Soft tissue changes produced by a banded-type Herbst appliance in late mixed dentition patients.
OBJECTIVE
This controlled trial cephalometrically compared soft profile changes during orthodontic treatment with a banded Herbst appliance against a control group.


METHODS
The sample consisted of late mixed dentition Class II division 1 malocclusion cases. The first group consisted of 29 consecutive patients (14 females and 15 males), selected prospectively and treated solely with a banded Herbst appliance; the second group consisted of 28 nontreated subjects (14 females and 14 males). Two lateral cephalograms were obtained from each patient at the beginning and immediately following the completion of the treatment/observation period (1 year). Soft tissue cephalometric variables were analyzed. Different t tests were used to compare the starting forms of the 2 groups and the changes that occurred after treatment (P <.05).


RESULTS
The present study showed a modest decrease in the facial convexity, retrusion of the upper lip, and an improvement in the mentolabial angle. All these changes were statistically significant. The profile improvement in the Herbst group was likely because of the changes observed in the upper lip and, to a minor degree, in the lower lip and soft tissue pogonion.


CONCLUSIONS
It can be concluded that the changes in the soft tissue profile produced by a banded-type Herbst appliance were statistically different from the control group, but not likely clinically significant. The direction and magnitude of the changes were similar to those reported for permanent dentition cases.
Department of Orthodontics, Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. marcioralmeida@uol.com.br
Marcio Rodrigues
MR
de Almeida
Carlos
C
Flores-Mir
Analu Giampietro
AG
Brandão
Renato Rodrigues
RR
de Almeida
Renata Rodrigues
RR
de Almeida-Pedrin
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002680:Chin / Q000473:pathology; D003818:Dentition, Mixed; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000628:therapy*; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D009666:Nose / Q000473:pathology; D017289:Orthodontic Appliances, Functional; D011446:Prospective Studies