Point/Counterpoint: Orthopedic Treatment of Class III Malocclusion

Class III malocclusion is characterized by a malrelationship of the maxilla and mandible, with maxillary hypoplasia being the most common characteristic. Facemask/ palatal expansion therapy has become the most common and predictable approach to early correction, which occurs by a combination of skeletal and dental movements. The amount of skeletal vs dental movement is due to many factors such as the expansion protocol, protraction force levels, hours of wear per day, overall treatment time, appliance design, retention protocol, and individual variation. Because of the skeletal etiology of Class III malocclusion, treatment focused on improving skeletal relations would seem to be most prudent with camouflage therapies limited/held for those cases with limited to no growth remaining, needing dental movements to obtain a final acceptable result.

• 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