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Sabri2015 Nonextraction Treatment of A Skeletal Class III Adolescent Girl With Expansion and Facemask PDF
Sabri2015 Nonextraction Treatment of A Skeletal Class III Adolescent Girl With Expansion and Facemask PDF
This article describes the combined use of maxillary expansion and a protraction facemask in the correction of a
skeletal Class III malocclusion after the patient's pubertal growth spurt. Treatment efficacy and the effects on
facial and smile esthetics are presented. The nonextraction option with an arch-size increase and stability issues
is discussed. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2015;147:252-63)
T
reatment of Class III malocclusions in growing had gingival inflammation. The probable cause of her
children is a clinical challenge for the orthodontist. malocclusion was a combination of genetic and devel-
Growth is unpredictable and often unfavorable opmental factors.
with this skeletal pattern. Because of our limited ability The patient had a straight profile with a tendency to
to influence mandibular growth and the possibility of upper and lower lip retrusion. The nasolabial angle was
separating maxillary sutural attachments, treatment increased, and the throat length normal. From a frontal
has shifted to the maxillary protraction paradigm. More- view, the face was symmetrical and well balanced. Mild
over, maxillary retrusion was found to be the most paranasal hollowing was noticed. The lips were compe-
contributory factor to a skeletal Class III malocclusion. tent at rest, and the upper lip vermilion was thin. She had
The well-documented literature on greater orthopedic a low lip line upon smiling, displaying half the clinical
effects in younger children has discouraged clinicians crown height of the maxillary incisors along with the
from using facemasks after 10 years of age. This case mandibular teeth. The smile arc was nonconsonant,
report illustrates the long-term positive response to with flat maxillary incisal edges not running along the
late facemask therapy and the stability of nonextraction lower lip curvature (Fig 1).
treatment with increases in the arch perimeters. Intraorally, she had an Angle Class I molar relation-
ship and an anterior edge-to-edge bite. There was ante-
rior crowding, with the maxillary lateral incisors blocked
DIAGNOSIS AND ETIOLOGY
in, and the maxillary and mandibular canines blocked
The patient was a girl, age 12 years 9 months, whose out. The mandibular left canine had a thin band of
chief complaint was an unpleasant smile and crowded attached gingiva. The arch-length deficiencies were
teeth. Her medical history was noncontributory. Her 10.5 mm in the maxillary arch and 6.5 mm in the
dental history included routine dental evaluations and mandibular arch. The transpalatal arch width at the first
restorations on the maxillary central incisors, first mo- molars was 31.1 mm, which was smaller than the average
lars, and left first premolar. There were carious lesions normal width of 35.4 mm.1 The maxillary left first pre-
on the mesial aspects of the maxillary lateral incisors molar and first molar were in crossbite. The maxillary
and white decalcification spots at the upper third of dental midline was deviated slightly to the patient's right
the central incisors. Her oral hygiene was poor, and she in relation to the facial midline, whereas the mandibular
Clinical associate, Medical Center, American University of Beirut; private practice, midline was deviated to the left, leading to a 3-mm
Beirut, Lebanon. dental midline discrepancy (Figs 1 and 2).
The author has completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of The panoramic radiograph showed a full complement
Potential Conflicts of Interest, and none were reported.
Address correspondence to: Roy Sabri, Independence St, Sodeco, Freij Bldg, of teeth, including developing third molars. The overall
PO Box 16-6006, Beirut, Lebanon; e-mail, roysabri@dm.net.lb. bone level was within normal limits (Fig 3).
Submitted, December 2013; revised and accepted, January 2014. The cephalometric analysis showed a skeletal Class III
0889-5406/$36.00
Copyright Ó 2015 by the American Association of Orthodontists. anteroposterior relationship evidenced by an ANB angle
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajodo.2014.01.027 of 0 and a Wits appraisal of 6 mm. The maxillary and
252
Sabri 253
mandibular incisors were upright, and the soft-tissue smile esthetics. Addressing the transverse maxillary
analysis confirmed lip retrusion with an increased arch deficiency would help achieve an optimal posterior
value of the Holdaway line to the tip of the nose intercuspation.
(Fig 4, Table I). The skeletal age as assessed from the
lateral cephalometric radiograph was 12 years 8 months. TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES
This was evaluated according to the method of Hassel Three treatment options were considered.
and Farman,2 combining the observations of the
hand-wrist changes (Fishman method3) and the changes 1. Extraction of 4 first premolars to reposition the
in the cervical vertebrae during skeletal maturation. blocked-out canines. The 2 main advantages of
this treatment option are the efficiency to resolve
the severe arch-length deficiency and the possible
TREATMENT OBJECTIVES long-term stability of tooth alignment. Neverthe-
The main objective in treating this malocclusion was less, a 4-premolar extraction treatment would not
to improve the smile, which was the patient's chief address the upright incisors and the lip retrusion,
complaint. The crowding and arch-length deficiency and might even worsen the profile.
