Skeletal, dental and soft tissue changes following the treatment of class III malocclusion using the class III splint

Early treatment has definite benefits for growing patients and Class III patients in particular if only to allow a normal growth pattern to be restored giving the patient a chance to escape surgery and allowing better esthetics at a younger age . Ten growing Class III patients were treated using the Class III splint appliance until the anterior cross bite was transformed into a positive over jet. Pre and post treatment cephalometric radiographs were taken, then skeletal, dental and soft tissue measurements were done. Pre and post treatment measurements were compared to assess profile changes using the paired t-test. Definite improvement was seen clinically in all the cases, and proved statistically to be due to both dental and skeletal effects in the form of upper incisor proclination and lower incisor retroclination, a significant increase in the SNA angle with concomitant decrease in the SNB angle. The soft tissue profile was restored to a more normal profile through a decrease of lower lip thickness and an increase in its length.