BackgroundSeveral studies have shown soft tissue profile changes after orthodontic treatment in Class II Division 1 patients. However, a few studies have described factors influencing the soft tissue changes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the soft tissue profile changes following orthodontic treatment in Class II Division 1 patients.MethodsThe subjects comprised 104 Thai patients age 8–16 years who presented Class II Division 1 malocclusions and were treated with different orthodontic modalities comprising cervical headgear, Class II traction and extraction of the four first premolars. The profile changes were evaluated from the lateral cephalograms before and after treatment by means of the X-Y coordinate system. Significant soft tissue profile changes were evaluated by paired t test at a 0.05 significance level. The correlations among significant soft tissue changes and independent variables comprising treatment modality, age, sex, pretreatment skeletal, dental and soft tissue morphology were evaluated by stepwise multiple regression analysis at a 0.05 significance level.ResultsThe multiple regression analysis indicated that different treatment modalities, age, sex, pretreatment skeletal, dental and soft tissue morphology were related to the profile changes. The predictive power of these variables on the soft tissue profile changes ranged from 9.9 to 40.3 %.ConclusionsPrediction of the soft tissue profile changes following treatment of Class II Division 1 malocclusion from initial patient morphology, age, sex and types of treatment was complicated and required several variables to explain their variations. Upper lip change in horizontal direction could be found only at the stomion superius and was less predictable than those of the lower lip. Variations in upper lip retraction at the stomion superius were explained by types of treatment (R2 = 0.099), whereas protrusion of the lower lip at the labrale inferius was correlated with initial inclination of the lower incisor (L1 to NB), jaw relation (ANB angle), lower lip thickness and sex (R2 = 0.403). Prediction of chin protrusion at the soft tissue pogonion was also low predictable (R2 = 0.190) depending upon sex, age and initial mandibular plane angle (SN-GoGn). Additionally, age and sex also had mainly effect on change of the soft tissue profile in the vertical direction.

A longitudinal growth study of the craniofacial skeleton in 52 (19 males, 33 females) Danish individuals with cleft palates was performed. Thirty (13 males, 17 females) had clefts of the soft palate only or clefts extending into the posterior third of the hard palate. Twenty-two (6 males, 16 females) had more extensive clefts including up to two-thirds of the hard palate. The cleft was closed with a pushback operation at 22 months of age. Orthodontic treatment was included in the early mixed dentition. Lateral cephalometries were obtained at 5, 8, 12, 16, and 21 years of age. Twenty-four variables were digitized and analyzed. The results indicated that patients with more extensive clefts demonstrated significantly smaller anterior cranial base length (N-S), total cranial base length (N-Ba), maxillary dentoalveolar base length (A-PMP), mandibular length (Cd-Pgn), upper anterior and posterior facial heights (N-ANS and P-PMP), and total facial height (N-Gn). Patients with the more extensive clefts reached maximum growth spurt later than patients with less extensive clefts in all dimensions except the A-PMP and the lower and total facial heights.

The in vitro study indicated that fluoride release is a common property of the three fluoride-releasing orthodontic adhesives: Illuminate, Fuji Ortho LC, and Light Bond. However, detectable fluoride penetration is a specific property of Fuji Ortho LC. Further clinical studies should be undertaken to investigate the benefit of the two adhesives Illuminate and Fuji Ortho LC on protection of enamel demineralization.

A longitudinal growth study of the craniofacial skeleton in 52 (19 males, 33 females) Danish individuals with cleft palates was performed. Thirty (13 males, 17 females) had clefts of the soft palate only or clefts extending into the posterior third of the hard palate. Twenty-two (6 males, 16 females) had more extensive clefts including up to two-thirds of the hard palate. The cleft was closed with a pushback operation at 22 months of age. Orthodontic treatment was included in the early mixed dentition. Lateral cephalometries were obtained at 5, 8, 12, 16, and 21 years of age. Twenty-four variables were digitized and analyzed. The results indicated that patients with more extensive clefts demonstrated significantly smaller anterior cranial base length (N-S), total cranial base length (N-Ba), maxillary dentoalveolar base length (A-PMP), mandibular length (Cd-Pgn), upper anterior and posterior facial heights (N-ANS and P-PMP), and total facial height (N-Gn). Patients with the more extensive clefts reached maximum growth spurt later than patients with less extensive clefts in all dimensions except the A-PMP and the lower and total facial heights.

Background: Anterior crossbite is a frequent malocclusion in patients with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate (UCLP). Several studies have investigated the effects of orthognathic surgery or orthopedic treatment on correction of this malocclusion. Only few studies evaluated the effect of conventional orthodontic treatment on growing patients Objective: The present study investigated significant changes of facial profile as well as the underlying hard tissue following conventional orthodontic treatment in growing subjects with UCLP. Methods: Lateral cephalograms of 32 non-syndromic children with UCLP (15 boys, 17 girls) with the Mean±SD age of 10.91±2.00 years were retrospectively collected. All patients had complete orthodontic records before and after treatments, indicating the acceptable treatment results, in respect of the degree of overbite, overjet, maximum intercuspation occlusion and facial profile. Cephalometric measurements represented dentoskeletal and soft tissue profile before and after treatments were evaluated, and significant changes were assessed by paired t test. Onesample t test was used to analyze significant differences between these measurements and the clinical norm. Results: The initial characteristics of the UCLP patients were skeletal class III maxillary retrusion with relative mandibular prognathism, retroclination of the incisors, negative overjet, and increased overbite and concave facial profile. After conventional orthodontic treatment, maxillary arch expansion and class III elastic traction, the acceptable overbite and overjet were achieved by proclination of the upper incisors. Significant changes of the soft tissue profile due to facial growth and treatment included increase in facial convexity, nose length, nose depth, columellar length, soft tissue face height ratio, upper and lower lip lengths and upper lip protrusion. The soft tissue profile was acceptable after the treatment, compared to the clinical norm. Conclusions: The early correction of the anterior crossbite with maxillary arch expansion and class III traction could improve the soft tissue facial profile of patients with UCLP.