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JLa ~ Ashok Karad

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CLINICAL Excellence In Finishing: •
Current Concepts, Goals And Mechanics
Dr. Ashok Karad, BDS, MDS, M.OrthRCS [EdinJ
Director, Smile Care
Bandra (W), Mumbai , Indi a .

Abstract It has been widely recognized for many years that proper finishing is of critical importance in
achieving an excellent occlusal result after orthodontic appliance removal. This clinical
presentation deals with defining finishing goals and achieving them with the appropriate
treatment mechanics for optimal esthetics, function and stability. It highlights certain occlusal
- static and dynamic - periodontal as well as esthetic parameters that provide useful guidelines
for finishing in both the adolescent and adult orthodontic patient.

Keywords Finishing goals, occlusal parameters, periodontal factors.

Introduction It is author's beliefthat the orthodontic finishing begins

Stabi I ity of the orthodontic treatment resu It has been a
topic of great interest to the profession since the
inception of our specialty. The improvements in the
position of teeth achieved after great deal of effort may
be lost to varying degrees, after the removal of
orthodontic appliances. Sometimes changes in tooth
positions are noticed even during the period when the
patient is using retention appliances. It has been
recognized for many years that the stability of
orthodontic treatment results at least partially depends
on the way cases have been finished 1 • Orthodontic
finishing still remains a continual challenge for the
Orthodontist. Preadjusted Edgewise Appliances in their
current variations probably represent the biggest step
up the orthodontic evolutionary ladder and provide
great benefits to Orthodontists in all stages of treatment,
especially during finishing and detailing. However, in
some cI inical situations, it requires a great deal of effort
and skill to achieve an excellent occlusal result after
appliance removal.
This clinical article deals with defining finishing goals
and achieving them with the appropriate treatment
mechanics for optimal esthetics, function and stability.
It highlights certain occlusal - static and dynamic -
periodontal as well as esthetic parameters that provide
useful guidelines for finishing in both the adolescent
and adult orthodontic patient.
with diagnosis and treatment planning. With advances
in treatment mechanics, there is hardly an abrupt stage
of complicated wire bending to fine tune the tooth
positions; rather it is a gradual progression toward
finishing. In the management of a routine orthodontic
case, it is extremely important for a clinician to define
finishing goals at the beginning of treatment and
co ntinue to focus on them till the finishing stage, in
o rder to achieve them with appropriate treatment
mechanics. The generally acce pted treatment
objectives are as follows:! ,3
1. Normal static occlusal relationships - Class I
occlusion with 'Six Keys", 3mm of overjet and
overbite
2. Normal functional movements - a " mutually
protected occlusion"
3. Condyles in a seated position - in centric relation
4. Relaxed healthy musculature
5. Normal periodontal health
6. Optimal esthetics
7. Long-term stability of postreatment tooth positions
The purpose of this presentation is not just to outline
treatment goals and discuss them in detail. It is the
intent of this presentation to inform the orthodonti c
clinician of the importance of occlusal, periodontal
and esthetic parameters, to finish orthodontic cases to
the highest standards.

