Orthodontic complications. 1) & 2) This patient presented with a failing tooth #9 under an unattractive crown. This tooth was maintained for one year while her teeth were being aligned with braces. The #9 tooth root was extracted from under the crown to allow the gum and bone to heal eight months before the completion of the orthodontics. 3) & 4) This rootless crown #9 is being held in place only by the orthodontic bracket and wire. This patient preferred to keep this unattractive crown during her orthodontic treatment to minimize simultaneous cosmetic changes, but a cosmetic temporary crown could also have been used during this time. A dental implant will be placed about three months following the extraction. The second stage implant connection will coincide with the braces removal.

Fixed orthodontics. Tubing used to protect lip from archwire.

Anterior root torquing archwire. This will torque the incisor roots lingually. Class two elastics are used to keep the incisor crowns from torquing labially.

Upper and lower views of an orthodontic archwire with anterior closing loops and posterior open coils.

The same archwire placed in the lower arch. In this case, the posterior open coils were used for: uprighting and distalization of the mandibular molars and space maintenance.

Fixed orthodontics used to retract severe labial inclination. 1) & 2) Pre-operative views. Note the upper and lower central incisors. 3) & 4) Following six months of treatment with the archwire in place. Again, note the upper and lower central incisors. Note the three teeth connected with wire are being used as an anchorage unit while one tooth is being pulled by the elastic band.

Braces move teeth through bone like moving a basketball pole through wet cement using anchorage and elastics. Note the three teeth connected with wire – on top of the archwire – are being used as an anchorage unit while one tooth is being pulled by the elastic band.