Effects of face mask treatment with and without rapid maxillary expansion in young adult subjects

Objectives:To investigate the skeletal, dental, and soft tissue effects of the face mask (FM) treatment with and without rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in young adult subjects with maxillary retrognathia.Materials and Methods:Pretreatment and posttreatment cephalometric radiographs from 32 subjects who had a skeletal Class III malocclusion were analyzed. The subjects were divided into two groups: FM group (N  =  17; 3 male and 14 female subjects; mean [SD] age 14.47 [0.89] years) was treated with FM only, while the RME+FM group (N  =  15; 3 male and 12 female subjects; mean [SD] age 14.67 [1.28] years) was treated with both FM and RME. Ten cephalometric linear and nine angular variables were measured to assess dentofacial changes. Within-group and between-group comparisons were determined by a paired t-test and Student''s t-test, respectively.Results:Forward displacement of the maxilla and a clockwise rotation of the mandible occurred in both groups. The maxillary-mandibular relationship improved and soft tissue changes resulted in a more convex profile. The maxillary incisors were more proclined in the FM group than in the RME+FM group, the only difference between the two groups. Notably, the mandibular incisors moved backward in both groups.Conclusions:Forward movement of the maxilla can be obtained in young adults after face mask treatment. However, there was no difference in this phenomenon between the FM and RME+FM groups.