Nonextraction orthodontic therapy: posttreatment dental and skeletal stability

To assess the long-term stability of nonextraction orthodontic treatment, the dental cast and cephalometric records of 28 cases were evaluated. Thirty cephalometric and seven cast parameters were examined before treatment, posttreatment, and an average of almost 8 years postretention. Results showed overall long-term stability to be relatively good. Relapse patterns seen were similar in nature, but intermediate in extent, between untreated normals and four first premolar extraction cases. Significant decreases were seen in arch length and intercanine width during the postretention period despite minimal changes during treatment. Incisor irregularly increased slightly postretention; intermolar width, overjet, and overbite displayed considerable long-term stability. Mandibular incisor mesiodistal and faciolingual dimensions were not associated with either pretreatment or posttreatment incisor crowding. Class II malocclusions with large ANB values and shorter mandibular lengths showed increased incisor irregularity, shorter arch lengths, and deeper overbites at the postretention stage, suggesting that the amount and direction of facial growth may have been partially responsible for maturational changes seen during the postretention period.     

Stability and relapse of mandibular anterior alignment: a cephalometric appraisal of first-premolar-extraction cases treated by traditional edgewise orthodontics

Assessment at least 10 years postretention of fifty-four cases previously treated in the permanent-dentition stage with first-premolar extractions, traditional edgewise mechanotherapy, and retention revealed considerable variation among patients. The long-term response to mandibular anterior alignment was unpredictable; no cephalometric parameters, such as maxillary and mandibular incisor proclination, horizontal and vertical growth amounts, mandibular plane angle, etc., were useful in establishing a prognosis. Few associations of value were found between cephalometric parameters and dental-cast measurements, such as overbite, arch length, intercanine width, and overjet. Only a slight tendency was found for incisor inclination to return toward the pretreatment value during the postretention period. It was possible to predict, on the basis of an analysis of pre- and posttreatment cephalometric records, those cases which had greater than 4 mm deepening of overbite postretention as well as those cases which had decreases of 3 mm or more in arch-length postretention. The practical use of these predictions were of limited clinical value, however.     

Mandibular second premolar extraction--postretention evaluation of stability and relapse

The dental casts and cephalometric radiographs of 46 patients, treated with mandibular second premolar extraction and edgewise orthodontic mechanotherapy, were evaluated for changes over a minimum 10-year postretention period. The sample was divided into two groups: early (mixed dentition) extraction of mandibular second premolars and late (permanent dentition) extraction of mandibular second premolars. Results showed no difference in long-term stability between the two groups. Arch length and arch width decreased with time and incisor irregularity increased throughout the postretention period. No predictors or associations could be found to help the clinician in determining the long-term prognosis in terms of stability. The sample was regrouped according to the postretention degree of incisor irregularity. Statistically significant differences in cephalometric measurements were found between the minimally crowded group and the moderately to severely crowded group.     

Long-term stability of Class I premolar extraction treatment.

This study evaluates Class I, 4-premolar-extraction patients who were treated with the edgewise appliance by 1 practitioner, according to the philosophy of Tweed, and who had been out of retention a minimum of 5 years. The sample includes 32 patients, who started treatment at an average age of 12.8 years and who were examined a mean of 15 years posttreatment (11.7 years postretention). Cephalometric and model analyses were conducted to evaluate treatment and posttreatment tooth movements. The results showed that irregularity, as measured by the irregularity index, decreased 5.3 mm during treatment and increased 0.7 mm (SD 1.1 mm) during the posttreatment period. Eighty percent of the patients had satisfactory (<3.5 mm) mandibular incisor alignment over 10 years postretention, and none was in the severe category (>6.5 mm). Mandibular intercanine width increased (1.7 mm) during treatment, whereas intermolar width decreased (-2.1 mm). Maxillary molar widths remained unchanged posttreatment, and mandibular intercanine width decreased 1.4 mm from immediately posttreatment to postretention. Arch lengths decreased during treatment because of molar protraction and incisor retraction. Mandibular arch length continued to decrease posttreatment (-1.4 mm) because of mesial molar movement rather than distal incisor movement. Satisfactory long-term results can be achieved for most Class I, 4-premolar-extraction patients for whom evidence-based treatment objectives-including minimal alteration of the mandibular arch form and the retraction and uprighting or maintenance of mandibular incisors in their original position-have been met.     