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Static occlusal parameters
Alignment
Proper alignment of teeth has been a fundamental
objective of any orthodontic treatment approach. In July
of 2000, the American Board of Orthodontics 4 further
clarified and quantified the static occlusal goals by
providing a grading system for study casts and
panoramic radiographs. In the mandibular arch, the
labioincisal edges of the incisors and canines are the
determinants of anterior alignment. This is because
when labioincisal edges are aligned properly, the teeth
look the best esthetically and they are the functioning
surfaces of the mandibular anterior teeth. In the
maxillary anterior segment, the lingual surfaces of the
maxillary incisors and canines are used as a guideline
to establish proper alignment. This is based on the fact
that, these surfaces are the functioning surfaces and
when aligned properly, the anteriors appear to be in
their best esthetic relationship.
In the mandibular posterior segment, the buccal cusps
of mandibular premolars and molars represent the
functioning surfaces and they are easy to visualize
intraorally. Therefore, these landmarks are used to
establish the proper alignment in the posterior segments,
within the patient' s acceptable archform. In the
maxillary posterior segments, central grooves of the
maxillary premolars and molars are used to access
proper alignment. Again, these are used since they
represent the functioning surfaces of the maxillary
posterior teeth, and are easy to observe intraorally.
Marginal Ridges
The marginal ridges can be used as a key to achieve
relative vertical positioning of the posterior teeth4.
During the finishing stage, it is important to make sure
that the marginal ridges of adjacent posterior teeth are
positioned at the same level (Fig. 1). This will position
the cusps and fossae of those teeth at the same level.
Once the marginal ridges of the posterior teeth are
positioned at the same relative level, then the
cementoenamel junctions are also at the same relative
level. This will lead to the bone levels between the
adjacent teeth being flat, producing a much healthier
periodontal situation for the patient.
The lack of distal root tip in the maxillary second
bicuspids expressed during the finishing stage leads to
discrepancy in the marginal ridge matching between
J Ind Orthod Soc 2006; 39 :126-138
Fig. 1: Establishing normal marginal ridge relationships.
these teeth and the first molar. This also leads to a lack
of occlusal contact in the posteriors 4
Transverse relationship of posteriors
During the finishing stage, it is of paramount importance
to evaluate the buccolingual inclination of the posterior
teeth to achieve good intercuspation and prevent
interferences during mandibular movements. This should
be assessed by evaluating the relationship between the
bu ccal and the lingual cusps of the maxillary and
mandibular premolars and molars - called the 'Curve
of Wilson'. In normal situation, the lingual cusp should
be at the same level or within a millimeter of the same
level as the mandibular buccal CUSpS4. This relationship
makes the occlusal tables of posterior teeth relatively
flat, therefore, promoting better contact of the maxillary
lingual cusps with the fossae of the mandibular posterior
teeth .
The extreme amount of mandibular posterior lingual
crown torque found in many preadjusted appliance
prescriptions leads to "rolled-in " mandibular posterior
teeth as a result of expressed torque&'? (Fig. 2).
In the maxillary buccal segment, the palatal cusps of
the first and second molars are generally slightly longer
and extend slightly more occlusal than the buccal
CUSpS.4 With the common use of expansion treatment
often using over-expanded, commercial arch blanks or
a limited amount of maxillary posterior expressed
buccal root torque, palatal cusps extend occlusally
beyond their normal limits (Fig. 2). This promotes
inappropriate interdigitation between maxillary and
mandibular posterior teeth, producing cross arch
balancing interferences in the lateral mandibular
excursions8 . Therefore, the buccolingual relationship of
posterior teeth should be improved by flattening the
curve of Wilson , minimizing or eliminating the
discrepancies in the posterior overjet, and avoiding the
prominence of palatal cusps by reducing the lower
posterior torque and increasing the upper. 7
127
 Asho k Ka rad

Fig. 2 : Establishing static occlusal parameters.

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Anterior Inclination
Optimal positioning of maxillary and mandibular
incisors at the conclusion of treatment is the prime
objective of any orthodontic treatment plan (Fig. 4&5).
A lso, the control of undesirable incisor movement
i nherent with the routine orthodontic treatment
mechanics would reduce amount of fine-tuning of
incisor position during the finishing stage. AIQabandi
et al 9 reported 6°_7° of lower incisor flaring when simply
leveling the curve of spee with fixed appliances.
Reports have described the limitations of controlling
the labial proclination of lower incisors during leveling,
even with rectangular wires, especially when using
d ass II elastics. 9 ,10
Qleigh Williams ll , suggested certain guidelines to
'mally position mandibular incisors and canines for
J Ind Orthod Soc 2006; 39:126-138
A B
Fig. 3: Cephalometric tracings
A - Pre-treatment
B - Post-treatment
C - Pre and Post-treatment superimpositions
long-term stability. The lower incisor apices should be
spread distally to the crowns, and the apices of the
lower lateral incisors must be spread more than those
of the central incisors (Fig. 6). Apex of the lower cuspid
should be positioned distal to the crown. All four lower
incisor apices must be in the same labiolingual plane.
The lower cuspid root apex must be positioned slightly
buccal to the crown apex.
I \
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The overall inclination of the maxillary and mandibular
C anterior teeth is best evaluated with a lateral
cephalometric radiograph. The interincisal angle plays
an important role in esthetics, function and stability
and should not be based on averages. 12 Growth
direction, esthetics and overbite should also be
considered in determining ideal torque in the maxillary
and mandibular arch. In short, it should be
individualized.
If uncontrolled flaring of the lower incisors is permitted,
then increased labial crown torque of the maxillary
incisors would be required to maintain appropriate
overbite/overjet and in the process, more bimaxillary
protrusive results will be produced, which will be
detrimental to facial esthetics.
Molar position
Insufficient thickness of maxillary second bicuspids
causes first molar to rotate mesially upon initial wire
engagement, causing an increase in Class II tendency
129
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I ,
Ashok Karad

