Four patients with a Class II/1 malocclusion were treated. Despite their common malocclusion, the 4 patients had a different skeletal and dentofacial structure, which resulted in four different treatments. Whether treatment is indicated and which treatment is preferable depends on many factors, such as expected jaw growth, the possibility of jaw adaptation, the motivation of the patient and his or her parents and psychological factors. In the case of children and young adolescents a Class II/1 malocclusion can be treated with orthopaedic appliances, in which case natural growth and adaptation mechanisms of the face and jaw are exercised in the correction. In treating these 4 patients, both functional and extra-oral orthopaedic appliances were used.

Most dentists find it important to treat the dentition of children; nevertheless cavities often remain untreated. In order to gain insight into the treatability of children, a survey was carried out involving 4,500 dentists of a health insurance company. A representative group answered questions about the necessity of treatment, and treatability of children and about the possibility of referring children to a colleague or a paediatric dentist. According to the questionnaire dentists find it important to treat the dentition of children. Most problems during dental treatment occur in the 0-6 years age group. Dentists are more likely to refer children in this age group to a colleague or pediatric dentist for treatment.

The material to be used for closing the root canal when carrying out a retrograde surgical apical endodontic treatment continues to be a subject of discussion. The aim of the present study was to inventory which materials are being used for this purpose at this moment by Dutch O&MF surgeons. All practicing Dutch OM&F surgeons (n = 195) were sent a questionnaire. The response rate was 77%. The results showed that at this moment intermediate restoration material (IRM) is the retrograde filling material most widely used by the Dutch O&MF surgeons (47.6%) in cases of surgical apical endodontic treatment. Amalgam, with 35%, was second, especially due to its plasticity and convenience. The choice of material is just as often determined by tradition, personal preference, individual experience or scientific results. There seems to be no relationship between the dental surgeon’s number of years of experience and the type of retrograde filling material which he or she uses.

With respect to ergonomics in dentistry, more people are becoming aware of occupational hazards and paying more attention to the prevention of hazards. Dutch law on health and safety at work requires dentists to protect the health and safety of their employees and educational institutions to protect the health and safety of their students. In the meantime a summary has appeared of the ergonomic standards required for the working methods of dentists and for the development of future equipment. Further development of dental ergonomics must take place on the basis of a coherent vision of the future. In this regard it must be clear exactly what ergonomics is and what developments have already taken place. Aspects of particular interest are the prevention of occupational diseases, legal responsibility for protecting the health and safety of employees and students, education in dental ergonomics for dental and oral hygiene students, the academic development and research of dental ergonomics, using organizational models in daily dental practice, and the development of ergonomics at the European level.

An eruption disturbance of a central maxillary incisor can be caused by the intrusion of a deciduous incisor. Depending on the age of the individual when trauma occurred, this may lead to a so-called dilaceration. Surgical exposure and ligation if needed, followed by orthodontic extrusion, will generally be successful. In one case, the central upper incisor appeared to be dislodged and exposure, ligation and orthodontic extrusion resulted in an excellent aesthetic result.