PDF: Frequency of orthodontic extraction


At the beginning of the twentieth century, when Orthodontics became a science, treatment plans were based on the premise that extraction destroys the possibility of ideal occlusion or ideal esthetics.


For this reason, they were condemned by Edward Hartley Angle and his followers. One of Angle's most important opponents was Calvin Case who defended dental extractions for correcting facial deformities due to excessive dental or maxillary protrusion.



According to Case, extraction was necessary in 3% of cases that presented Class I malocclusion, in 5% of Class II cases and nearly 0% of Class III cases. 

Thus, considering the incidence of these malocclusions, only 6 to 7% of treated cases required extractions.

The option of dental extraction for orthodontic purposes has been debated for more than 100 years, including periods when it was widely used in treatment, including the present, during which other methods are used to avoid dental extractions. 

The objective was to analyze the frequency of tooth extraction treatment performed between 1980 and 2011 at the Orthodontic Clinic of Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).


The frequency of extractions was evaluated with regard to sex, malocclusion classification according to Angle, different extraction combinations and the period when orthodontic treatment began.






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