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Fig. 3: Limited amount of maxi ll ary Fig. 4 : Improved bucco lingual Fig. 5: Norm al interin c isal relation-
posterior buccal root torque relationship of posterior teeth shi p, overjet and overbite
and the extreme amou nt of by redu cing the lowe r ac hi eved by optimal inc isor
mandibul ar posterior buccal posterior torque and increas- torque contro l.
root torq ue, lead ing to ing the upper.
imprope r interd igitatio n,
increased buccal overjet, and
bal ancing interferences.
(Courtesy - Dr. Jay Bowman)

Fig. 6 : Optimal lower inc isor Fig. 7: Positio n of max ill ary second bicuspid - a key to a properly treated
positioning with progressive maloccl usion.
distal root spread.

Fig. 8 : Proper location of contact poi nts.

130
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and buccal movement of second bicuspid. Also, the
marginal ridge discrepancies between the maxillary
and mandibular first and second molars may result from
diffi culties in posterior appliance placement due to
limited visibility, variable clinical crown height,
delayed eruption of teeth, and gingival hypertrophy.s
Sondhi IJ demonstrated the production of " inappropriate
o r broken contacts between mandibular first and second
mol ars " due to the distal offsets of the first molar
attac hment found in some popular prescriptions. This
offset ca n displace second molars to the lingual and/
or rotate the first and second molars to the mesial,
thereby, creating an incorrect match of the adjacent
marginal ridges and contact points.
These discrepancies of treatment must be carefully
evaluated and addressed during the finishing stage in
o rd er to promote proper proximal contacts, marginal
ridges and alignment in the buccal segments.
Maxillary second bicuspid - a key to
occlusion
Ri cketts '4 pointed out that the contact position of the
max illary second premolar is a key to a properly treated
malocclusion. The maxillary second premolar should
have a normal contact relation with the mesial incline
of th e lower first molar which produces an interlocking
into the corresponding interspaces of the lower
premolars (Fig. 7). This relationship causes the tip of
th e mesiobuccal cusp of the upper first molar to be
sli ghtly distal to the mesiobuccal grove of the lower
f ir st molar. According to Ricketts this is the most
effi c ient, most self-cleansing and most self-preserving
relationship in accordance with Nature' s plan.
Contact points
The importance of proper contact points between the
teeth in preventing food impaction and stability of the
dental arches after orthodontic treatment has been well
understood by all specialists. During the finishing stage,
three dimensional control of teeth positions and their
relationship with the adjacent teeth is essential to
establish the location of contact points. Contact points
or contact surfaces of teeth are generally located in
the occlusal one third of the proximal walls, slightly
bu ccal to the central fossa in the molar and premolar
area with the exception of the maxillary first and second
mo lars ,s ,'6 (Fig. 8). The contact point between the
maxillary central incisors is located at the most incisal
J Ind Orthod Soc 2006; 39 :126-138
one third having a perception of a vertical line. The
position of contact poi nts in the maxi lIary anterior
segment, when viewed from front, seems to progress
from the incisal to cervical , from the central incisors
to the canine (Fig. 8).
Contact points must be observed from two aspects in
order to obtain the proper perspective for their proper
location; the labial or buccal aspect, and the incisal
or occlusal aspect.
Occlusal contact
After the resolution of malocclusion, teeth need to be
individually settled into their final positions before
appliance removal. In the posterior segment, teeth are
generally held away from each other in vertical plane
due to full size rectangular stainless steel finishing
archwires . The vertical settling of maxillary and
mandibular teeth to achieve maximum intercuspation
is done by using different configurations of vertical
elastics. The more precise the placement of brackets
and tubes, the easier it is to settle the teeth and the
less elastics need to be used in this way. The adequacy
of posterior teeth interdigitation is evaluated by
assessing the contact relationship between the cusps
and fossae of the molars and premolars. Ricketts '4
pointed out that, without third molars, 16 to 24 occlusal
stops or centric stops on each side are adequate for a
good balanced occlusion .
The lingual cusps of the maxillary premolars and molars
should be in contact with the marginal ridges or fossae
of the mandibular premolars and mol ars 4 . In addition,
the buccal cusps of the mandibular premolars and
molars should contact the fossae or marginal ridges of
the maxillary molars and premolars 4 Due to lack of an
adequate occlusal table, the lingual cusps of the
maxillary first premolars may not establish contact with
the mandibular first premolar.
Dynamic occlusal relationships
In addition to achieving the occlusal relationships in
Class I as suggested by Angle ' 7 and the 'six keys to
occlusion ' by Andrews 1s , other workers I ike
Williamson 19, Aubrey20, Ricketts 21, and Roth 22 have all
expanded the area of knowledge in occlusion to include
the neuromuscul ar and bony structures of the TMJ in
establishing orth o dontic treatment objectives. In
dealing with the v arious elements of functional
occlusion as one of the finishing goals, it is important
13.1
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J L() ~ Ashok Karad

