Cephalometric evaluation of class-III patients with chin cap and tongue guard

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of chin cap therapy combined with an upper tongue guard in the early treatment of class-III malocclusion on the nasomaxillary complex and mandible. The subjects of this study consisted of 40 patients aged 5-13 years (mean age of 8.5 +/- 2). All of them possessed an anterior cross bite and/or concave profile. The mean force of chin cap was determined to be 200 g on each side for 18 h/day and the mean treatment period was 22 months. The cephalometric analyses including skeletal, dental, and soft tissue analysis were carried out before and after treatment. The analysis of the cephalometric measurements revealed a negative correlation between the combination effects of chin cap therapy upper tongue guard. This effect appeared in the early stages of treatment. It was a case-control study and Wilcoxon test was used for statistical analysis. The comparison of dependent variables revealed that skeletal effects of chin cap therapy were more than dental and soft tissue effects. Changes in the upper and lower pharyngeal spaces were not significant. A reduction of nasolabial angle occurred due to the protrusion of upper incisors. Finally, it was shown that the combination of chin cap and upper tongue guard could be more effective in the early treatment.