Orthodontic treatment of a severe combined anterior and posterior open bite case, involving ankylosis and eruption disturbances in late adolescence

Treatment of a combined anterior and posterior open bite case is a demanding orthodontic procedure that requires, in many cases, a multidisciplinary approach. Disturbances in the time or pattern of permanent teeth eruption can often cause or aggravate these clinical conditions, that once established can affect the occlusion, the mastication, the speech, and the oral health quality of life index of such a patient. This article describes the orthodontic treatment of a teenager with severe anterior and posterior open bite, a unilateral posterior crossbite and serious mastication problems. Proper diagnosis, treatment planning, and mechanotherapy used, resulted in excellent orthodontic outcome, greatly improving all aspects of the patient’s initial concerns and the clinician’s goals.