Fig. 9: Estab lishing functi onal occlu sa l goals

C - Mand ibul ar ri ght lateral excursion, 0 - Protru sive mandibu lar movement, E - M andibu lar left lateral excursion.

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/ L(] ~ J Ind Orthod Soc 2006; 39 :126-138

Fig. 10: Post-treatment intraoral and extraora l photographs.

16
18

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A B

Fig. 11: Cephalometri c tracings

A - Pre-treatment
B - Post-treatment
C - Pre and Post-treatment superimpositions

133

to achieve stable centric relation of mandible with
maximum intercuspation of the teeth at this position.
In the intercuspal position and retruded contact position
the mandible should be situated in the same sagittal
plane, the distance between the two positions being
less than 1mm.
There should be harmonious glide path of anterior teeth.
These teeth should work against one another to separate
or disclude the posterior segments as soon as the
mandible moves out of centric closure. The proper
overbite and overjet established after orthodontic
treatment should allow for a gentle glide path.
The canines should provide the main gliding inclines
for lateral excursions, with no interferences on the
balancing side (Fig. 9). The six mandibular anterior teeth
and mandibular first bicuspids should articulate with
the maxillary six anteriors during mandibular protrusive
excursion. In this way, a protrusive load is spread over
fourteen anterior teeth with no interferences in the
posterior region (Fig. 10). The teeth shou Id not prevent
the mandible from entering or leaving any possible
position that the joints will allow. Therefore, the teeth
should direct and maintain the centricity of the condyles
in their fossae on closure .
Interincisal relationship - a critical element
of functional occlusion
The optimal position of maxillary and mandibular
incisors and their relationship with each other after
orthodontic treatment is one of the key elements of
functional occlusion. According to McHorris,23,24 in the
optimal functional occlusion, the anteriors are in very
close approximation but do not touch when molars are
in occlusion. The lower anteriors engage the lingual
incline of the opposing upper anteriors immediately with
mandibular movement. The lingual discluding surface
of the upper anteriors seems to reflect the anatomical
angle or discluding pathway of the mandibular condyles.
The ideal anterior disclosure angle is greater than or equal
to 5 degrees than the condylar disclosure angle (Fig. 11).
An occlusal interference on the anterior teeth, identified
du ri ng un forced closure of the mandible, sometimes
associated with a distalizing effect in condylar position
has been termed as "anterior interference. 25 The axial
incli nations of maxillary and mandibular anteriors and
the consequent interincisal angle should be proper in
order to avoi d anterior interferences after orthodontic
treatment.
13
Ashok Karad
Fig. 12: The ideal angle of disclusion in protrusive is
thought to be 5 degrees greater than the condylar
disclusive angle.
Periodontal Factors
One of the finishing goals of orthodontic treatment is
to position the roots of adjacent teeth parallel to each
other. Other factors being normal, if the roots are
parallel to each other, then there will be sufficient bone
between the roots of teeth. It is considered that more
interproximal bone will provide greater resistance to
periodontal bone loss if the patient develops periodontal
disease in the future. During the finishing stage, if the
teeth are not properly uprighted, especially when the
second bicuspids or first molars are extracted /missing
and the posterior teeth are drifted into that space; then
the marginal ridges will not be level, proximal contacts
will be faulty, with angular bony defects on the mesial
aspects of the mesially tipped teeth.
Another clinical situation which demands parallelism
of roots of the adjacent teeth is when the maxillary
lateral incisor is missing. If the maxillary lateral incisor
is missing and the treatment plan involves sufficient
opening of lateral incisor space and subsequent
restoration with an osseointegrated implant, then it is
important to evaluate the position of the roots of
adjacent teeth radiographically. The roots of the central
incisor and canine should be parallel to each other with
adequate space between the roots for implant
placement.
Crown Width Discrepancy
Size of the teeth is one of the most important elements
of anterior dental esthetics. Orthodontists are often
faced with disproportionate widths of anterior teeth
during treatment. This tooth size discrepancy is

