Versatile Auxiliary Orthodontic Spring for Orthodontic Correction of Impacted Teeth

Abstract

The ectopic eruption and impaction of permanent canine is a frequently encountered clinical problem. Lowest incidence of impacted canines 0.27% reported in literature relates to Japanese sample population. In Americans and Israeli, it is 1.5% while the highest incidence of 7.9% was reported among Iceland population. Maxillary canine, since last in eruption sequence (except third molars), is most prevalent to be malpositioned due to tooth size arch length discrepancy (TSALD). Auxiliary springs have been used in orthodontics since long for the correction of impacted or unerupted canines or adjacent teeth. Cantilever springs are preferred than the continuous wires as placement of continuous flexible wires for correction of these single tooth malocclusions produces adverse effects on adjacent teeth, i.e. flattening of the arch and/or openbite in that region which eventually require more time for correction. In Begg’s light force appliance, various methods have been used, including the use of light wire springs, springs soldered to the heavy labial or palatal base wire and mousetrap loops bent in the archwires. With the use of these methods orthodontist had no precise control of magnitude and direction of force. Ballista spring, a unilateral spring made up of round wire and is tied into one of the molar tube, lacks the versatility in its use. Seong-Sang used auxiliary wire comprising 0.014 inch Australian Willcock wire. 1n 1995, Kornhauser et al used labial spring auxiliary. Orton in 1995 used a combination of the lower removable appliance and gold chain since this can be readily fabricated. Magnets are also utilized for the correction of impacted canines. Bowman and Carano introduced the Kilroy spring in 2003. Auxiliaries used previously lacked the versatility of their use with different fixed appliances, such as round and rectangular molar tubes and were not applicable for different malpositions of the canine or adjacent teeth. Their uses were restricted to specific conditions. Present article describes the fabrication of a self-stabilizing, self-locking, versatile auxiliary orthodontic spring (VAOS).