Management of anteroposterior dental movements

Management of the anteroposterior dimension is one of the most common problems encountered in orthodontic treatment. Numerous methods are available to treat the anteroposterior discrepancy depending on the treatment objectives and the available growth potential. Some situations may require a dental correction such as maxillary molar derotation or distal movements of both the upper and lower molars. If additional arch length is required, the extraction of permanent teeth may serve as an effective treatment modality as long as the anchorage requirements are considered. Other instances may necessitate skeletal correction via growth modification ie, maintaining the maxilla anteroposteriorly during growth. Regardless of the treatment mechanics used, it is important to understand how these different methods can affect the amount of arch length gained with respect to the treatment objectives for incisor and molar position. Once the objectives for incisor and molar position are determined, then the appropriate mechanotherapy can be used.