commonly found in patients with peg-shaped lateral
incisors. Even after getting the teeth perfectly aligned
and the arch forms properly establ ished with
orthodontic treatment, the abnormal shape and smaller
size of lateral incisor pose esthetic problems.
The Golden proportion can be called the building blocks
of nature itself. This ratio is an ideal ratio that can be
mathematically defined as 1 :1.618 (Fig. 12). It has been
observed that when this rule of good proportion is
followed, the result is something that is naturally
attractive and pleasing to the eye. Smiles can be mad e
attractive by following these mathematical rules of
nature to create harmony, symmetry, and proportion. 16,2 7
We can use the proportion to define the length: width
for each tooth, Also the width of central incisor is in
golden proportion to the lateral incisor width which in
turn is in proportion with the mesial width of the
Canine 26.
,6 1.0 1.6 1.6 1.0 .6
Fig. 13: The Golden proportion-an ideal ratio can be
mathematically defined as 1:1.618.
It is therefore imperative to restore the size of the
malformed lateral incisors after the completion of
orthodontic treatment for good overall treatment result
(Fig. 13 & 15). Duringthe finishing stage of orthodontic
treatment, if excessive space exists in the anterior
segment, it should be redistributed to restore the proper
crown width (Fig. 14). If insufficient space exists to
restore these teeth, an adequate space should be gained
which will permit the restoration of proper crown width.
To determine the space required to restore the crown
width, during the treatment planning stage, construction
of a diagnostic wax-up is an important step to visualize
the final result. After removal of the fixed orthodontic
appliances, provisional restorations should be given
before final restorations to avoid relapse.
Replacement of missing laterals with implants
Dental agenesis occurs quite frequently, espeCially of
the maxillary lateral incisors, and it presents a true
J Ind Orthod Soc 2006; 39:126-138
challenge to an esthetic solution. For a long time, many
clinicians had suggested an alternative treatment
approach by moving the entire lateral segment mesially
to place the cuspid in the lateral incisor position,
However, this approach ends up with compromised
results that do not fulfill the esthetic requirements of
good orthodontic treatment, since the cuspid has a very
different crown and root shape to that of the lateral
incisor, as well as a darker shade. When missing lateral
incisor space is closed by moving the entire lateral
segment mesially, lateral excursions are made using
bicuspids, which have shorter, thinner roots; thus,
functional requirements are also not fulfilled either.
If fixed restoration is the treatment of choice, it requires
reshaping neighboring teeth, with consequent removal
of varying amounts of enamel, and eventual risk of
gingival recession , caries etc. The osseo-integrated
implant is the most conservative and biological
method , since the missing tooth can be replaced
without damaging the neighboring teeth.
If the use of implants is the part of treatment plan for
the missing lateral incisors, it is necessary to decide
the exact placement of implants, evaluate the smile
line and gingival contour. When the lateral incisors
are missing, there is usually no adequate space to
restore them due to drifting of the adjacent teeth (Fig.
16). In such cases, it is essential to gain adequate space
with orthodontics for the placement of implant and
crown restoration for good esthetic result (Fig, 17). The
exact amount of space created should be according to
the proposed size of lateral incisors, which should be
proportionate to the width of the central incisors, After
opening up of sufficient space, acrylic teeth may be
selected closer to the shade of the patient's teeth,
bracketed and attached to the arch wire for esthetic
purposes. Before the orthodontic appliances are
removed it is important to evaluate radiographically
the position of the roots of adjacent teeth
The roots of the central incisors and canines on either
side in case of bilaterally missing laterals should be
parallel to each other with adequate space between
the roots for implant placement (Fig. 18 & 19). Before
removal of orthodontic appliances, it is common to
see adequate space for the prosthesis and inadequate
space between the roots of the adjacent teeth for an
implant. This usually occurs due to tipping movement
of adjacent teeth, which requires proper uprighting of
the roots during the finishing stage of orthodontic
135
 ~ Ashok Karad

Fig. 14: Class 1 maloccl usion with disproportionate crow n w idths of anteriors due to peg-shaped laterals.
Fig. 15 : Proper distribution of anteri or spaces to restore no rm al widths of latera l incisors.
Fig. 16: Peg-shaped latera ls are restored w ith ceramic veneers in a golden proportion with adj acent teeth.

