Dentoskeletal effects of the bitejumping appliance and the twin-block appliance in the treatment of skeletal class ii malocclusion: A retrospective controlled clinical trial

The current retrospective controlled trial aimed to compare the dentoskeletal effects of the Bite-Jumping (BJ) and the Twin- Block Appliance (TB) in the treatment of skeletal Class II malocclusion. The sample was screened for eligibility criteria including skeletal and dental Class II malocclusion; Cervical Vertebral Maturation at Stage 3 at treatment start, and Func- tional orthopedic treatment with either a TB or BJ appliances. Twenty-three patients treated with TB, and twenty-three treated with BJ were included. Cephalometric data were compared with a control group of 15 untreated subjects retrieved from the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation Craniofacial Growth Legacy Collection. Baseline character- istics were similar between groups. A significant increase for the AO-BO dimension, and a significant decrease in the over- jet, were registered for both study groups respect to controls. TB was more effective than BJ in increasing the mandibu- lar length (Co-Gn), in reducing the ANB angle and changing the SNB angle. The resulting differences between the two groups could be attributed to the different appliances. In conclusion, both appliances demonstrated a clinical efficacy in treating Class II. TB seems therefore better indicated, respect to BJ, in Class II cases with a predominant component of mandibular hypoplasia

Development of a Prediction Model for Short-Term Success of Functional Treatment of Class II Malocclusion

(1) Background: The nature of the changes that contribute to Class II correction with functional appliances is still controversial. A broad variation in treatment responses has been reported. The purpose of this study was to find cephalometric predictors for individual patient responsiveness to twin-block treatment in patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusion; (2) Methods: The study was performed on a sample of 39 pubertal patients (21 females, 18 males) treated with the twin block appliance. Lateral cephalograms were available at the start of the treatment (T1) and at the end of functional therapy (T2). The outcome variable was the T2-T1 change in the sagittal position of the soft tissue pogonion with respect to the vertical line perpendicular to the Frankfort plane and passing through point subnasale. The predictive variables were age, gender at T1, and all the cephalometric parameters measured T1. Forward stepwise linear regression withpvalue to enter 0.05 andpvalue to leave 0.10 was applied; (3) Results: The only significant predictive variable that was selected was the Co-Go-Me angle (p= 0.000); (4) Conclusions: A greater advancement of the soft tissue chin on the profile is expected with smaller pretreatment values of Co-Go-Me angle

Development of a Prediction Model for Short-Term Success of Functional Treatment of Class II Malocclusion

(1) Background: The nature of the changes that contribute to Class II correction with functional appliances is still controversial. A broad variation in treatment responses has been reported. The purpose of this study was to find cephalometric predictors for individual patient responsiveness to twin-block treatment in patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusion; (2) Methods: The study was performed on a sample of 39 pubertal patients (21 females, 18 males) treated with the twin block appliance. Lateral cephalograms were available at the start of the treatment (T1) and at the end of functional therapy (T2). The outcome variable was the T2–T1 change in the sagittal position of the soft tissue pogonion with respect to the vertical line perpendicular to the Frankfort plane and passing through point subnasale. The predictive variables were age, gender at T1, and all the cephalometric parameters measured T1. Forward stepwise linear regression with p value to enter 0.05 and p value to leave 0.10 was applied; (3) Results: The only significant predictive variable that was selected was the Co–Go–Me angle (p = 0.000); (4) Conclusions: A greater advancement of the soft tissue chin on the profile is expected with smaller pretreatment values of Co–Go–Me angle

Treatment and post-treatment effects of functional therapy on the sagittal pharyngeal dimensions in Class II subjects

Objective:To evaluate the craniofacial changes induced by functional appliances with special regard tothe oro and nasopharyngeal sagittal airway dimensions in subjects with dentoskeletal Class II maloc-clusions when compared with an untreated Class II control group immediately after therapy and at long-term observation.Methods:A group of 40 patients (21 females and 19 males) with Class II malocclusion treated consec-utively either with a Bionator or an Activator followed byfixed appliances was compared with a matchedcontrol group of 31 subjects (16 females and 15 males) with untreated Class II malocclusion. The treatedsample was evaluated at T1, start of treatment (mean age: 9.9±1.4 years); T2, end of functional treat-ment and prior tofixed appliances (mean age: 11.9±1.3 years); and T3, long-term observation at the endof growth (mean age: 18.2±2.1 years). Statistical comparisons were performed with independentsample t tests at T1 (baseline characteristics) and for the T1T2, T2-T3, and T1-T3 changes.Results:During active treatment the treated group showed a significant increment in lower airwaydimension (PNS-AD1), as well as a significant improvement in the upper airway dimension (PNS-AD2). Asignificant decrease in the upper adenoid size (AD2-H) was also found. In the longterm evaluation, asignificant increase in both lower and upper airway thickness (PNS-AD1; PNS-AD2) and a significantdecrease in the upper adenoid thickness were still present in the treated group.Conclusion:The treatment with functional appliances produced significant favorable changes duringactive treatment in the oro- and nasopharyngeal sagittal airway dimensions in dentoskeletal Class IIsubjects when compared with untreated controls, and these changes were stable in the long-term

Gingival Margins’ Modifications during Orthodontic Treatment with Invisalign First^®: A Preliminary Study

The aim of the study was to assess modifications of gingival morphology at the end of Phase I treatment with Invisalign First. Eighteen subjects (ten females, eight males, mean age nine years) treated with Invisalign First were selected. The following parameters were measured on intraoral photographs before treatment (T0) and after the first set of aligners (T1) at level of permanent incisors, deciduous canines and molars: gingival margin height (GMH) and deciduous canine inclination (DCI). A paired t-test was used to evaluate T1-T0 changes. The level of significance was established at 5%. Deciduous canines’ GMH showed a major reduction between T1 and T0 accounting for 0.87 mm and 0.86 mm, respectively on the right and left sides. DCI increased for all patients in the interval T0–T1 on both sides, +7.11° on the right and +7.5° on the left. Tooth movement during Invisalign First induced significant modifications of gingival contour resulting in a more harmonious smile