Severe Class II Division 1 Malocclusion
Severe Class II Division 1 Malocclusion
Severe Class II Division 1 Malocclusion
Class II malocclusion is a challenging anomaly in orthodontic practice. Various types of functional appliances are
used to correct Class II skeletal and occlusal disharmonies in growing patients, including the Twin-block. We
used a modified sagittal-guidance Twin-block appliance combined with a fixed appliance and microimplant
anchorage to treat a 13-year-old Chinese boy with a severe skeletal Class II malocclusion and mandibular retro-
gnathia. Normal overjet and a Class I molar relationship were achieved because of the advancement of mandib-
ular development, the restriction of maxillary growth, and dentoalveolar modifications in both the maxilla and the
mandible. Favorable skeletal, dental, and soft tissue relationships were accomplished after 24 months of treat-
ment. After 2 years of retention, the results remained stable. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2016;150:153-66)
C
lass II malocclusion is a challenging anomaly in The SGTB consists of a bonded maxillary component
orthodontic practice. The development of this and a mandibular removable counterpart. The maxillary
malocclusion is due to mandibular retrognathia, component, which was bonded to the maxilla, has
maxillary protrusion, or both. It has been reported that occlusal planes that cover the bilateral buccal dentition
retrusion of the mandible is the factor that most and often has a screw expansioner incorporated pala-
commonly contributes to a Class II malocclusion.1 tally. The mandibular piece, which is removable via
Various types of functional appliances (eg, activator, Adams clasps on the first premolars and the first molars
bionator, Fr€ankel, and Herbst) are used for the correction and ball clasps between the mandibular incisors for
of Class II skeletal and occlusal disharmonies in growing retention, has occlusal planes that bilaterally cover
patients. Over recent decades, Twin-block appliances, only the area of the premolars combined with a lingual
which were originally developed by Clark2 in the late acrylic pad that extends posteriorly. The angulation of
1970s, have increased in popularity.3 the interface between the upper and lower occlusal
In this case report, we used a renovated sagittal- planes is 70 . Two brackets are embedded into the
guidance Twin-block appliance (SGTB) combined buccal facade of the upper occlusal planes and serve as
with a fixed appliance and microimplant anchorage anchorage for the further placement of a maxillary par-
for the treatment of a 13-year-old Chinese boy with a tial fixed appliance.
severe skeletal Class II malocclusion and mandibular The cephalometric analysis of Pancherz4 showed that
retrognathia. the normal overjet and a Class I molar relationship were
From the Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital,
achieved because of the advancement of mandibular
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. development, the restriction of maxillary growth, and
a
b
Postgraduate student. dentoalveolar modifications in both the maxilla and
Assistant professor.
c
Department chair.
the mandible. Favorable skeletal, dental, and soft tissue
All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of relationships were accomplished after 24 months treat-
Potential Conflicts of Interest, and none were reported. ment. After 2 years of retention, the stability of the treat-
Address correspondence to: Ning Zhao, Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai
Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China;
ment was pronounced.
e-mail, [email protected].
Submitted, January 2015; revised and accepted, July 2015.
0889-5406/$36.00 DIAGNOSIS AND ETIOLOGY
Copyright Ó 2016 by the American Association of Orthodontists. All rights
reserved. The patient was a 13-year-old Chinese boy with a
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajodo.2015.07.046 convex facial profile, protrusive and everted lips, and a
153
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Fig 1. Pretreatment extraoral and intraoral photographs showing the convex profile that resulted from
the retrusive mandible and Class II molar relation.
deep mentolabial fold. The frontal view did not show any No symptoms of temporomandibular disorder were
facial asymmetry or deviation between the dental and detected.
facial midlines (Fig 1). Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed
Intraoral, dental cast, and 3-dimensional (3D) model with a Class II Division 1 malocclusion, a low mandibular
examinations showed full-unit Class II molar relation- plane angle, a deep overbite, a deep overjet, and a local-
ships on both sides. A deep overjet of 12.7 mm, a com- ized scissors-bite.
plete deep overbite, and a resultant deep curve of Spee
were also found. Furthermore, there was a scissors-bite TREATMENT OBJECTIVES
of the premolars on the right side. The maxillary arch
The treatment objectives for this patient were the
had spread spacings of 4.5 mm (Figs 1 and 2).
following: (1) amend the skeletal discrepancy with a
The lateral cephalometric analysis showed a Class II
SGTB, (2) retract the maxillary front teeth, (3) create
skeletal pattern that resulted from maxillary protrusion
ideal overjet and overbite, (4) correct the scissors-bite
and mandibular retrusion (ANB, 7.6 ; Wits appraisal,
of the premolars on the right side, (5) improve the facial
8.8 mm) and a decreased mandibular plane angle (MP-
profile, and (6) ultimately achieve long-term stability.