Fig. 17: M axi llary lateral incisor is missing and the adj acent teeth are drifted into
the space.
Fig. 18: Sufficient space has been created orthodonti ca ll y to resto re maxill ary
right lateral inc isor.
Fig. 19: Intraora l periapical radiograph shows adequate space between the roots
of the central inc isor and canine. Note th e paralle lism of roots of the
adjacent teeth.
Fig. 20: Osseointegrated imp lant placement in the latera l inc isor reg ion.

Fig. 2 1: Normal gingival archi tecture.

Fig. 22: Faulty max ill ary anterior resto ratio n vio lating the biologic w idth and
di screpancy in gingiva l margins and gingiva l zenith .
Fig. 23: After the different ial forced eruption of incisors, the crown extensio n
procedure has been planned o n upper right central and latera l incisors
to resolve the res idual gi ngiva l discrepancy.
Fig. 24: The combined orthodontic and resto rative treatment exhibiting norma l
gingival architecture with physiologic positioning of fi nishing margins of
anterior restoration.

treatment. The minimum space of 6.5mm between
adjacent roots is required to place a standard implant
of 3mm width.
Gingival Architecture
Color, contour and the health of the gingival tissues
provide the framework and backdrop for the esthetic
smile. Even if the case is well finished with orthodontic
treatment, abnormal ity of the gi ngiva either in the form
of loss of papilla, asymmetrical pattern and excessive
display. leads to a poor result. It is therefore essential
to have proper gingival architecture and display to
achieve a maximum esthetic result. As a general rule,
a line drawn at the level of the free gingival margin of
the anterior segment will show the free gingival margin
of the centra l incisors and the cuspids to be at the same
height and that of the lateral incisors to be slightly
coro nal 28 (Fig. 20).
Furthermore, the most apical point of the gingiva or
the gingival zenith is located just distal of the long
ax is of the central incisors and cuspids, whereas the
gi ngival zenith for the lateral incisors coincides with
their long axis l 6 ,29 (Fig. 20). In other words, the height
of the gum lin e across the face of the tooth should be
centered on the lateral incisors, and positioned in the
dista l 1/3rd of the face of the tooth for the centrals and
ca nines. This gives the gingiva a semi-circular
ap peara nce for lateral incisors and an elliptical
appearance for central incisors and canines.
During the process of eruption the whole periodontal
paratus is carried with the erupting tooth . When there
- asymmetric eruption of the teeth it will also result in
repancies in heights of the underlying crestal bone.
is, in turn, results into asymmetries in gingival
'ghts (gingival zenith) from one side of the arch to
other. This type of a clinical situation can be
aged orthodontically by intrusion or extrusion of
(Fig. 21, 22 & 23).
rn orthodontic treatment is aimed at creating the
p oss ible occlusal relationships within the
w ork of acceptable facial esthetics and stability
occlusa l result. It is extremely important for a
- 'an to define finishing goals at the begining of
ent and continue to focus on them till the
i ng stage, in order to achieve them with
pr iate treatment mechanics. This article has
J Ind Orthod Soc 2006; 39:126-138
provided certain occlusal - static and dynamic -
periodontal as well as esthetic parameters that outline
useful guidelines for finishing in both the adolescent
and adult orthodontic patient. Also, choosing the best
possible treatment options from other specialties and
combi ni ng them as a part of the optimal treatment plan
based on scientific rationale should be the aim for the
benefit of the patient.
Acknowledgements
I thank Dr. Ratnadeep Patil for his clinical assistance
in rendering Perio-restorative treatment when indi-
cated. Sincere thanks to Ms. Arlene Fernandes, Dr.
Kavita Ramanathan and Dr. Ken DCunha for their pro-
fessional assistance in preparing this manuscript, and
Mr. Nikhil Patel for his assistance in imaging.
Communications
Dr. Ashok Karad, BDS, MDS, M.OrthRCS [Edinl
Diplomate, Indian Board of Orthodontics
Director, Smile Care, India
Smile Care, 13, Geetanjali, 234, S.v. Road,
Bandra (west), Mumbai 400050. India
Tel: 022-26431670/71 Fax: 022-6416342 e-mail:
smile@bom7.vsnl.net.in
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AIQabandi A, Sadowsky C, BeGo le E. A compari so n
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