title: Effects of facemask treatment anchored with miniplates after alternate rapid maxillary expansions and constrictions; a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the dentoskeletal and soft tissue effects of facemask treatment anchored with miniplates after alternate rapid maxillary expansions and constrictions (Alt-RAMEC) in maxillary retrusion patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 15 patients with a mean skeletal age of 11.6 ± 1.59 years undergoing 8 weeks of Alt-RAMEC followed by maxillary protraction. Three hundred fifty to 400 g of force per side was applied to the facemask from the titanium miniplates inserted on the lateral nasal wall of the maxilla. Total treatment time was 9.9 ± 2.63 months. Treatment changes were evaluated cephalometrically and analyzed by means of the dependent t-test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The miniplates withstood the orthopedic forces exerted during the treatment. Cephalometric findings showed that the maxilla moved forward by 2 mm, with an 0.8° counterclockwise rotation and without maxillary incisor movement. The mandible moved slightly in a downward and backward direction (1.2°). The inclinations of the mandibular incisors decreased significantly (2°). Statistically significant increases were observed in the vertical dimension (1°-1.3°). Soft tissue changes were more marked in the upper lip and soft tissue pogonion than in the lower lip.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This treatment approach can offer an advantage for correcting mild/moderate maxillary retrusion in Class III patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey. ortodem@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Ilken
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kocadereli
authors.forename: Bahadir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Ferda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tasar
mesh_terms: D001860:Bone Plates; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D005115:Extraoral Traction Appliances; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D052280:Orthodontic Anchorage Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063173:Retrognathia / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014716:Vertical Dimension