FH, 18.3 ). Both the maxillary and mandibular incisors
were labially proclined (U1-SN, 122.2 ; L1-MP, 109.9 ).
TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES
A panoramic radiograph showed root morphology that
appeared normal, and 4 third molars were developing. Ex- Orthopedic treatment with headgear alone to distal-
aminations of the cephalometric and cervical vertebrae ize the maxillary buccal segment could have corrected
suggested that the patient was in a pubertal growth spurt the molar relationship and reduced the overjet and
(Fig 3; Table I), which indicated optimal timing for ortho- may also have restrained the maxilla, but the efficacies
pedic therapy for a Class II disharmony.5 of these removable appliances and headgear depend
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Fig 2. Pretreatment study casts depicting the proclined maxillary incisors and the increased overjet
and spacing in the frontal segment.
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Fig 4. Modified Twin-block appliance design. Anterior, lateral, and occlusal views showing the
following components. Maxillary appliance: (1) occlusally inclined planes occluded at a 70 angle in first
premolar region, (2) 2 preadjusted straight-wire brackets on the buccal surface of the acrylic plates at
the position of the first premolar, and (3) transpalatal arches (1.0 mm) that served as connectors. When
necessary, an expansion appliance can replace the transpalatal arches for compensatory lateral
expansion. Mandibular appliance: (1) ball clasps (0.8 mm) in the incisor region, (2) Adams clasps
(0.8 mm) on the first premolars and first molars, and (3) inclined planes in the first premolar region.
Fig 5. In the fourth month, the straight-wire appliance was bonded to the maxillary front teeth, and a
0.012-in nickel-titanium wire was engaged for the initial alignment.
The cephalometric analysis indicated a significant backward (the A-OLp changed from 81.1 to 80 mm),
skeletal anteroposterior reduction. The ANB angle which indicated the successful restriction of maxillary
decreased by 3.2 , and the Wits value decreased by growth and dentoalveolar changes. Large increments
4.8 mm from 8.8 to 4.0 mm. The length of the maxillary in total mandibular length (Go-Me increased from 74.6
base (ANS-PNS) decreased from 52.6 mm to 51.7 mm, to 77.4 mm) and in ramus height (Ar-Go increased
and the position of maxillary base had been retracted from 51.4 to 55.1 mm) indicated favorable growth of
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Fig 6. Eight months into treatment, an 0.018-in stainless steel archwire was placed, and the maxillary
frontal segment was retracted backward with a solid anchorage supported by the maxillary device.
Fig 7. Eleven months into treatment. Extraoral and intraoral photographs. The Twin-block appliance
was removed, and the fixed appliance was fully bonded. The spaces between the maxillary canines
and the first premolars were approximately 2 mm, indicating favorable molar distalization in the buccal
segment because of the Twin-block appliance.
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Fig 8. Eleven months into treatment: cephalogram, tracing, and panoramic radiograph after the Twin-
block appliance had been removed.
the mandible. The cephalometric superimposition primarily caused by the maxillary incisor retraction.
showed a slightly increased mandibular plane angle of The skeletal contribution to the molar correction was
0.2 . The positions of the maxillary incisors were signif- predominant (88%). The increments in the mandibular
icantly affected (U1-SN decreased from 122.2 to base measurement accounted for most of the skeletal
104.6 ), whereas the mandibular incisors were not changes, whereas the dental changes were due primarily
significantly proclined by the treatment (L1-MP slightly to the distal movement of the maxillary molars.
increased by 2.2 ). The molars in the maxillary arch were A posttreatment panoramic radiograph showed no
distalized by 1.8 mm (Ms-OLp changed from 58 to apparent root resorption. It was still necessary to extract
56.2 mm) (Figs 12 and 13; Tables I and II). the mesially impacted mandibular third molars (Fig 12).
