teeth and an associated deep bite. Her cephalogram revealed that she had a Class III skeletal pattern. A permanent treatment at this stage was not possible due to ontoward mandibular growth pattern as revealed on the cephalogram. Hence to dodge all these problems, a simple and non-invasive treatment using loop connectors was chosen till the growth period was completed.

Keywords

• Late mandibular growth pattern
• loop connector
• spring cantilever bridge