Cephalometric evaluation of the anterior open bite treatment

The present study was aimed at evaluating the treatment changes of anterior open bite malocclusion cases treated by means of the Multiloop Edgewise Ar ch Wire technique, which is considered one of the more effective treatment modalities for anterior open bite malocclusions. The open bite sample was c omposed of 16 young adults, 4 males and 12 females. The normal occlusion sa mple, as a controlled sample was composed of 58 young adults who had pleasi ng facial profiles and normal occlusions with no experience of orthodontic or prosthodontic treatment. The normal sample was subdivided by the cephalo metric Vertical facial relationships. Forty adults with cephalometric verti cal facial relationships within the normal range of Korean standards were c lassified as Normal Occlusion Group 1. Eighteen adults with an increased ve rtical facial relationship but with normal occlusion, were classified as No rmal Occlusion Group 2. Thirty-nine reference points were digitized on each film, and the computerized cephalometric analysis was obtained with 8 skel etal, 10 dentoalveolar, 17 teeth angulations, and 4 occlusal plane measurem ents. Treatment changes were determined by the paired t test, and the struc tural differences between the four groups were tabulated by the Student's t test. The treatment changes were observed mainly in the dentoalveolar regi on in the upper and the lower occlusal planes, accompanied by the uprightin g of the posterior teeth to the occlusal plane through the distal tipping m ovement of the entire dentition. After the treatment, there was a tendency for the structural feature of the open bite group to approximate those of t he normal occlusion group 2. This ascertains that the treatment changes of open bite malocclusion produced by means of the multiloop edgewise arch wir e technique are similar to those found in the natural dentoalveolar compens atory mechanism.