Dentista

The Forsus™ Fatigue Resistant Device : Better Than Elastics for Class II
by Pascal Baron, DDS, MSc, PhD
Dr. Pascal Baron graduated from Toulouse University in 1983. He received his degree in orthodontics (CECSMO) in 1988 from the same University. He has been Professor at the Orthodontics Department of Toulouse University since 2000. He is in charge of the clinical and post-graduate orthodonticscourses and heads the Clinical Orthodontics Unit at Toulouse Rangueil Hospital. He has a private practice in Colomiers, France on the outskirts of Toulouse. Dr. Pascal Baron is diplomat member of the European College of Orthodontics. He published in various professional journals and he delivered presentations nationally and internationally. He has a variety of research subjects mainly includingClass III, ortho-magnetic tooth disimpaction, scan 3D imaging, Level Anchorage™ System and adult treatments. Dr. Pascal Baron has used the Forsus™ Corrector system since it was introduced on the European market in 2002. Clinical trials are in progress.

There have been few significant changes with fixed appliance techniques since it was invented. In a previous issue of the OrthodonticPerspectives, Dr. G. L. Weinberger1 presented the SmartClip™ Self-Ligating Bracket, as a real technological innovation, in the same category as the arrival of the twin-bracket and the straight wire. We should remember, however, that innovations offered by manufacturers of orthodontic materials have, essentially, been improvements to existing devices. These days, any progress in the design of brackets,adhesives, alloys and cosmetic materials are made by R&D departments. Conversely, therapeutic concepts remain the prerogative of the clinicians. Although we should pay homage to Edward H. Angle for his invention of the edgewise appliance, the honors should also go to Charles H. Tweed for having created the foundations of modern orthodontics2. Extractions, the position of the incisors, integration of thevertical direction and anchorage preparation are essential contributions to the individualization, reproducibility and stability of our treatments. Others then played their part by studying the effects of orthodontic mechanics and, within a few decades, it was all over. If we look back we can see that the fundamental knowledge required for treatment success has been in place since the first halfof the 1970s. Subsequent events, with the growth of various schools of thought and many straight wire techniques, are merely capturing market share. The most recent revolution was, once again, the work of teams of clinicians. The use of screwed anchorages, mini-screws, micro-screws or plates3-6, has opened up a broad range of options by offering the orthodontist reliable intrabuccal anchorage thatneeds no cooperation. Similarly, the suppliers have played their part by concentrating on the thorny problem of replacement of the intermaxillary elastics, a potential source of loss of compliance as some patients say they are difficult to wear. The first of these devices to appear

was the Jasper Jumper™ (AO), then several other intermaxillary devices such as the BiteFixer (Ormco), the EurekaSpring (GAC) and the TurboSpring (RMO) appeared. Unfortunately, as we orthodontists soon found, however seductive these might sound the reality was less appealing as they had a number of weaknesses. So we abandoned all these new devices, and returned to the task of remotivating our patients to wear their intermaxillary elastic tractions as in the good old days of Dr. Tweed. When 3M Unitek came upwith the Forsus™ Fatigue Resistant Device system, we tried it without any great expectations, thinking that it too would have no future. The fact that you are reading this article at all means that things turned out very differently from the way we had expected. The Forsus Appliance is now fully integrated into the range of treatment options in our daily practice. Unlike the other Class II...