Clear aligner treatment for a four-year-old patient with anterior cross-bite and facial asymmetry: A case report

World J Clin Cases. 2022 May 26;10(15):5088-5096. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i15.5088.

Abstract

Background: Clear aligners have been widely used to treat malocclusions from crowding, extraction cases to orthodontic-orthognathic cases, and practitioners are exploring the border of it. For the first time, clear aligners were used to early intervene anterior cross-bite and facial asymmetry.

Case summary: This case report described a four-year-old child presented with anterior cross-bite and facial asymmetry associated with functional mandibular shift, who had undergone a failed treatment with conventional appliances. The total treatment time was 18 weeks, and a stable outcome was obtained.

Conclusion: The increasing need in early treatment highlights the need for clinicians to thoroughly investigate for the patient regarding clinical manifestation as well as patient compliance. We hope that our case will be contemplated by clinicians when seeking for treatment alternatives.

Keywords: Anterior cross-bite; Case report; Early treatment; Functional mandibular shift; Three-dimensional diagnosis and treatment planning.

Publication types

  • Case Reports