Incremental effects of facemask therapy associated with intermaxillary mechanics.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the dentofacial changes in children with skeletal Class III malocclusions treated with maxillary expansion, external maxillary protraction and intermaxillary traction.

METHODS

Fifteen Class III patients in either the deciduous or the mixed dentition (Mean age: 7.6 years; SD: 1.9 years) were used. The children were treated with a modified Haas expander, a modified lingual arch, intermaxillary elastics and facemask for nine months. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken at the beginning of treatment (T1) and at 3-month intervals (T2, T3, T4).

RESULTS

Most significant sagittal skeletal modifications occurred in the first three months of treatment. During the first three months of treatment the upper and lower incisors tipped lingually and the face height increased. Towards the end of treatment the upper incisors proclined and the upper lip became more protrusive.

CONCLUSION

The therapy corrected the horizontal skeletal and arch discrepancies and improved the positions of the lips.