Skeletal growth changes in Class II subjects treated with slow palatal expansion

BackgroundThis is a retrospective cephalometric radiographic study that evaluates growth changes in subjects with Class II skeletal pattern treated with slow maxillary expansion Quad-Helix and overbite reduction utility arches.MethodsSeventeen treated and eighteen untreated growing individuals with Class II skeletal pattern were included in the study. Two consecutive lateral cephalometric radiographs were collected at two time intervals; before and after treatment. Cephalometric measurements were used to evaluate growth within each group and between both groups during the observation period.ResultsThe treated group that had palatal expansion along with utility arches showed a significant improvement in ANB angle, 1.5 degree (p < 0.05) within two years of treatment. This improvement was not statistically significant when compared to the observed growth in control group. The treated group started with significantly more vertical growth direction than the control group. The vertical dimensions measured by mandibular plane to SN and Facial Axis angle did not statistically change during the treatment time. An overall significant decrease in overjet (1.69 mm, p < 0.05), and overbite (2.35 mm, p < 0.05) was found in the treated group, when compared to the control group.ConclusionsThe investigated treatment protocol reduced the overjet and overbite with maintaining the original growth pattern in the treated individuals, they did not show any change in the overall mandibular rate of growth when compared to the control group during the observation period.