Dear Patients,
“To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often” – Winston Churchill
In 1992 Dr. William Proffit wrote a landmark journal article related to the treatment of Class II (overbite) skeletal patients with a technique he named camouflage dentistry. The goal of this treatment modality is to correct skeletal relationship by orthodontically repositioning the teeth in the jaw, usually involving the removal of (2) upper bicuspids, so there is an acceptable dental occlusion an aesthetic facial appearance.
This technique has actually been in use by most orthodontists since the 1940’s. The problem with this technique is it does not treat the actual etiology of this skeletal inbalance. In most cases the patient has a deficient mandible, or short lower jaw. By removing upper teeth they reposition the upper jaw to fit a dimunitive lower jaw. This is an extremely flawed approach to treating Class II patients. In our office, we develop, (grow) the lower jaw to its proper physiologically acceptable position, resulting in a more biologically stable orthodontic, orthopedic result.
If you or someone you love has questions related to an overbite, please contact our office for a complementary consultation.
Sincerely,
Michael W. Dagostino, DDS