Adrian Becker, Professor Emeritus at Hadassah University in Jerusalem, was among the renowned speakers invited to the recent Orthodontic Days. He brilliantly led the post-congress course on impacted teeth.
He is the author of a reference work on the subject, entitled "Orthodontic Treatment of Impacted Teeth". The third version, published by Wiley-Blackwell in 2012, is remarkable in more ways than one.
The management of impacted maxillary canines obviously occupies a prominent place. The author emphasizes the value of three-dimensional imaging, particularly in cases of root proximity to neighboring incisors: depending on the extent of resorption observed, he considers whether or not to undertake orthodontic traction, taking care to eliminate
the danger as quickly as possible.
A fascinating discussion ensued regarding the advantages and disadvantages of different surgical protocols. Adrian Becker, for his part, favored minimally invasive surgery with flap repositioning to promote optimal gum healing. The quality of the periodontal results obtained with this
so-called "closed" technique was indeed demonstrated through the presentation of numerous clinical cases.
But the author doesn't limit himself to canines: all teeth are examined in detail. An entire chapter is dedicated to impacted maxillary central incisors, whose roots can be lacerated following trauma in early childhood. The subject has rarely been treated with such rigor and precision, whether in terms of etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, or treatment.
Multiple inclusions are also addressed, in the context of local pathologies – cysts – or general pathologies – cleidocranial dysplasia.
Professor Becker teaches us to be patient and to break down the movements: the results obtained in the end are truly impressive.
Finally, it should be noted that an entire chapter is devoted to the causes of failure. Particular attention is paid to anchoring management.
Mini-screws and
mini-plates offer interesting possibilities in this regard, particularly for the most complex cases.
Throughout the 446 pages, the author shares over 40 years of experience in the field of impacted teeth.
His teaching is rich and comprehensive; it is illustrated with extensive iconography and draws on a review of recent and relevant literature. Adrian Becker runs a website dedicated to all the problems posed by impacted teeth. This site is aimed at orthodontists worldwide, as well as
patients and their parents seeking information on this subject.
www.dr-adrianbecker.com
Arnaud Costi
