Indications for Use:

Class II elastics are quite effective as an anchorage source when it is desirable to advance or develop the lower arch forward. The retruded lower arch is quite common in strong facial patterns and can be utilized quite effectively to help achieve overall facial balance. Early use of Class II elastics means early bonding of the lower arch, which can be difficult with the locked-in overbite. A utility arch or reverse curve Ni-Ti is often used at the very outset of Pendulum therapy to clear the lower arch for bonding.

Figure 21. Class II elastics worn to an upper utility arch while the upper buccal segments are being retracted. The lower arch is bonded as soon as possible and a rigid TMA ® archwire placed to carry the elastics. This is the anchorage source when it is desirable to develop the lower arch forward.

Technique:

Class II elastics are worn to an upper continuous archwire or, more ideally, to an upper utility arch. The utility arch has the added benefit of delivering the Class II elastic forces directly to the upper molar through the buccal arm, freeing the buccal teeth for segmental movement.

Considerations:

Since one of the major advantages of Pendulum therapy is that the lower arch is not strained during Class II correction, proper visualization of the final location of the lower arch is important before using Class II elastics for anchorage very early in treatment. In general, Class II elastics are beneficial in strong muscular patterns (brachyfacial) and detrimental in the weaker ones (mesofacial).