Extraction vs no treatment: Long-term facial profile changes.
BACKGROUND
Long-term soft tissue response to extraction orthodontic treatment has been a subject of interest for years. The purposes of this study were to investigate long-term soft tissue profile changes in an extraction sample and to compare them with profile changes in an untreated sample.


METHODS
A premolar extraction-treated sample (n = 47) and an untreated control sample (n = 57) were studied. Descriptive statistics were collected, and individual t tests were used for comparison and contrast of the treated and untreated samples.


RESULTS
We found that the untreated soft tissue profile changed in the downward and forward direction. The treated soft tissue profile change was similar, but with more of a forward component than in the untreated sample. Most noteworthy was the finding that the soft tissue profiles of both the untreated and the treated samples were similar at the end point.


CONCLUSIONS
The following conclusions were derived from the study. (1) There was no substantive difference in the soft tissue profiles of the samples, but there were some differences in the directional changes between them. (2) The changes for the untreated sample were the greatest for the lips and the chin, with the change occurring in the downward and forward direction. (3) The soft tissue profiles of the extraction sample also had the greatest measurable changes in the lips and the chin, but the changes had more of a forward component than they did in the untreated sample. (4) Extraction treatment does not adversely impact soft tissue profile changes over time.
Private practice, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Anita Bhavnani
AB
Rathod
Pete Sotiropoulos professor of orthodontics and clinic director, Orthodontic Graduate Program, Saint Louis University, St Louis, Mo.
Eustaquio
E
Araujo
Private practice, Cookeville, Tenn. Electronic address: jlvaden@frontiernet.net.
James L
JL
Vaden
Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Center for Advanced Dental Education, Saint Louis University, St Louis, Mo.
Rolf G
RG
Behrents
Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Center for Advanced Dental Education, Saint Louis University, St Louis, Mo.
Donald R
DR
Oliver
D000328:Adult; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002680:Chin / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008046:Lip / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000628:therapy*; D008311:Malocclusion, Angle Class I / Q000628:therapy; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000628:therapy; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000628:therapy; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000379:methods*; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000379:methods*