Growth of Class III Patients: How Should it Affect Treatment?

A new approach using miniscrew implants in young Class III patients will be introduced. This approach is based on the assumption that successful treatment depends on the orthodontist's understanding of growth. New longitudinal information will be presented showing that Class III children grow differently than often portrayed. The information that will be provided, along with established growth principles that will be reviewed, will make it clear that focusing treatment in the maxilla is not appropriate for most Class III patients. The focus should be on the mandible. From a growth perspective, Class III's should be treated as early as possible because the malocclusion is complex and the changes that occur are generally not favorable. It will be shown that successful treatment of Class III's is possible; it can substantially improve the AP skeletal relationships and, as importantly, simultaneously change mandibular morphology.

Learning Objectives:

Illustrate how Class III patients grow and how to use this information for planning treatment
Argue that it is possible to modify the growth of Class III patients
Demonstrate a new compliance-free treatment approach for young Class III patients.

Tough Class III Malocclusions Made Easy

The advanced development of passive self-ligating brackets and extra-alveolar TADs (Temporary Anchorage Devices) renders many difficult Class III skeletal malocclusions much easier to treat.

Learning Objectives:

Define differential diagnosis of Class III malocclusion
Use passive self-ligating brackets to correct severe Class III
Use extra-alveolar TADs to correct severe Class III.

John Jin-Jong Lin BDS, MS

Appearances