The causes, diagnosis and treatment of anterior open bite.

Abstract

Anterior open bite has multiple aetiologies, but can be broadly described as being dental or skeletal in origin. Accurate differentiation is essential in determining the appropriate treatment plan: dental open bites may close spontaneously in the growing patient and are generally amenable to orthodontic treatment, whereas skeletal open bites frequently worsen with growth and usually require a combination of orthodontics and orthognathic surgery. The incidence of post-treatment relapse is high, making these malocclusions a challenge to treat successfully.