Removable orthodontic appliances: new perspectives on capabilities and efficiency.

AIM: Removable appliances are a dependable choice for many patients but like all orthodontic appliances, they have some limitations in use. Patient selection and appropriate appliance design are two key factors for success. Many patients, especially adults, prefer intra-oral appliances to extra-oral devices. Sometimes a removable intra-oral appliance can solve a dental problem in a shorter period of time compared to fixed treatment, and this has also been repeatedly seen in molar distalisation. From the interceptive perspective, the appliance can prevent or alleviate an impending crowding for erupting permanent incisors.

CASE REPORT: This article describes 5 patients with different orthodontic problems: impending crowding for erupting upper canine with 2 approaches, provision of space for upper cuspids, resolution of chronic attrition of anterior teeth, relief of space shortage for upper canines eruption, and reduction of excess overjet. All subjects were treated with removable appliances of various designs.