Maxillary Protraction Therapy

In orthopedic treatment an attempt is being made to influence the morphology of the craniofacial skeleton. According to Wolff’s law, “the structure and shape of a bone becomes progressively adapted to all the changing mechanical forces exerted on the bone; as a whole bone represents function and responds to stress placed on it”. The sutures in the craniofacial skeleton are remodeled as secondary growth centers following application of non-physiologic external forces as well as with natural growth of the functional matrix. These fibrous joints are readily remodeled because of their rich vascularisation. When extra oral force is applied, the following events occur in sequence;