The importance of determination of jaw position in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for adult patients.

The basic data needed for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning include color prints of soft tissue facial profile, intraoral dental arches, and occlusion; cephalometric and panoramic radiographs; and dental casts. Hand-wrist and TMJ radiographs are also necessary in some circumstances. If orthodontic diagnosis and treatment plans are made only from the dental alignments and occlusion from the static or hand-assembled dental casts, the diagnosis and treatment planning made may be wrong in some cases. Clinically, it is necessary to find the centric relation of the lower jaw and to transfer the jaw relationship to the articulator. Correct diagnosis and orthodontic treatment planning may then be made from the findings of the occlusal relationship from the articulator accompanied with the information on skeletal age and craniofacial characteristics from the hand-wrist and cephalometric radiographs. Four clinical cases have been presented to demonstrate the importance of determination of jaw position in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning in adult patients.