Does orthodontic proclination of lower incisors in children and adolescents cause gingival recession?

In this investigation we sought to assess the effect of orthodontic proclination of lower incisors in children and adolescents with respect to the possible development of gingival recession. Ninety-eight children with a mean +/- SD start-of-treatment age of 12.8 +/- 1.4 years, treated with the Herbst appliance, were surveyed, for a total of 392 lower incisors. Lateral head films, dental casts and intraoral photographs were analyzed with respect to the degree of orthodontic proclination, crown height, and gingival recession. In all subjects, Herbst treatment resulted in varying degrees of lower-incisor proclination (mean = 8.9 degrees, range = 0.5 degrees to 19.5 degrees). In 380 of the surveyed teeth (97%), either no recession developed or preexisting recession remained unchanged during Herbst therapy. In only 12 teeth (3%) did recession develop or preexisting recession deteriorate during treatment. No interrelation was found between the amount of incisor proclination and the development of gingival recession. In conclusion, orthodontic proclination of lower incisors in children and adolescents seems not to result in gingival recession.