Soft tissue profile changes following orthodontic treatment of Chinese adults with Class III malocclusion

Thirty-eight adult Chinese patients (mean age 24.3 +/- 3.2 years) exhibiting true Class III dental and skeletal malocclusions were treated orthodontically with the edgewise appliance and extractions of mandibular first premolars together with simultaneous anterior expansion of the maxillary arch. A retrospective cephalometric study was undertaken to determine the soft tissue profile changes at least 6 months postretention. Significant cephalometric changes included decrease in the mandibular incisor protrusiveness by 6.4 mm (P less than .001) and accompanying lower lip protrusiveness by 4.4 mm (P less than .01), together with a slight forward movement of the maxillary incisors by 1.7 mm (P less than .05) and, consequently, a slight increase in upper lip protrusiveness by 1.2 mm (P less than .05) and decrease in nasolabial angle (P less than .05). The overall improvement in lip profile provided by this mandibular arch contraction/maxillary arch expansion orthodontic approach appears to be a viable alternative in mild-to-moderate Class III patients who decline orthognathic surgery.     

Mandibular incisor extraction--postretention evaluation of stability and relapse.

Pretreatment, posttreatment and 10-year postretention dental cast and lateral cephalogram records of 42 patients were evaluated. Each patient had undergone edgewise orthodontic treatment following removal of one or two mandibular incisors and various maxillary teeth. Seven of 24 patients (29%) in the single-incisor extraction group and 10 of 18 (56%) patients in the two-incisor extraction group demonstrated unacceptable mandibular incisor alignment at the postretention stage. This result was considerably more favorable than the results of previously reported premolar extraction cases (70% unacceptable alignment at postretention). Intercanine width decreased during treatment and continued to decrease postretention in most cases. Overbite and overjet remained acceptable. No associations could be found to predict the amount of relapse.     

A long-term study of the relationship of third molars to changes in the mandibular dental arch

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship of third molars to changes in the mandibular dental arch. The sample for this study consisted of four groups and subgroups. The groups consisted of premolar extraction treated, nonextraction treated with initial generalized spacing, nonextraction treated, and serial extraction untreated subjects. The subgroups were divided into persons who had mandibular third molars that were either impacted, erupted into function, congenitally absent, or extracted at least 10 years before postretention records. The mean postretention time interval was 13 years, with a range of 10 to 28 years. The mean postretention age was 28 years 6 months, with a range of 18 years 6 months to 39 years 4 months. Two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to compare the changes over time (before treatment, at end of active treatment, and after retention) of groups and third molar subgroups. With time, mandibular incisor irregularity increased while arch length and intercanine width decreased. The eruption patterns of mandibular incisors and first molars were similarly dispersed in all groups studied. The findings between the subgroups in which mandibular third molars were impacted, erupted into function, congenitally absent, or extracted 10 years before postretention records revealed no significant differences between any of the subgroups for the parameters studied. No significant differences in mandibular growth were found between the third molar subgroups; this suggests that persons with third molars erupted into satisfactory function do not have a significantly different mandibular growth pattern than those whose third molars are impacted or congenitally missing. In the majority of cases some degree of mandibular incisor crowding took place after retention, but this change was not significantly different between third molar subgroups. This finding suggests that the recommendation for mandibular third molar removal with the objective of alleviating or preventing mandibular incisor irregularity may not be justified.     

Posttreatment and postretention changes following orthodontic therapy.

This investigation was performed to determine the changes which occurred in treated orthodontic cases out of retention. The material consisted of 103 cases, of which 74 cases were treated nonextraction and 29 were treated with the extraction of four first premolars. The treatment was accomplished by the full-banded edgewise bioprogressive technique. Five measurements were taken: intercanine, inter-first premolar, intersecond premolar and inter-first molar widths, and incisor to molar distance. The measurements were made on the mandibular arch of the pretreatment, posttreatment, and prostretention casts. The postretention model was obtained a minimum of one year after all retaining devices were removed with an average of 5.2 years. The following conclusions were drawn from the changes in dimensions: 1. The intercanine width was expanded during treatment, but had a strong tendency to return to or close to its original pretreatment width in both nonextraction and extraction cases. 2. The inter-first premolar width showed the greatest treatment increase in width with only a minimal amount of postretention decrease. 3. The second premolar width for nonextraction cases showed a significant amount of increase with a slight tendency for postretention decrease. 4. The second premolar width for extraction cases showed a decrease with treatment and a slight continued decrease postretention. 5. The intermolar width of nonextraction cases showed a significant increase in width with treatment. The extraction cases showed a significant decrease with treatment. However, there were no changes in either extraction or nonextraction cases postretention. 6. The incisor to molar distance decreased with treatment and had a slight tendency to continue to decrease postretention.     

Is the postretention relapse of maxillary and mandibular incisor alignment related?

