Should a curve of Spee be built into cases presenting with minimal or no overbite?
Three times as many clinicians believed that a curve of Spee should be built into such cases as those who did not. Respondents who favored adding the curve of Spee indicated that establishing anterior disclusion would facilitate the eventual achievement of a Class I occlusion, and that the settling occlusion would result in an effective overbite. There were many comments, however, that building in the curve of Spee would depend on other factors such as the mandibular plane angle, the age of the patient, the perceived degree of patient cooperation, and the etiology of the minimal overbite. Specific remarks included: • “In these cases one should slightly alter the bracket position gingivally to assist in deepening the bite.” • “We, of course, don’t initially flatten the curve in high-angle, open-bite situations. Why aggravate an already difficult situation?” • I am very cautious about flattening the curve of Spee in these cases. It’s hard enough to establish incisal guidance with minimal
