An 18 year old male patient is unhappy with his smile. Which is the best modality of treatment to address the chief complaint of this patient?
High-Yield Explanation
Lateral negative space is the buccal corridor between the posterior teeth and the corner of the mouth during smiling. Orthodontists refer to buccal corridors as “negative” spaces to be eliminated by transverse maxillary expansion.
Excessively wide buccal corridors are unesthetic, and orthodontists have noted that widening the maxillary arch can improve the appearance of the smile if cheek drape is significantly wider than the dental arch.