needed to be corrected and the uprighted maxillary 2. Extraction of the maxillary first premolars. This
and mandibular incisors proclined to improve lip sup- would address the arch-length deficiency that was
port. The skeletal Class III anteroposterior relationship more severe in the maxillary arch, with a less adverse
also had to be addressed to help correct the anterior effect on the profile than would extraction of 4 pre-
edge-to-edge bite and enhance the facial profile and molars. Class III elastics would help correct the
American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics February 2015 Vol 147 Issue 2
254 Sabri
TREATMENT PROGRESS
A tissue-borne appliance with bands attached to the
first premolars and first molars was used for RME.4 The
appliance was activated by turning the screw once a day
Fig 3. Pretreatment panoramic radiograph.
for 30 days, resulting in approximately 7 mm of arch
widening at the level of the first molars (Fig 5). Central
incisor separation and an occlusal radiograph
anterior edge bite and finish in a Class II molar rela- confirmed the midpalatal suture opening (Fig 6). The
tionship. However, the facial and smile esthetics screw was then locked with a double ligature tie, and
would not be optimized. the facemask was initiated. The elastics were hooked
3. Nonextraction with rapid maxillary expansion from the first premolar brackets on the RME to the
(RME) and maxillary protraction facemask treat- horizontal outer bow of the facemask in a 30 down-
ment. The arch-length deficiency would be resolved ward and forward direction, delivering 450 g of force
by transverse and anteroposterior arch expansion. per side for 12 to 14 hours per day (Fig 7, A). The face-
The combined orthopedic effects of RME and mask was worn for a total of 15 months. The RME was
the facemask would bring the maxilla downward kept for 7 months as a stabilizer and replaced by an
and forward. This would enhance both the profile intraoral splint attached to the first molar bands with
and the smile esthetics by increasing incisor display. a palatal wire and a labial wire with soldered elastic
February 2015 Vol 147 Issue 2 American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Sabri 255
Max, Maxillary.
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256 Sabri
February 2015 Vol 147 Issue 2 American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Sabri 257
Fig 7. A, Frontal view of patient with facemask; B, occlusal view of intraoral wire splint; C, intraoral
frontal view of soldered elastic hooks.
extracted third molars (Fig 15). The cephalometric radio- favorable overjet and overbite relationship, particularly
graphs and superimposed tracings at posttreatment (age in the absence of a Bolton discrepancy.
16 years 8 months) and 5 years posttreatment (age
21 years 8 months) showed no changes in tooth
positions and soft-tissue profile. There was no facial DISCUSSION
growth at 5 years posttreatment except for minor resid- Extractions in orthodontics have historically been
ual growth at the symphysis (Figs 16 and 17). controversial.6 The frequency of extractions was at its
The final occlusion may be considered short of ideal lowest in the 1900s with Angle7 and reached its peak
according to the American Board of Orthodontics with Tweed8 in the 1950s for esthetic and stability
norms.5 The maxillary second molars, which were not considerations. Today, there is increasing evidence
banded to prevent bite opening, did not seat spontane- that extractions do not guarantee stability.9,10 Also,
ously and remained out of occlusion at 5 years post- the well-documented public preference for fuller and
treatment. Excursion movements do not reflect more protrusive profiles than our customary cephalo-
balancing interferences, which might lead to potential metric standards has favored a return toward nonex-
myofacial discomfort. The proclination of the maxillary traction treatment.11-14 The 2 most commonly cited
incisors in compensation for the remaining skeletal reasons for extraction today are crowding and profile
discrepancy also is short of ideal. However, given the considerations.15 The treatment decision for this
long-standing stability of the completely functional patient was challenging because she had a “nonextrac-
occlusion, the risks and benefits of any future interven- tion profile” and an arch-length deficiency that justified
tion should be properly weighed. Alignment of the extractions. To avoid compromising her facial esthetics,
second molars with segmental mechanics to control she was treated without extractions by increasing the
the vertical and lingual seating can be achieved. How- arch perimeters anteroposteriorly and laterally. Howev-
ever, it should be combined with selective grinding to er, this enlargement method of treatment was found to
prevent occlusal disturbances and compromising of have the poorest stability results compared with serial
an overbite that is already less than the optimal 30% extractions, arch maintenance, and extractions in the
and that provides minimal anterior protective guidance, permanent dentition.16 The stability of this treatment
and yet has favorable function and esthetics. If the result was probably due to the lengthy stabilization
anterior occlusion becomes traumatic with fremitus of after RME (15 months) and the prolonged treatment
the maxillary incisors, interproximal recontouring and with the fixed appliance (3 years), which allowed
retroclination of the mandibular incisors would prob- enough time for muscle adaptation. Optimal tooth
ably be the likely approaches to achieve a more interdigitation, prolonged retention, and the absence
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258 Sabri
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Sabri 259
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260 Sabri
Fig 12. Superimposed pretreatment (solid lines) and posttreatment (dashed lines) cephalometric
tracings.
Fig 13. Five-year posttreatment facial and intraoral photographs (age 21 years 8 months)—2 years
without the removable maxillary retainer.
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262 Sabri
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