Date of Award

2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Clinical Dentistry

Program

Orthodontics

Supervisor

Dr. Antonios H. Mamandras

Second Advisor

Dr. Michael Shimizu

Abstract

Introduction: In patients with Class III malocclusion, continued disproportionate growth after orthognathic surgery has the potential to reverse the surgical correction.

Purpose: To determine if evaluation of patients’ growth status allows for successful early surgical correction of Class III dentofacial deformity.

Materials and Methods: Patients having undergone combined orthodontic and orthognathic surgical treatment for the correction of Class III malocclusion were grouped into early and late surgery groups. Lateral cephalometric radiographs of 31 subjects were traced and measured, and the magnitude and direction of post­ surgical change was evaluated. Differences in growth related to type of surgery and patient gender were determined for both groups.

Results: Differences in post-surgical change between the early and late treatment groups did not reach statistical significance. Patients undergoing combined maxillary and mandibular surgery exhibited greater post-treatment change than those having maxillary surgery alone. The magnitude of post­ surgical change was small in most patients. All of the patients exhibited positive overbite and overjet at final records.

Conclusions: Results from this study indicate that in early-maturing individuals, surgical correction of Class III dentofacial deformity can be performed successfully in late adolescence. Some post-treatment change can be expected for all Class III surgical patients.

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