E. Hellsing et al., EFFECT OF FIXED ANTERIOR BITEPLANE THERAPY - A RADIOGRAPHIC STUDY, American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, 110(1), 1996, pp. 61-68
Orthodontic treatment of eight overbite cases with a maxillary fixed l
ingual arch appliance with anterior biteplane involved a reduction in
overbite of 4 to 7 mm between the upper and the lower front teeth and
a first molar separation of 2 to 4 mm. After a treatment period of 3.5
to 5 months, occlusal contact between the upper and the lower molars
was established. The appliance was then removed, and permanent overbit
e reduction was secured with an edgewise appliance. With the subtracti
on technique, 15 temporomandibular joints were radiographically invest
igated in the retruded position for change of condylar position on the
glenoid fossa before and directly after insertion of the appliance, a
s well as after achieved molar contact. All condyles changed position
directly after the bite opening, indicating that pure rotation did not
occur. The direction of movement varied not only between subjects but
also between the two condyles of each subject. With one exception, no
ne or very small further positional changes occurred during treatment.
No imaged signs of hard structure remodeling were observed. It may be
concluded that other factors than change of condylar position must be
responsible for the therapeutic effect of the bite-opening appliance
that has been demonstrated in an earlier study.