Dental Camouflage
An orthodontic treatment approach that corrects the dental appearance of a skeletal jaw discrepancy through tooth movement alone, without altering the underlying skeletal relationship.
Full Definition
Dental camouflage involves repositioning teeth orthodontically—typically with extractions and incisor retraction or proclination—to mask an underlying skeletal discrepancy and achieve an acceptable occlusal and aesthetic outcome without surgical intervention. It is employed in non-growing patients with mild-to-moderate skeletal discrepancies for whom the risks or extent of orthognathic surgery are not justified. The approach accepts a residual skeletal abnormality in exchange for dental and soft-tissue improvement. Editors must be alert to the distinction between 'dental camouflage' and 'growth modification': the former compensates for a pre-existing skeletal discrepancy in a non-growing patient, while the latter actively redirects growth. The term is commonly hyphenated in some style guides but is preferably written as two words.
Usage
Usage note: Write as two words ('dental camouflage'), not hyphenated. Distinguish from 'dento-alveolar compensation,' which describes naturally occurring rather than therapeutically induced dental adaptation.
In Context
- "Given the patient's skeletal Class II discrepancy and refusal of surgery, dental camouflage with upper premolar extractions was the selected approach." — Treatment options letter
- "The editorial team queried whether the author intended 'dental camouflage' or 'growth modification,' as both terms appeared in the introduction without clear differentiation." — Peer review comment