Esthetic perceptions of facial silhouettes after treatment with a mandibular protraction appliance.
BACKGROUND
In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the effects on the facial silhouettes produced by a mandibular protraction appliance associated with corrective treatment in Class II patients.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 54 (27 initial and 27 final) lateral radiographs from 27 patients. Of these patients, 14 were girls and 13 were boys, with a mean initial age of 12.27 years and a mean treatment period of 2.9 years. An album containing the silhouettes of the pretreatment and posttreatment profiles based on the lateral cephalograms of the patients was prepared. Then, 60 orthodontists and 60 laypeople chose the more esthetic facial silhouette (A or B) and the amount of alterations they perceived between the 2 silhouettes, according to a visual analog scale. A paired t test was used to compare the 2 groups of evaluators with a 5% significance level.


RESULTS
Differences between the preferences regarding the pretreatment and posttreatment facial silhouettes were statistically significant for both groups. The posttreatment silhouettes were preferred by most evaluators. The visual analog scale scores showed that the lay evaluators identified greater differences between the pretreatment and posttreatment silhouettes than did the orthodontists (P <0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the evaluators' judgments, treatment with the mandibular protraction appliance had a positive effect on the facial silhouette, and the laypeople better perceived this effect.
Department of Orthodontics, Sagrado Coração University, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
Eliana Cássia
EC
Molina de Paula
Department of Orthodontics, Sagrado Coração University, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
Ana Cláudia
AC
de Castro Ferreira Conti
Private practice, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
Danilo Furquim
DF
Siqueira
Department of Orthodontics, Sagrado Coração University, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
Danilo Pinelli
DP
Valarelli
Department of Orthodontics, Sagrado Coração University, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: renatinhaalmeida@uol.com.br.
Renata Rodrigues
RR
de Almeida-Pedrin
D000293:Adolescent; D001504:Beauty; D002648:Child; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000628:therapy*; D008334:Mandible; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets; D012189:Retrospective Studies