Anterior Open Bite: The Importance of Multidisciplinar Approach and Considerations on the Etiology, Diagnosis and Treatment. A Case Report

José Fernando Castanha HENRIQUES, Guilherme JANSON, Renato Rodrigues de ALMEIDA, Eduardo Álvares DAINESI, Sandra Márcia HAYASAKI

The anterior open bite is a malocclusion that most compromises the function and esthetics, in addition to dental and skeletal changes. It can develop from a number of etiologic factors, such as oral habits (thumb sucking or pacifier), hypertrophic tonsils, oral breathing, dental ankilosis and abnormalities in the eruption process. These factors also interfere in the normal growth and development of facial structures, modifying not only the morphology, but also the stomatognatic system functions. Thus, in order that the orthodontic treatment can be effective and stable, a multidisciplinar approach has been need, because the correction of the morphological problem is not enough. The coadjuvant treatments are important for the maintenance of the normal occlusion obtained by the orthodontic treatment. Among them are the psychology, otorhinolaryngology, speech therapy, wich re-educates the muscles functional patterns. This paper presents relevant considerations about the etiology, the development of the anterior open bite as well as, its diagnosis and multidisciplinar therapy for the treatment in the various stages of the dentition development. A clinical case report of anterior open bite caused by the thumb sucking habit is presented which was treated with palatal crib in the mixed dentition stage, and that, after seven years following the completion of the treatment, the case maintained optimal stability.

Keywords: Orthodontics. Malocclusion. Anterior open bite. Palatal crib. Oral habits.

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