Bethlehem Orthodontist to Present Jaw Growth Research at Brazil Conference

BETHLEHEM, Pa., May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Bryon Viechnicki will soon present new research showing the uniqueness in lower jaw growth using 3D technology. The research will be presented at the International Association of Dental Research General Session in Iguacu Falls, Brazil on Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. His research demonstrates how the lower jaw grows at different times and in different directions in each child.

"Growth of the lower jaw is essential for proper chewing, speaking and breathing, as well as for facial appearance," says Dr. Bryon Viechnicki, an orthodontist at Viechnicki Orthodontics and adjunct assistant professor at Temple University. "This research will be instrumental in helping orthodontists everywhere to provide precise treatment to their patients."

Dr. Viechnicki's research is among the first to use 3D technology to look at jaw growth. His research findings suggest that similarly shaped mandibles can grow at different rates and directions, due to anatomical differences in the craniofacial skeleton. This research addresses problems where the current techniques fall short of being able to accurately predict the direction, timing and amount of facial changes that will occur with growth in any child.

This new research will be used to help guide orthodontic treatment in over 75 percent of children who have malocclusions, or teeth that are not properly aligned. One of the principles of orthodontics is to plan a treatment that works in harmony with the individual growth of the patient. This new research will help children receive more customized orthodontic treatments.

"Parents need to understand that the appearance of the face is largely determined by the underlying jaw bones. Orthodontists can guide the growth of the jaw and now will be better at assessing facial growth," says Dr. Viechnicki. "Now we will be more in tune with the uniqueness of each child's growth."

While conducting the research that he will be presenting, Dr. Viechnicki and his colleagues at Temple University made surface-based measurements of jaw growth in children. The 3D data was taken from a database of pre- and post-orthodontic cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans created at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. That retrospective study design eliminated the need to expose a single child to radiation for the purpose of this study.

Video: http://youtu.be/Rcd3vaC-xIY

About Dr. Bryon Viechnicki:

Dr. Bryon Viechnicki is an orthodontist, serving the Lehigh Valley and Berks county with orthodontic offices in Bethlehem, PA and Kutztown, PA. He assists people of all ages with their orthodontic needs, including improving the oral health of children ages 7-18 with braces. He is also a certified Invisalign provider, offering an alternative to braces for adults. Dr. Viechnicki is also a Clinical Adjunct Assistant Professor of Orthodontics at Temple University, where he assists orthodontic residents in their preparation for certification, as well as advising research on craniofacial growth and development. For more information on Dr. Bryon Viechnicki, visit his site at dr.bryon.viechnicki.com.

SOURCE Dr. Bryon Viechnicki