Occlusal and temporomandibular changes with the Straight Arch orthodontic technique. Meditex Clinic, Angola

Abstract

Introduction: The Straight Arch technique is characterized by a straight ttarch placed that allows the teeth to be inclined in all three dimensions of space. Objective: To evaluate the occlusal and temporomandibular changes with the Straight Arch orthodontic technique in patients with malocclusion. Methods: A quasi-experimental study, modality before and after, without a control group, was carried out in 26 patients with malocclusion, treated at the Meditex Clinic, in Luanda, Angola, between August 2021 and August 2022. The treatment was performed using the Arch orthodontic technique Right. The variables studied were: occlusion relationship, temporomandibular anatomical relationship and degree of dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. Results: The occlusion relationship showed significant changes with the use of the Straight Wire technique in the molar relationship (2,110 ± 0,6637 mm; p= 0,000) and overjet (2,117 ± 1, 1,4644 mm; p= 0,000); the patients were characterized by presenting temporomandibular anatomical alteration before treatment, mainly in joint centrality (35,951), joint mechanical angle (26,412) and in the condyle-Frankfort relationship (-2,957), which improved with treatment (p= 0,000); patients presented temporomandibular dysfunction grade I and grade II in 46,15 % and 19,23 % respectively, after treatment it turned out that 69,23 % of patients remained with out joint symptoms. Conclusions: The Straight Arch technique constituted an orthodontic therapy that, in addition to improving the occlusion relationship, favors the joint anatomical relationship and constitutes a the rapeuticoption in temporomandibular dysfunction in patients with malocclusions.

Keywords

• ortodoncia
• oclusión dental
• articulación temporomandibular.