Abstract

The Anterior Limit as a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Guide in Class II Malocclusions during Pubertal Age

by Nucera Riccardo

The definition of the anterior limit of the dentition plays a key role in treatment planning for Class II malocclusions during the pubertal period, serving as a diagnostic and therapeutic reference for selecting the most appropriate approach. This presentation analyzes the concept of the anterior limit as a guiding element in the assessment of pubertal Class II malocclusions, taking into account skeletal, dentoalveolar, and esthetic relationships, as well as residual growth potential. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between the planned position of the incisors and the facial profile, highlighting how an incorrect definition of the anterior limit may lead to undesirable compensations or suboptimal esthetic and functional outcomes. Through clinical examples and an analysis of the main therapeutic protocols, the decision-making criteria guiding the choice between orthopedic, compensatory orthodontic, or combined treatments—with or without skeletal anchorage—are discussed. The aim is to provide a rational clinical model that uses the anterior limit as a central guide for personalized, predictable, and biologically sustainable treatment planning in pubertal Class II malocclusions.