Association between changes in soft and hard tissue after early chin cup treatment

• Published in: Journal of orofacial orthopedics 2015-05, Vol.76 (3), p.225-239
• Main Authors: Alarcón, J.A., Requena, M.A., Delgado, A.C., González, E., Martín, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cephalometry - methods; Child; Connective Tissue - diagnostic imaging; Connective Tissue - pathology; Dentistry; Extraoral Traction Appliances; Female; Humans; Jaw - diagnostic imaging; Jaw - pathology; Male; Malocclusion, Angle Class III - diagnostic imaging; Malocclusion, Angle Class III - pathology; Malocclusion, Angle Class III - therapy; Medicine; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Original Article; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Radiography, Dental - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Traction - instrumentation; Traction - methods; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1434-5293; 1615-6714; 1615-6714
• DOI: 10.1007/s00056-015-0286-4

Objective To assess the soft tissue and to determine the potential association between changes in soft and hard tissue after early chin cup treatment in prognathic children. Materials and methods A total of 42 children (21 boys, 21 girls) with skeletal Class III malocclusion due to mandibular prognathism were examined before (mean age, 8.5 ± 0.5 years) and after (mean age, 11.4 ± 0.6 years) chin cup treatment. Data were compared with 25 untreated matched controls (12 boys, 13 girls) with mean ages of 8.5 ± 0.5 years at the first and 11.7 ± 0.5 years at the second observation. Lateral cephalograms were taken before and after 36 months of treatment/observation. We evaluated the changes in hard and soft tissue and the correlations between these changes in both groups. Results The skeletal and soft-tissue facial profiles improved significantly in the treated patients, mainly due to changes in the mandible. The chin cup group revealed significant reductions in the facial-convexity angle and lower-lip inclination, leading to a remarkable improvement in the soft-tissue facial profile. We noted similar correlations between changes in the hard and soft tissue in both groups, except for a significant correlation between a pogonion retrusion and reduction in the facial-convexity angle detected only in the chin cup group. Various correlations were observed between corresponding soft and dentoalveolar changes between groups. Conclusion Soft-tissue changes accompanied the underlying skeletal and dentoalveolar tissue changes after chin cup treatment.