EVALUATION OF THE THE EFFECT OF FLUORIDE APPLICATION ON DEMINERALIZATION OF TEETH AFTER DIFFERENT STRIPPING TECHNIQUE

Abstract

"Stripping" is a technique currently practiced by orthodontists to obtain space needed for tooth alignment by the removal of approximal enamel especially when the arch length does not justify extraction. Begg (196sp> mentioned that "reduction of the width of the upper and lower incisors and canines for orthodontic purpose conforms more closely to basic biologic requirements than does orthodontic tooth extraction.

Removing interproximal enamel was impractical before the development of bonding because metal bands prevented access to mesial and distal surfaces. Bonding made the proximal surfaces of all teeth available for reduction at any time during treatment. Interproximal reduction was limited to the mandibular incisors, but has recently been extended to the posterior teeth with a technique called air-rotor stripping (ARS). It is a technique to remove controlled amounts of proximal enamel in posterior segments to gain arch length for retracting and/or aligning anterior teeth. This method resolves mild to moderate crowding in which the amount of interproximal reduction can be correlated with the amount of crowding, e.g., if 6 mm of crowding exists, the 6 mm of interproximal enamel can be removed (Sheridan 1985) <2>.