Comparison of the effects of fixed and removable functional appliances on the skeletal and dentoalveolar structures

Abstract

Objective: To compare and analyse the effects of activator and Forsus FRD EZ appliances in the treatment of skeletal Class II division I malocclusion.

Methods: Lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist radiographs were collected from 24 Class II division I growing patients (14 females, 10 males). The patients were randomly divided into two equal groups and either treated with an activator appliance (Mean age 12.67 +/- 1.24 years) or with a Forsus FRD EZ appliance (Mean age 12.31 +/- 1.09 years). Pretreatment and posttreatment cephalometric radiographs were obtained, traced, superimposed and data analysed using paired t-tests and the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

Results: The results demonstrated that the Forsus FRD EZ effectively corrected the Class II malocclusion, but the changes were mainly dentoalveolar. The Forsus FRD EZ appliance induced a clockwise rotation of the occlusal plane without significant alteration in the vertical facial dimension. Skeletally, maxillary growth was restricted and pogonion moved forward which improved the profile.

Conclusion: The Forsus FRD EZ appliance may be an effective dentoalveolar treatment method to manage a skeletal imbalance and improve the profile in growing patients.