• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.255-263
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• 2006

Objectives: This article reported three patients developed anterior open bite seemed to be related to TMJ anterior disc dislocation without reduction(ADD WO R), but no evidence of condylar destructive or collapse and analyzed the craniofacial skeletal structure by means of cephalometric analysis. Results: All patients suddenly developed a centric relation/centric occlusion discrepancy, an increased overjet and an anterior open bite following ADD WO R. All patients had Angle's Class I occlusion and shallow bite, but they had skeletally Class III and Class II pattern and all were vertically significant hyperdivergent type. Conclusions: These 3 patients had characteristics of common facial morphology including:(1)Angle classification Class I and shallow bite,(2)high mandibular plane angle,(3)high gonial angle. Developed anterior open bite resulted from clockwise rotation of the mandible related TMJ ADD WO R, rather than a result from the eruption of posterior teeth. We hypothesize rotation may relate to attached direction of masticatory muscle.