QUANTITATIVE-EVALUATION OF CRANIOFACIAL CHANGES WITH JASPER-JUMPER THERAPY

Although the Jasper Jumper is becoming a widely accepted orthodontic a ppliance, no quantitative guidelines exist for therapy. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the orthopedic and orthodontic cha nges associated with Jasper Jumper therapy. A sample of 31 consecutive ly treated Class II patients was collected from three orthodontic prac titioners who were using the same procedures and methods. Lateral ceph alograms were taken immediately before appliance placement and immedia tely after appliance removal (mean interval of 0.4 years). The sample was case matched to untreated controls based on age, sex, and mandibul ar plane angle. The cephalograms were superimposed using anterior cran ial base, maxillary, and mandibular reference structures to distinguis h between growth/displacement and tooth movement. The results show tha t the majority of Class II correction was due to dental, rather than s keletal change. The maxilla underwent significant posterior displaceme nt. The maxillary incisors retroclined and the maxillary molars tipped distally. Clockwise or backwards rotation was evident for the mandibl e. The mandibular incisors proclined significantly and the mandibular molars translated and tipped mesially. Jasper Jumper therapy is a valu able procedure for the correction of Class II dental malocclusions. Li ke all other treatment modalities, there are both indications and cont raindications for its use.