Dentofacial Relapse in Class II Patients Treated with Functional Appliances

Considering the importance of stability on the orthodontic treatment outcomes, the instability may cause dentoskeletal and soft tissue changes in patients after the treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate dentoskeletal and facial soft tissue relapse in class II patients whom have been treated with functional appliances. 23 patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusion who had received treatment with Farmand functional appliance and had at least two years of post treatment follow up, were evaluated using cephalometric analysis for dentoskeletal and soft tissue changes. The lateral cephalometric radiographs of the patients immediately after the treatment (T1) and two years follow up (T2) were traced and statistical analysis was performed to obtain the amount of occurred relapse between T1 and T2. The mean decrease of ANB angle between T1 and T2 was 0.73 º, which was not statistically significant. Overall, the mean changes of skeletal and dental variables (FMA, GOGN-SN, U1 to SN, U1 to FH and IMPA) in T1 and T2 were not statistically significant. For the soft tissue variables, the mean increase of the nasolabial and mentolabial angle in T1 and T2 were not significant. The mean changes of Z and H angles in T1 and T2 were 0.53º and 0.63 º, which were not statistically significant. Dentoskeletal and soft tissue facial changes that occurred during treatment with Farmand functional appliance remained stable at least 2 years after treatment.