Stability of Class II malocclusion treatment with the distal jet followed by fixed appliances.

INTRODUCTION

This retrospective study aimed to assess the stability of Class II malocclusion treatment with the distal jet, followed by fixed appliances.

METHODS

Seventy-five cephalograms of 30 subjects were divided into 2 groups. The treated group consisted of 15 patients who were evaluated at the pretreatment, posttreatment, and long-term posttreatment stages. The control group consisted of 15 subjects with normal occlusion, comparable to the experimental group at the long-term posttreatment period. Intergroup comparison of posttreatment changes was evaluated with t tests.

RESULTS

In the long-term posttreatment period, there was no significant change in the anteroposterior position of the maxilla and mandible to the cranial base. The lower anterior face height had a significantly smaller increase in the treated than in the control group. The maxillary molars in the treated group had significantly smaller vertical development, and the mandibular incisors had significantly greater labial tipping and protrusion than the control group. The treatment produced significant improvement in molar relationship and reduction of overbite and overjet, which remained stable in the long-term posttreatment period. There was greater upper lip protrusion in the experimental than in the control group in the long-term posttreatment period.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of Class II malocclusions with the distal jet, followed by fixed appliances, showed good long-term stability in molar relationship, overbite, and overjet.