Stability of Class II, division 1 treatment with the headgear-activator combination followed by the edgewise appliance.

Abstract

This study assessed the stability of the headgear-activator combination treatment, followed by edgewise mechanotherapy, 5.75 years after treatment. The experimental group consisted of 23 patients who were evaluated during treatment and after treatment. Two compatible control groups consisting of 15 Class II, division 1 patients and 24 normal occlusion individuals were used. This enabled us to evaluate the changes during treatment and after treatment, respectively. Results showed that the anteroposterior dentoalveolar changes and the maxillary and the mandibular positions remained stable in the long term. However, there was a slight relapse of the maxillomandibular relationship probably because the maxilla resumed its normal development and the mandibular growth rate was smaller than in the control group. The overbite demonstrated a statistically significant relapse that was directly proportional to the amount of its correction. There were low but significant inverse correlations between the changes in Go-Gn during and after treatment. These included the uprighting of the maxillary incisors, labial tipping of the mandibular incisors, and the amount of molar relationship correction during treatment and their stability. Active retention time, length of posttreatment period, initial Class II malocclusion severity (ANB and Wits), and initial molar relationship did not present any correlation with molar relationship and overjet relapse. However, the initial overjet presented a low but statistically significant correlation with molar relationship relapse and overjet relapse.