The effect of an anterior biteplate on dental and skeletal Class II correction using headgears: a cephalometric study

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that there are significant differences in skeletal and/or dental changes between Class II subjects treated with headgear (HG) compared with those treated with HG plus maxillary acrylic biteplate (BP) discluding teeth. Secondary analysis performed in Department of Orthodontics at the University of Washington. Fifty pre-adolescent Class II subjects were treated with HG as part of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) at the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill, and 81 similar subjects were treated with HG plus a flatplane maxillary anterior BP for occlusal separation and anterior labial bow at the University of Florida as part of a separate RCT. This retrospective cohort study examined anteroposterior (AP) and vertical cephalometric changes in two cohorts of Class II subjects. Pre- and post-treatment cephalometric radiographs for each group were obtained from the two centers and measured for dental and skeletal changes. These data were adjusted for differences in magnification and compared using ancova, controlling for important cohort and protocol differences between the two centers. Overbite and maxillary incisor inclinations were reduced significantly more in the HG/BP group. All other vertical and AP changes were not statistically significantly different between the groups. The maxillary anterior BP with labial bow is an effective appliance for reducing overbite and retracting incisors but provides no additional AP dental or skeletal benefit over HG treatment.