JCO’s Management & Marketing Editor makes the case for cross-training the entire orthodontic team and directly involving the orthodontist in the treatment coordination process to improve conversion rates, reduce staff dependency, and strengthen the Keywords: orthodontic practice management, treatment coordination, case acceptance, patient conversion
A 57-year-old patient with a skeletal Class III malocclusion, partial edentulism, and posterior occlusal collapse undergoes combined orthodontic, implant, and orthognathic surgical treatment, with four-year follow-up records confirming the stability of the results. Keywords: edentulism, interdisciplinary treatment, malocclusion management, occlusal collapse, dental implants, orthognathic surgery, skeletal Class III malocclusion
The authors review evidence for the release of micro- and nanoplastics from orthodontic polymers—including clear aligners, composite attachments, and removable appliances—and offer practical clinical mitigation strategies. Keywords: orthodontics, microplastics, mitigation strategies, nanoplastics, plastics, plastics and orthodontic materials, polymers, clear aligners, composite attachments
Two cases of primary failure of eruption—a rare genetic eruption disorder affecting the posterior dentition—are presented, with discussion of how to differentiate the condition from ankylosis and why conventional orthodontic traction is contraindicated. Keywords: case studies, eruption disorders, genetic disorders, primary failure of eruption, traction, ankylosis, differential diagnosis
This Pearl shows a modified ballista spring anchored to a transpalatal arch, allowing immediate vertical traction of a palatally impacted canine, independent of the main archwire, without the need for initial fixed appliances or space opening. Keywords: ballista spring, tooth impaction, traction, transpalatal arch, palatally impacted canine
Early facemask therapy is combined with conventional maxillary expansion, followed by a SKAR III protocol using a miniscrew-supported hybrid rapid palatal expander and orthodontic finishing with 3D-printed nocturnal aligners. Keywords: 3D-printed aligners, facemask therapy, malocclusion management, maxillary expansion, rapid palatal expansion, SKAR III, skeletal Class III malocclusion, two-phase treatment
Jonjei Ku, a graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is named the 2026 Eugene L. Gottlieb JCO Student of the Year, which recognizes outstanding clinical research and academic achievement. Keyword: JCO Student of the Year
A a skeletally anchored T-bar appliance is used for the controlled eruption of a severely impacted central incisor complicated by two supernumerary mesiodens in a 10-year-old patient, offering an efficient alternative to conventional traction approaches in challenging mixed-dentition cases. Keywords: case report, mixed dentition, skeletally anchored T-bar appliance, supernumerary teeth, tooth eruption, tooth impaction
A superelastic nickel titanium coil spring that delivers a continuous eruptive force is described. The spring offers a reliable and efficient alternative to traditional traction methods for impacted maxillary canines. A step-by-step clinical protocol to guide placement, activation, and monitoring throughout treatment is presented. Keywords: eruption spring, Isoglide, tooth eruption, tooth impaction, traction
Two in-office robotic aligner-trimming machines, one drill-based and one laser-based, are reviewed for their technical features, workflow integration, and practical considerations in high-volume, in-house aligner practices, helping in the evaluation of which system best suits production demands, space constraints, and long-term return on investment. Keywords: aligners, aligner-trimming machine, robotics
A chairside-fabricated lingual arch with strategically placed helices is described. The device delivers simultaneous distalizing and uprighting forces to bilaterally impacted mandibular second molars, achieving a simple, cost-effective, and customizable solution that avoids more invasive surgical or multi-appliance approaches. Keywords: chairside fabrication, distalizing force, helices, lingual arch, tooth impaction, uprighitng force
Three adolescent cases demonstrate the clinical application of “driftodontics” following strategic premolar extractions. Natural dental drift appeared to facilitate spontaneous tooth movement during the early treatment phase, including canine descent, incisor retroclination, and space redistribution. The findings illustrate the potential of natural dental drift as an adjunctive mechanism in malocclusion management, with possible implications for simplifying and shortening orthodontic treatment. Keywords: case studies, dental drift, driftodontics, malocclusion management, premolar extractions
