성인 환자의 전악 교정 치료에서 심미적인 심플-튜브의 활용

Bracketless Full Arch Fixed Orthodontic Treatment with Esthetic Simple-Tubes in an Adult

A simple-tube is a tube without a bonding base as a substitution of the edgewise bracket. This includes mini-tube appliance, and other bracketless or bracket-free fixed appliances. A bracketless fixed orthodontic treatment using simple-tubes is preferred to patients who are reluctant to wear brackets due to its unsightly appearance and discomfort. However, there are limitations because they are used mostly with NiTi archwires, making its usage mostly for partial orthodontic treatment. A 36-year-old male presented with both maxillary and mandibular anterior crowding, missing mandibular right first molar, and mesially tilted mandibular right second molar. Although extraction of the mandibular right second molar was planned, uprighting of this tooth prior to extraction was necessary to improve the bony support for the implant which was supposed to replace the molar. To alleviate the crowding, simple-tubes were bonded. Additional simple-tubes were bonded on mandibular right premolars to upright the second molar, and also on the lingual side of maxillary left incisors and canine for labial root torque of the lateral incisor. Treatment results showed that good occlusion can be achieved with bracketless fixed orthodontic treatment using simple-tubes. In adult patients who are reluctant to wear conventional fixed appliances, simple tubes can be a good alternative.