Korean Journal of Orthodontics  1995;25(5):641-654

Posterior open bite.

Young Hwa SOHN 1 ; Young Il CHANG

Affiliations

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Keywords

posterior open bite; mechanical obstruction; primary failure of eruption

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to present the cause and treatment of posterior open bite. Posterior open bite is the open bite limited to posterior teeth. These problem usually are attributed to a mechanical interference with the eruption process, either ankylosis or some soft tissue interference. But, in some patient, lateral open bite is due to a disturbance of the eruptive mechanism itself and other disease or side effect following other treatment. Distinguishing cause of posterior open bite, lack of eruption due to some external interference with eruption or primary failure of eruption mechanism, is important clinically because this determines the prognosis for orthodontic treatments. The characteristics, differential diagnosis with posterior open bite due to other etiologies and the treatment of these problems are presented and discussed.