title: The impact of spur therapy in dentoalveolar open bite.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A longitudinal casecontrol study, designed to analyse the isolated effect of attached palatal spurs in patients displaying a dentoalveolar anterior open bite, is presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients (mean age of 13.3 years +/- 3.17 years) underwent a standardised treatment protocol with fixed anterior spurs for 8.3 months. Lateral cephalograms and plaster casts were analysed before (T1) and after spur therapy (T2). The data were tested using paired t-tests with a significance level of p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cephalometric analysis showed significant elongation of the height of the maxillary (mean +1.22 mm) and the mandibular (mean +1.39 mm) alveolar processes, as well as uprighting of the lower anterior teeth. The plaster cast analysis showed an increase in maxillary intermolar width (mean +0.98 mm) and a decrease in intercanine distance (mean -0.96 mm). The mandibular anterior width and dental arch length reduced. Overall, spur therapy resulted in a significant increase in overjet and overbite.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of spurs produced a resolution of the open bite in all patients. Therefore, spurs could be considered an effective mechanism for the management of anterior open bite in selected adolescent patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany. Meyer_P1@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meyer-Marcotty
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Janka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kochel
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stellzig-Eisenhauer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D003765:Models, Dental; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D024343:Open Bite / Q000628:therapy*; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D009967:Orthodontic Appliances; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014061:Tongue Habits / Q000628:therapy*; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods