Cervical vertebrae maturation, dentoalveolar, head postural and respiratory parameters in predicting the stable outcome of face-mask treatment.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES To select predictors related to cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM), dentoalveolar adaptation, head posture, and respiration on outcome of face-mask treatment. MATERIALS/METHODS Forty-six patients (24 boys and 22 girls) with skeletal Class III pattern whose CVM stages ranged from I to IV at pretreatment were selected. The observation period was 2.87 ± 1.77 years from the end of treatment. Negative overjet and overbite was regarded as unstable. CVM, 10 skeletal variables, 6 dental adaptation variables, 4 alveolar housing variables, an airway variable, and 2 head posture variables were chosen for discriminant analysis of initial characteristics between stable and unstable groups. RESULTS Measurements exhibiting strong correlations were distance from lower incisor to Nasion, B point (NB), Frankfort horizontal plane to Mandibular incisor Angle (FMIA), incisor overbite, body to anterior cranial base. LIMITATIONS We missed muscle-related variables, which cannot be identified in a cephalogram. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS Presence of non-skeletal cephalometric factors more closely associated with stability of face-mask treatment rather than skeletal cephalometric factors at the initial stage are confirmed.