Previous studies suggest a poor association between initial and postretention pattern of incisor irregularity. One explanation may be that the incisor movements are limited by the boundaries provided by the incisors in the opposite arch. If so, postretention malalignment of the maxillary and mandibular incisors may be related. To test this hypothesis, long-term postretention study models of 96 patients with acceptable occlusion at the time of appliance removal were examined. The occlusal surfaces of the postretention study models were photocopied, and tooth anatomical contact points were digitized. An algorithm was used to fit the dental arch to the digitized points. The amount of incisor rotation and anatomical contact point displacement of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth, relative to their respective dental arches, were computer generated. Overbite, the number of occlusal contact points in the anterior segment, and concavity of the lingual surfaces of the maxillary incisors were recorded manually. Statistical analyses demonstrated a significant association (P <.05) between the overall irregularity of the maxillary and mandibular incisors. The association did not differ among subgroups that were stratified according to overbite or number of occlusal contacts. No associations were found for the overall amount of incisor rotation in the 2 arches (P >.05). The amount and direction of displacement of antagonistic pairs of maxillary and mandibular central incisors were also associated (P <.05), but not the amount and direction of rotation (P >.05). The lingual configuration of the maxillary incisors did not affect the pattern of mandibular incisor malalignment.     

The mandibular dental arch: Part I, lower incisor position.

The position of the lower incisor with respect to hard tissue references has been evaluated. Two samples were used for this purpose: one containing 78 patients with posttreatment records having a postretention period of at least 4 years, and the other composed of 82 normal occlusions. The results indicated: 1) There was no significant difference in relapse of lower incisor crowding between cases where the lower incisor had been moved lingually, labially, or held in the same relative position during treatment. 2) The position of the maxilla should be considered when placing the lower incisor. The APo plane adequately serves as a guide to this purpose, whereas other reference lines such as mandibular plane or facial plane do not. 3) The positions of the incisors with respect to popular cephalometric reference lines such as APo, NB, or mandibular plane were not correlated with the relapse of mandibular crowding. Therefore, other clinical guides might be more successful for determining stability.     

The effectiveness and long-term stability of overbite correction with incisor intrusion mechanics.

BACKGROUND: Correction of deep overbite with subsequent achievement of long-term stability is difficult. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and long-term stability of overbite correction with incisor intrusion mechanics. METHODS: The treated group consisted of 25 subjects (13 female, 12 male) with deep overbite of at least 4 mm (mean overbite, 5.9 mm). The orthodontic treatment was initiated in the late mixed or early permanent dentition, and all patients were treated nonextraction. All patients had lateral cephalometric radiographs taken at pretreatment (T1), posttreatment (T2), and postretention (T3). The treatment included cervical headgear and lever arches to intrude mainly the maxillary incisors and occasionally the mandibular incisors. Premolars were not included in the fixed appliances during the treatment. The untreated group consisted of 25 age- and sex-matched subjects from the Bolton Growth Study. RESULTS: The mechanics used were effective in overbite correction. During the posttreatment period, overbite increased by 0.7 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Although this change was statistically significant, the amount was small and is considered clinically insignificant, given the severity of the overbite pretreatment. Furthermore, a net overbite correction (T3-T1) of 3.3 mm and postretention overbite on 2.6 mm is an excellent clinical outcome.     

Relapse in Angle Class II Division 1 Malocclusion treated by tandem mechanics without extraction of permanent teeth: A retrospective analysis.

Ideal orthodontic treatment should achieve long-term stability of the occlusion. The mandibular incisor segment has been described as the segment that is most likely to exhibit relapse after treatment and retention. Therefore, relapse of this is a challenge that clinicians need to address. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the amount of relapse that may occur in Angle Class II Division 1 patients, treated orthodontically with tandem mechanics. All cases in this study were treated without extraction of permanent teeth, and the patients were followed for at least 2 years after the end of the retention phase of treatment. Six predictors were investigated at pretreatment, posttreatment, and postretention periods. A synopsis of this study shows the correction of lower incisor crowding as measured by the irregularity index was stable over 5.2 years of postretention follow-up; but longer follow-up time revealed increased relapse of incisor irregularity. Intermolar width increased during treatment and remained stable in the follow-up period. Overjet and overbite corrections and changes in the lower incisor to mandibular plane angle were also stable in the follow-up period. In addition, the amounts of overjet correction and loss of expansion of intercanine distance after treatment were associated with increased irregularity index in the follow-up period. It appears the discrepancies between this and previously published works are sufficiently dramatic that the whole question of treatment philosophy and long-term stability may need to be reevaluated.     

