Comment

Distalizing upper molars … if only it were a simple task, wouldn't life as an orthodontist be easy. Generations of orthodontists have struggled with the problem since Edward Angle, the father of modern orthodontics, described in 1887 ‘ … the occipital bandage as part of orthodontic treatment becoming more and more appreciated’. One hundred and thirty years ago he felt, after having used this headgear 16 times, that it was ‘more satisfactory than any of the few devices described in the literature’.

Boy have times changed … we are now inundated with a glorious abundance of distalizing contraptions none of which work perfectly, otherwise they would have taken over the market and we could easily create all the space we needed, without having to resort to the dreaded extractions!

Unfortunately, distalization is not an easy task to do successfully, hence the plethora of devices and techniques that have been suggested over the previous century … and each orthodontist has his/her favourite. Dr Mohammed Almuzian and co-workers have provided us with an excellent overview of the myriad of different approaches. The indications for, and limitations of each, of these devices is covered comprehensively, and all the relevant literature has been cited. The authors freely admit that the correction with any of these devices will only be modest at best and extraction of permanent teeth will remain on the menu for correction of serious malocclusions for the foreseeable future.