Non-surgical, non-extractive treatment of a severe class III malocclusion in permanent dentition: Follow-up of a case 24 years posttreatment

Summary This case shows a patient who had presented a severe Class III malocclusion, both maxillary and mandibular crowding and an impacted canine: she is now 24 years posttreatment. She was treated, in permanent dentition, by proclination of both maxillary and mandibular incisors, expansion of the maxillary arch and of the mandibular intercanine width and disinclusion of the impacted canine. At debonding, she presented well-aligned arch forms, a centered midline and a pleasant smile. Twenty-four years after treatment, her records show that the occlusion has remained stable. The use of wires of almost full thickness helped effectively control incisor torque, thus keeping the teeth inside the cortical bone and limiting the expected periodontal problems.