The effect of maxillary protraction on front occlusion and facial morphology

Abstract

The intention of this work was to study the dentoalveolar and basal jaw changes in a group of children (aged 5-10 years) with nonforced anterior crossbite treated with maxillary protraction from a face mask and to compare the changes with those found in a control group with normal dentoalveolar and basal maxillomandibular relationship. The data were obtained from lateral cephalograms of 22 children taken before treatment, after a treatment period of 3-12 months, and after an observation period of 6-48 months. A group of children (n = 40) with normal maxillomandibular relationship served as controls. During treatment the mandibular prognathism was reduced, and a positive overjet was established in 18 children. The changes during the observation period were generally comparable to those found in the control group, and thus indicated a very small relapse tendency. The posttreatment comparison of the groups showed fewer significant differences than before treatment, indicating that the treatment had a normalizing effect not only on the negative overjet but also on the general face morphology.