title: Nonsurgical treatment of a patient with a Class III malocclusion.
abstract: A patient with a bilateral Class III molar relationship came to the Department of Orthodontics clinic at Case Western Reserve University. Our first choice for treatment was a combination of orthodontic therapy and orthognathic surgery. The patient, however, opted for a nonsurgical approach that took 34 months and involved the extraction of 4 first premolars and a remaining deciduous tooth, and Class III vertical elastics. Although orthodontic treatment was considered to be a second-line alternative, the results suggest that, for some surgical patients, orthodontic treatment alone might be a better choice because of the favorable cost/benefit ratio.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandros T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Moullas
authors.forename: J Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Palomo
authors.forename: Jedidiah R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gass
authors.forename: B Douglas
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Amberman
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gustovich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000601:surgery; D002508:Cephalometry; D003818:Dentition, Mixed; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000628:therapy*; D019516:Orthodontic Space Closure; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D016896:Treatment Outcome