The cephalometric analysis of Pancherz4 was used to A stable occlusion and a harmonious facial balance
show the therapeutic effects of the novel SGTB appli- were maintained after 2 years (Fig 15).
ance in this patient (Fig 14; Table II). The active treat-
ment phase produced an overjet correction of 9.9 mm
and a correction in the molar relationship of 6.0 mm. DISCUSSION
The skeletal and dentoalveolar contributions to the over- Regarding the therapeutic choices for growing skel-
jet correction were almost equivalent (54% skeletal and etal Class II patients, many studies have reported that
46% dentoalveolar). The skeletal component of the functional appliances are highly effective in achieving
overjet correction was primarily due to the mandibular better relationships between the maxilla and the
changes, and the dentoalveolar component was mandible.1,6-9 Twin-block appliances, among other
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Fig 9. In the 16th month of treatment when the 0.018 3 0.025-in stainless steel archwires were placed
in both arches, microimplant anchorages were placed to enhance the anchorage for the retraction of
the maxillary labial segment.
Fig 10. Posttreatment extraoral and intraoral photographs showing the improved facial appearance
and Class I molar relationship.
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Fig 13. Posttreatment cephalometric superimpositions. Red line, pretreatment; black line, after Twin-
block treatment; blue line, posttreatment. A, The overall superimposition was registered on SN at sella;
B, the maxillary superimposition was registered on the palatal plane at ANS; C, the mandibular super-
imposition was registered on the long axis of the mandible at protuberance menti.
functional appliances, have proven to be comfortable, The classic Twin-block appliance consists of maxil-
esthetic, and efficient.3 Twin-block appliances have lary and mandibular acrylic plates with bite-blocks that
several advantages; they are well-tolerated by patients,10 position the mandible forward on closure. These devices
robust, easy to repair, and suitable for use in the perma- have been demonstrated to be clinically efficient for
nent and mixed dentition.3,5,11-15 However, there are growing patients with mandibular retrognathia caused
also some potential disadvantages that include by a combination of dentoalveolar and skeletal ef-
proclination of the mandibular incisors and the fects.5,11-16 In our patient, we designed a novel
development of posterior open bites.16-18 appliance based on the classic Twin-block appliance of
In our patient, the cephalometric analysis indicated Clark.2 This novel appliance was a semifixed functional
mandibular retrusive positioning, reduced lower facial appliance with the following structural modifications:
height, flat mandibular plane, deep curve of Spee, flar- (1) the cemented maxillary component, (2) 2 preadjusted
ing maxillary incisors, and severe overjet and overbite. brackets embedded on the maxillary first premolar
Using the SGTB combined with a fixed appliance and buccal surfaces, and (3) the removable mandibular com-
microimplant anchorage devices, we achieved a favor- ponents with Adams clasps on both first molars as the
able result and a good sagittal jaw relationship with anchorage units.
the dentoalveolar changes. The main mechanisms One major problem associated with removable func-
included the distalization of the maxillary posterior tional appliances is patient cooperation. Clark2 also
segment, the lingual inclination of the maxillary inci- suggested that his classic Twin-block appliance should
sors, and the mild labial inclination of the mandibular be fixed in the mouth for the first 2 weeks of treatment.
incisors. Our patient was able to eat and speak with both the
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Fig 14. Diagram of the maxillary and mandibular skeletal and dentoalveolar changes that contributed
to the sagittal overjet and molar corrections.
functional appliance with a fixed appliance via the bonded maxillary component encouraged full-time wear-
design of the maxillary bonded component and the ing of the appliance. Moreover, the embedded brackets
preadjusted brackets that were embedded on the enabled the overlapping of the functional orthopedic
buccal surface. After removal of the orthopedic phase with the fixed appliance phase. The distalization
appliances, we were able to continuously set up fixed of the maxillary posterior teeth and the growth of the
appliances for patients without any time lag for mandible were most likely the primary mechanisms of
functional retention. the effects of this novel appliance. The posterior open
bite was quickly closed with the guidance of the superelas-
tic nickel-titanium archwires after bite jumping. More-
CONCLUSIONS over, this approach might lead to more reliable results
In this case report, a renovated SGTB appliance with a by allowing the free eruption of both maxillary and
specially designed maxillary component combined with mandibular molars. As rigid anchorage, microimplant
microimplant anchorage was used to effectively treat a anchorage can used to achieve normal dental and skeletal
teenage boy with a severe skeletal Class II diagnosis. The relationships as well as a pleasing soft tissue profile.
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Fig 16. Diagram showing the working principles of changes in the angulation of the inclined surface
from 45 to 70 . This change altered the force vector to be sagittal and less vertical and caused the po-
sition of mandible to be more anterior in resting positions.
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166 Li et al
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