Point of View Column – The “cauliflower” archwire in Orthodontics. Is there indication in the digital age?

Vol. 16 – Number 61 – 2023 Point of View Column Page 8-13 The “cauliflower” archwire in Orthodontics. Is there indication in the digital age? Sergio Luiz Mota Júnior1 Orlando Tanaka2 Gil Guilherme Gasparello3 Diego Sgarbi4 Eustáquio Araújo5 Introduction Class II malocclusion is one of the main reasons why patients seek orthodontic treatment. The prevalence of this malocclusion is 19.5% in the general population with permanent dentition and in 23% of individuals in the mixed dentition phase¹. Class II treatment is more indicated when performed in adolescence in a single phase², or in two phases when the child or family members report bullying or identify a risk of trauma due to the marked projection of the upper incisors³. Among other factors, treatment protocols can vary widely according to professional skill, severity of malocclusion and patient compliance. Several alternatives can be applied for the orthodontic treatment of Class II malocclusions in adults, in the pursuit of occlusal balance and aesthetics, including orthognathic surgery, extractions, distalization of upper teeth using AEB, intraoral devices, mini implants (MI), miniplates or mandibular thrusters. The use of intermaxillary elastics in the treatment of Class II has basically dentoalveolar effects4. However, this point of view aims to present the treatment of Class II with the use of a cauliflower arch in the upper arch, associated with the use of intermaxillary elastics and elastics supported by IMs with excellent results. 1 PhD in Health – UFJF, Post-doctoral student – UFJF, Professor of the Specialization Course in Orthodontics at UFJF. 2 Full Professor – PPGO – PUCPR, Diplomate of the Brazilian Board of Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics, Postdoctoral Fellow at The Center for Advanced Dental Education at Saint Louis – University Saint Louis, MO, USA, School of Medicine and Life Sciences. 3 PhD student in Dentistry-Orthodontics – PUCPR, School of Medicine and Life Sciences. 4 Specialist in Orthodontics – São Leopoldo Mandic. 5 Coordinator of the Orthodontics Program – Minas Gerais School of Medical Sciences, Professor Emeritus, Saint Louis University, Adjunct Professor, University of Pittsburg. DOI: 10.24077/2023;1661-8835967x