title: Timing of myofunctional appliance therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the stage of skeletal maturity, as depicted by the Cervical Vertebrae Maturity Index at which the maximal response to myofunctional therapy could be expected.
  
  
  METHODS
  The soft copies of pre and post treatment lateral cephalometric radiographs of the sample comprising of 48 subjects, on myofunctional therapy, were traced on 'Nemotec Dental Studio NX'software. Three groups were formed based on the stages of skeletal maturity and comparison was done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treated samples were compared with control samples consisting of subjects with untreated Class II malocclusions, also selected on the basis of stages in cervical vertebrae maturation. Inter-group comparison of the treated samples revealed statistically significant changes in Group II (Stages 3 to 4 of Cervical Vertebrae Maturity Index).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maximum response to myofunctional therapy can be expected in patients during the stages 3 to 4 of cervical vertebrae maturation index, i.e., during or slightly after the pubertal peak.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Subharti Dental College, Meerut, India. drshishir2k@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Shishir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Meghna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: Vaibhav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Misra
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000254:growth & development; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D005115:Extraoral Traction Appliances; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000628:therapy; D008334:Mandible / Q000254:growth & development; D008437:Maxilla / Q000254:growth & development; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000502:physiology; D020247:Myofunctional Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology; D012984:Software; D013997:Time Factors; D014716:Vertical Dimension