The effects of extraction and nonextraction treatment on the mandibular position

Abstract

Decisions on extraction of teeth as an aid in orthodontic treatment depend on dental and skeletal discrepancies concerning sagittal and vertical relationships. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of extraction and nonextraction procedures on the posterior rotation of the mandible and the position of gnathion. Forty-eight nonextraction patients and seventy-three extraction patients treated in the orthodontic department were selected. The patients were from 11 to 15 years old, with a mean age of 12 years 2 months. The lateral cephalometric radiographs taken before and after treatment were traced and measured. Eleven variables reflecting the mandibular rotation were selected on the basis of factor analysis. Before treatment, total arch circumferential discrepancy and the 11 selected measurements showed significant differences between the extraction and nonextraction groups. In the extraction group, the lower anterior facial height was larger, ramus height was smaller, and the difference between vertical position of both maxillary and mandibular first molars and posterior facial height was greater than in the nonextraction group. Consequently, the mandible showed posterior rotation and was in retruded position in the extraction group. In the nonextraction group, the type of force application had no significant effect on the changes in skeletal and dental measurements. In the extraction group, however, the type of force application had a significant effect (p less than 0.05) on the changes in total anterior facial height, the horizontal distance of the maxillary first molar to a perpendicular line to the S-N plane passing through point S, the vertical distance of the maxillary molar to the S-N plane, the vertical distance of the maxillary and mandibular first molars to the S-N plane, the difference between the vertical position of the first molars and posterior facial height, and the difference between the vertical position of the first molar and vertical height of the ramus. In the group in which high-pull face-bow headgear was used, the extraction/nonextraction procedures had a significant effect (p less than 0.05) on the changes in angle ANB, total anterior facial height, anterior lower facial height, and the difference between anterior and posterior facial height.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)