Raymond M. Sugiyama, Orthodontist practicing in San Francisco, CA

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Sugiyama Evidence-Based Asian Prescription

Orthodontists today use pre-adjusted appliances that are derived from Caucasian norms. When treating Asian patients with straight wire appliances, the clinician must increase the torque values for both the upper and lower incisors and decrease the angulation values in order to achieve an optimal interincisal angle and functional occlusion for Asians. The SEBA system offers a more natural position of the anterior teeth to bone and to each other, which affects the facial profile and most importantly, the stability of the finished orthodontic case.

The relationship between the nose, lips, and chin is one of the most important considerations in diagnosis and treatment planning. Moving the anterior teeth in any direction will affect the position of the lips and overall facial balance. People of various ethnicity show differences in hair, skin and eye color as well as other physical and structural anatomy. The orthodontist must recognize and respect these differences by placing the teeth in their natural position related to basal bone and to each other. The SEBA prescription offers patients the advantages of an appliance that will maximize their dental and facial aesthetics and enhance their chances for long-term stability by placing teeth in a more natural and functional position than Caucasian based straight wire systems.

Evidence-Based Orthodontics

Dr. Raymond Sugiyama has researched the differences between various ethnic groups for the past ten years. His findings, based on scientific evidence, show statistically significant differences in the dental anatomy and cephalometric measurements between Caucasians and Asians. Asian teeth are wider mesio-distally and have less angulation than Caucasian teeth. The upper and lower incisors of Asian teeth are more proclined, in relation to basal bone, than Caucasian teeth, which results in an interincisal angle that is significantly less. These evidence-based findings have led to the development of the SEBA prescription. Higher torque and lower angulation of the SEBA prescription keep the teeth in the middle of the basal bone during orthodontic movement, thereby lessening the chance for root resorption.