The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network adult anterior open bite study: A description of the practitioners and patients

Abstract

Objectives:: To describe the demographic and practice characteristics of the clinicians enrolled in a large, prospective cohort study examining recommendations and treatment for adult anterior open bite (AOB) and the relationship between these characteristics and practitioners' self-reported treatment preferences. The characteristics of the AOB patients recruited were also described.

Materials and methods:: Practitioners were recruited from the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. Participants in the study consisted of practitioners and their adult AOB patients in active treatment. Upon enrollment, practitioners completed questionnaires enquiring about demographics, treatment preferences for adult AOB patients, and treatment recommendations for each patient. Patients completed questionnaires on demographics and factors related to treatment.

Results:: Ninety-one practitioners and 347 patients were recruited. Demographic characteristics of recruited orthodontists were similar to those of American Association of Orthodontists members. The great majority of practitioners reported using fixed appliances and elastics frequently for adult AOB patients. Only a third of practitioners reported using aligners frequently for adult AOB patients, and 10% to 13% frequently recommended temporary anchorage devices (TADs) or orthognathic surgery. Seventy-four percent of the patients were female, and the mean age was 31.4 years. The mean pretreatment overbite was -2.4 mm, and the mean mandibular plane angle was 38.8°. Almost 40% of patients had undergone orthodontic treatment previously.

Conclusions:: This article presents the demographic data for 91 doctors and 347 adult AOB patients, as well as the practitioners' self-reported treatment preferences.

Keywords: Anterior open bite; Network study; Open bite; Patient demographics; Practitioner demographics.

Figure 1.

Cephalometric landmarks identified on pre-intervention lateral cephalograms: sella (S), nasion (N), anterior nasal spine (ANS), posterior nasal spine (PNS), pogonion (Pg), gnathion (Gn), menton (Me), anatomic gonion (Go), articulare (Ar), A-Point (A), B-Point (B), incisal edge of the mandibular incisor (L1 incisal edge), incisal edge of the maxillary incisor (U1 incisal edge), root tip of the maxillary incisor (U1 root tip), root tip of the mandibular incisor (L1 root tip), mesiobuccal cusp tip of the maxillary first molar (U6), mesiobuccal cusp tip of the mandibular first molar (L6).

Figure 2.

Representative anterior open bite of a study patient.

Figure 3.

Lateral cephalogram depicting representative facial characteristics of a study patient.