title: Predictors of relapse in orthodontically-treated Class III malocclusions.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the possibility of predicting relapse from the pretreatment records of children with orthodontically treatable Class III malocclusions. Sixty-four patients were studied: 31 individuals had been treated by a non-extraction technique, the remaining 33 with mid-arch extractions. Cephalometric and model data taken at the start of treatment and at least 2 years after all treatment and retention had ceased were examined. An individual diagnosis of relapse or stability was made from the post-retention records and the start of treatment records analysed in relation to this information. The capacity for predicting the observed outcome of therapy was assessed in three ways: correlation coefficients, the number of cephalometric measurements exceeding two standard deviations from a control group mean, and discriminant analysis. Only the latter proved an effective indicator of relapse, with a separate discriminant model being necessary for each sub-group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, London Hospital Medical College Dental School.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Battagel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000601:surgery; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005115:Extraoral Traction Appliances; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D003765:Models, Dental; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective; D012008:Recurrence; D012690:Serial Extraction