2014 Annual Session - The Latest on Early Class III Treatment: Where We've Been and Where We're Going

One of the most significant changes in early orthodontic treatment over recent decades has involved management of the Class III malocclusion. Facemask therapy has supplanted chin cup and other orthopedic/orthodontic methods as the most common and predictable early treatment procedure. This lecture will address how facemask therapy works, the benefits of palatal expansion, optimal treatment timing, what happens following phase I therapy , and the long term benefits of early treatment. Since successful orthopedic treatment requires excellent cooperation and optimal treatment timing, some patients however, may still require other forms of intervention. The use of TADs and miniplates for older patients will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the mechanism by which the facemask corrects a Class III malocclusion
• Determine the effectiveness of facemask therapy at different ages
• Discuss the benefits of palatal expansion in early Class III treatment