Orthodontics · single question
A 70-year-old patient asks about options to improve the appearance of her crowded anterior teeth. All of the following are reasonable options EXCEPT:
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Correct answer: D. Serial extraction
- A. Incorrect (this IS an option). Adult orthodontics with fixed appliances is entirely feasible at 70 provided the periodontium is healthy and stable; light forces are used.
- B. Incorrect (this IS an option). Veneers offer a restorative camouflage alternative when the patient declines tooth movement.
- C. Incorrect (this IS an option). Clear aligners are widely used in adults and are often preferred for esthetic reasons in this age group.
- D. Correct — this is the exception. SERIAL EXTRACTION is an INTERCEPTIVE procedure performed in the MIXED DENTITION (roughly ages 8–10) — planned removal of deciduous canines, then first primary molars, then first premolars to guide erupting permanent teeth into a crowded arch. It is meaningless in an adult with a complete permanent dentition and no remaining eruptive potential.