مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Effects of rapid maxillary expansion and facemask therapy followed by fixed orthodontic treatment in Class 3 malocclusions

Abstract :

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the effects of rapid palatal expansion and facemask therapy followed by fixed orthodontic treatment in Class 3 malocclusions with maxillary hypoplasia. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The study was constituted from archive materials of 20 patients (11 females, 9 males, median of chronological age: 11.29 years) who were treated with rapid palatal expansion and facemask therapy followed by fixed orthodontic treatment. Lateral cephalometric radiographs of the patients were evaluated before treatment (T0), after rapid palatal expansion and facemask therapy (T1), and after fixed orthodontic treatment (T2). Friedman and post-hoc Wilcoxon tests with Bonferroni correction were used, and p 0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS: The duration of rapid palatal expansion and face mask therapy was 13 months (T1-T0), fixed orthodontic treatment was 2 years and 1 month (T2-T1), and total treatment was 3 years and 2 months (T2-T0). The increase in SNA angle and Co-A dimension at T1-T0 (p 0.001) and T2- T0 (SNA: p 0.001, Co-A: p 0.01) periods were statistically significant. SNB angle showed a significant decrease at T1-T0 (p 0.01) while Co-Gn dimension increased significantly at all periods (T1-T0 and T2-T1: p 0.05, T2-T0: p 0.001). SN/GoGn angle also increased significantly at T1-T0 (p 0.05) and T2-T0 (p 0.001) periods. A significant increase was obtained in the ANB angle at T1-T0 and T2- T0 periods (p 0.001). CONCLUSION: In the treatment of skeletal Class 3 malocclusions, rapid palatal expansion and facemask therapy is an effective method. Stable treatment outcomes were obtained after fixed orthodontic treatment with a harmonious maxillo-mandibular growth.