In a pilot study, researchers examined the effect of mandibular incisor proclination using the Herbst lingual orthodontic (LO) device. The dental effects of the Herbst appliance as an element of a customized LO appliance (using the Incognito from 3M) had not previously been analyzed. The traditional Herbst appliance induces mandibular incisor proclination independent of the anchorage system used.

The findings, published in the journal Head & Face Medicine, show that the Incognito-Herbst combination is the first Herbst device with full control over mandibular incisor movement. With use of this system, anchorage loss or anchorage gain is independent of the Herbst treatment, and depends only on the planned tooth position of the individual target setup.

Twelve patients out of 632 cases treated with a lingual appliance were included in the study. Seven cases had planned (target setup) mandibular incisor uprighting, and five cases had proclination (clockwise rotation). No statistical difference (p>0.05) was found between planned incisor rotations of the target setup and achieved incisor rotations at the day of debonding.

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