Stability of Early Facemask Therapy for Class III Malocclusion

Early treatment of the Class III malocclusion with facemask and palatal expansion has become one of the most common and predictable approaches in orthodontics. Although the majority of patients show good long term stability, a significant number will experience relapse as the mandible outgrows the maxilla. This lecture will discuss factors most related to treatment success and treatment failure.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the factors that contribute to correction of the Class III malocclusion. 
• Define factors that contribute to early Class III treatment success. 
• Identify factors most related to early Class III treatment relapse.