Evaluation of posttreatment changes in Class II Division 1 patients after nonextraction orthodontic treatment: cephalometric and model analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate changes in patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusions treated with cervical headgear and full fixed orthodontic appliances and without extractions. METHODS: Lateral cephalograms and dental casts of 18 patients were obtained at the beginning and the end of treatment and at the postretention period. Pretreatment records were taken at 11.9 +/- 2.6 years, and the mean treatment time was 2.8 +/- 1.2 years. All patients were asked to use maxillary and mandibular Hawley retainers for 1 year. The average postretention interval was 5.3 years. RESULTS: The assessment of cephalometric findings showed that maxillary growth was restricted; maxillary incisor inclination, overjet, and overbite were decreased; the mandibular incisors were proclined; and a slight mandibular posterior rotation occurred at the end of treatment. At the postretention period, the maxilla remained stable, the mandible moved anteriorly, and the overjet increased slightly (1.25 mm, P < .01). The dental cast changes indicated that both maxillary and mandibular irregularity index values decreased significantly during treatment but increased after 5 years. Mandibular intercanine width decreased 0.47 mm ( P < .01) during the postretention period. CONCLUSIONS: The redirection of maxillary growth remained stable in patients with Class II malocclusions treated with cervical headgear and fixed orthodontic appliances and without extractions, but treatment-induced mandibular rotations tended to return to their original patterns. Various dental changes occurred during the postretention period.     

Incisor crown shape and crowding.

The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between the shape of mandibular incisor crowns and crowding. Study models of 50 untreated white subjects (25 men and 25 women) with varying degrees of crowding were studied. The lower incisors were sectioned and imaged at the contact point and midpoint levels, and the mesiodistal width was measured. Crowding was quantified by using both Little's irregularity index and anterior tooth size-arch length discrepancy. The ratio of the 2 mesiodistal widths was correlated with Little's irregularity index and anterior tooth size-arch length discrepancy. In the women, the ratio showed correlations of 0.52 (P =.008) and 0.55 (P =.005) for central and lateral incisors, respectively, with anterior tooth size-arch length discrepancy. No predictors of lower incisor crowding could be established from mandibular incisor crown shape in this study.     

An evaluation of growth and stability in untreated and treated subjects

This retrospective longitudinal study compared skeletal and dental changes in orthodontically treated patients with changes in a comparable untreated group to evaluate the relationship between skeletal changes and mandibular incisor crowding. Cephalograms and models of 44 untreated subjects from the Broadbent-Bolton Growth Study and 43 treated patients were evaluated at "posttreatment" (14.3 +/- 1.5 and 15.2 +/- 1.1 years, respectively) and at "postretention" (23.2 +/- 3.4 and 28.9 +/- 3.6 years, respectively). Cranial base and mandibular superimpositions were used to measure cephalometric changes. Tooth-size-arch-length discrepancy, contact irregularity, and space irregularity were measured. In both groups, growth in the vertical dimension was twice that in the horizontal dimension. The untreated subjects, who were younger, exhibited greater yearly vertical growth increments than did the treated subjects. The treated subjects exhibited greater overjet and overbite increases than did the untreated subjects. Yearly changes in tooth-size-arch-length discrepancy were greater in the untreated than in the treated subjects, but there were no differences in the changes in irregularity between the 2 groups. A multivariate regression model, relating posterior facial height (Ar-Go) increase and lower incisor eruption to change in space irregularity, explained 42% of the variation in the untreated group (r = 0.64; P <.001). A weaker relationship was found in the treated group. Overjet change was negatively correlated with tooth-size-arch-length discrepancy. Changes in lower incisor crowding were related to growth in the vertical dimension and lower incisor eruption in both untreated (r = 0.64) and treated (r = 0.51) subjects.     

Bilateral congenital absence of maxillary lateral incisors: a craniofacial and dental cast analysis

The dental casts and cephalometric records of forty-three patients exhibiting bilateral congenital absence of maxillary lateral incisors were evaluated to determine the nature and extent of any concurrent craniofacial and dental anomalies. The effects of bilateral orthodontic space closure were evaluated on a subsample of twenty-two cases. The data revealed normal dental arch length, arch width, overjet, and overbite, while significant tooth size discrepancies were found in several anterior and posterior teeth. Craniofacial deviations from normal included smaller maxillary length, smaller mandibular length, smaller anterior cranial base, and nasal bone. Vertical facial dimensions, both anterior and posterior, were significantly less, as was the mandibular plane angle. Soft-tissue examination revealed a 10 degrees greater nasiolabial angle, which was increased a further 5 degrees as a result of a mean incisor retraction of 1.5 mm during space closure. The craniofacial anomalies noted in the present sample were similar to those seen in persons with clefts and may reflect a common etiology related to a developmental disturbance during fusion of the facial processes in utero. In the treatment of patients with bilateral congenital absence of maxillary incisors, mechanotherapy designed to open the mandibular plane, increase the vertical dimension, and move the maxillary posterior teeth forward is recommended in order to prevent worsening the Class III tendency and to minimize maxillary incisor and upper lip retraction. Most cases will require significant mesiodistal reduction in tooth size in order to achieve an optimal occlusion.     

