Mandibular asymmetry treated with a modified activator appliance.
Aplasia of the mandibular condyle alone without any other facial malformation and medical history is a very rare condition. This clinical report describes treatment with a functional appliance in a young patient with aplasia of the mandibular condyle alone without any other facial malformation, which is a very rare condition. The patient, a 6(1/2)-year-old girl, was referred for treatment of mandibular asymmetry. There was no relevant family history. The patient showed early mixed dentition with a II molar relationship on the right and II on the left side, 5 mm of overbite and 5 mm of overjet, and a lower midline discrepancy of 3 mm. According to the Pruzansky-Kaban classification of mandibular deformity, the patient was a type IIA; according to Vento and his classification, the mandible of the patient was M2B. The patient was given a Haupl-Andresen activator, which had been modified to reposition the right mandible downward and forward. The functional appliance therapy lasted for approximately 4 years. The affected side showed remarkable condylar growth compared with the normal side. Seven years later, the correction of the mandibular asymmetry was stable and no relapse had occurred.
Orthodontics, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. rleonard@unict.it
Rosalia
R
Leonardi
Ersilia
E
Barbato
D000202:Activator Appliances; D002648:Child; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000628:therapy; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome