ESTHETIC CONSIDERATION IN ORTHODONTICS

Today, more so than at any other time in our specialty,we have the ability to provide esthetic results to our patients. We have a good understanding of the changes that occur in the soft tissues with growth and the changes produced by our treatment. By using early arch-development techniques, selective extractions, temporary anchorage devices, or interproximal reduction, we can better produce the space to align teeth while achieving optimal lip support and chin morphology. Previously untreatable Class III malocclusions can be treated with maxillary protraction that can produce changes in the soft tissue profile-changes that had been previously unobtainable without orthognathic surgery. Functional appliances can be used to bring the mandible forward in the face, resulting in a more balanced chin position. Temporary anchorage devices can be used to move teeth in all 3 planes of space.This goal is not ¿just cosmetic. It reflects the patients' desire to improve their social acceptability and eliminate discrimination based on appearance, which greatly affect their quality of life. Beauty is associated with symmetry, height and width relationships rather than mathematical proportion.