Orthodontic retainers: are they all the same?

Introduction: It is known that the stability of the results obtained with orthodontic treatment depends, in addition to the functional and aesthetic aspects, also on the adequate planning of the retention devices, the patient's compliance with this new phase, and the physiological changes that the human body experiences over the years, throughout the craniofacial aging process.

Objective: This article discusses the importance of the orthodontic retention phase and the influence of diagnosis, planning and execution of corrective treatment of malocclusions, in order to achieve the expected success.

Methods: Throughout the text, different types of retainers and approaches during this phase will be presented, with the aim of ensuring the stability of the results obtained after correcting problems in the vertical, transverse and anteroposterior directions.

A clinical approach to managing open-bite malocclusion associated with severe crowding.

Open bite has been identified as one of the most challenging malocclusions in orthodontics. The treatment approach is complex, the resulting esthetics may not meet the patient's expectations, and the chance of recurrence is high. A 13-year-old girl presented a skeletal Class II malocclusion associated with anterior and posterior open bite, maxillary transverse deficiency, severe anterior crowding, and a hyperdivergent facial pattern.