Closed-eruption surgical technique for impacted maxillary incisors: a postorthodontic periodontal evaluation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical appearance and pulpal and periodontal status of impacted maxillary central incisors that had been exposed and aligned after a closed-eruption surgical technique. Twenty-one patients were examined 4.5 years (median) postretention. The treated central incisors showed no significant differences in plaque and gingival indexes, widths of attached gingiva, and crown lengths, whereas a small, but statistically significant, increase was found in the mean pocket depth compared with the contralateral incisors. The bone support was reduced by 5% to 6% in the treated teeth, and, in one third of the cases, an abnormal gingival contour was recorded. The lateral incisors revealed similar plaque and gingival indexes and pocket depths on each side, but the lateral incisors immediately adjacent to the treated tooth showed decreased widths of keratinized gingiva and increased crown lengths. Even though statistically significant differences were found in some of the periodontal parameters measured, the overall clinical consequences of a conservative exposure and orthodontic alignment of impacted incisors by the closed-eruption technique are minimal.     

Facio-lingual width of the alveolar base

Importance is attached to assessment of anterior facio-lingual maxillary and mandibular apical base widths in determining limits to incisor root movements. There is absence of similar assessment of facio-lingual base widths for premolars and molars. The aims of this paper are two-fold: to determine the strength of associations between the facio-lingual widths of the anterior and buccal alveolar apical bases, and to determine if an association might exist between the posterior alveolar base width and specific lateral cephalometric measurements. Comparative measurements were made on 40 adult Thai skulls and their companion mandibles using lateral cephalometric radiographs, linear tomography, and direct measurements of the dento-alveolar and basal structures. Wide variation was found in facio-lingual widths of the alveolar bases. No significant correlations were found between the facio-lingual widths of the anterior and posterior alveolar bases in the maxillae and mandible. Significant inverse correlations were found between the alveolar base widths at the mandibular incisors and the FP-MP and PP-MP angles, and between maxillary incisor base widths and the gonial angle. Importantly, no cephalometric indicators were found to predict posterior alveolar base widths. There is a need to continue to search for assessment indicators.     

Tanaka-Johnston mixed dentition analysis for southern Chinese in Hong Kong

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prediction of unerupted permanent canine and premolar size of a comparable sample size of southern Chinese population with that of the study of Tanaka and Johnston. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Teeth on study casts of an unselected sample from a 12-year-old Hong Kong Oral Health Survey of 12-year-old children (n = 459; 295 males and 164 females) were measured in the mesiodistal dimension. A Chinese mixed dentition analysis based on the Tanaka and Johnston method was constructed with linear regression equations for prediction of the mesiodistal widths of unerupted canines and premolars. Results: Sexual dimorphism was evident between southern Chinese males and females in incisors, canines, and premolars in the mesiodistal dimension. CONCLUSIONS: To predict the space (in mm) required for alignment of unerupted canine and premolars in southern Chinese children, halve the sum of the mesiodistal dimensions of the four mandibular incisors and add the respective constants for males (upper, 11.5; lower, 10.5) or females (upper, 11.0; lower, 10.0).     

A 15-year follow up of an orthodontic treatment including a lower incisor extraction and keeping the maxillary canine–premolar transposition

Lower incisor extraction is an effective option for treating lower anterior crowding in patients with a good facial profile, Class I molar occlusion, and narrow upper incisors. This report describes the successful treatment of an adolescent patient with lower anterior crowding and a transposed maxillary canine and premolar treated by extracting a lower incisor and keeping the transposed positions of the teeth. With the use of retainers, treatment results were stable up to the 2-year postretention visit. However, upon a 15-year postretention appointment, the fixed retainer had been removed and the removable retainer was no longer in use, which resulted in relapse of lower anterior alignment. Moreover, the transposed canine had extruded during this period, causing occlusal interference and gingival recession, as well as loss of tooth vitality, which indicates the importance of maintaining orthodontic retainers for long-term stable occlusion.