This paper describes different types of space maintainers and the clinical situations where they may be useful, for example, when primary teeth have been lost prematurely. It serves as a clinical guide for practitioners on the best types of space maintainers to use and on the clinical uses of space maintainers in preventing undesirable tooth movements and resulting loss of arch length.

Necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (NUG) can be a painful periodontal disease that can lead to loss of the interdental papillae. It is usually accompanied by systemic signs of fever, malaise and cervical and submandibular lymphadenopathy. It is caused by the profileration of anaerobic bacteria and has been linked to smoking and immunosuppression. This case series reports the occurrence of NUG in orthodontic patients and demonstrates that there is a varying scale of severity of the condition. Orthodontists should be aware of the clinical signs of NUG to ensure early detection and treatment of their patients in order to prevent irreversible loss of the interdental papillae and reduce the likelihood of recurrence. A treatment regime is suggested.

Molar-incisor malformation (MIM) is a dental anomaly that has recently been presented in the literature. It features morphological root abnormalities affecting the permanent first molars, resulting in narrow, shortened or almost completely absent roots in patients who interestingly still present with clinically normal crowns. In some cases, this condition also involves the roots of the deciduous second molars in a similar manner and the maxillary central incisors may exhibit notching around the cervical region of the clinical crown. Root dysplasia of the permanent first molars compromises the long-term survival of these teeth and, in itself, presents a challenge when attempting to undertake any orthodontic treatment. This case report describes an incidental finding of a patient presenting with similar features to that of MIM, discusses the features and clinical implications of this newly discovered condition, and highlights the importance of undertaking a comprehensive radiological investigation before treatment.

This case highlights the potential role of the dental practitioner in providing oromandibular dystonia sufferers with an effective and relatively easy treatment modality in the form of a removable appliance.

When bonded to enamel substrate, feldspathic porcelain veneers have a very high 10-year survival rate that may approach 95%. Clinical heterogeneity is associated with differences in reported survival rates. Use of clinically relevant survival definitions and careful reporting of tooth characteristics, censorship, clustering, and precise results in future research would improve meta-analytic estimates and aid treatment decisions.

The management of impacted teeth can be complex, time-consuming and expensive for the patient and healthcare system. These cases often require referral to a different specialty which increases the overall treatment time and number of appointments. This article introduces a simple, efficient technique using a cylindrical punch biopsy instrument to expose superficial, buccally impacted upper permanent canines and incisor teeth in carefully selected cases. This patient- and operator-friendly technique avoids the need for a referral to a different specialty, gives the orthodontist autonomy of the position of the bond, allows immediate traction, thereby reducing the number of appointments and overall treatment time for the patient.