Treatment time and occlusal outcome of orthognathic therapy in the East of England region

Outcome measures of the surgery first approach for orthognathic correction of dentofacial deformities

In the surgery-first approach (SFA), orthognathic surgery is performed without the need for presurgical orthodontic treatment. This study was aimed at assessing the treatment durations and occlusal outcomes for a consecutive cohort of patients, with a range of dentofacial deformities, who had completed orthognathic treatment using SFA. The duration of orthognathic treatment was measured. The overall change in occlusion, and the quality of the final occlusion, were evaluated using the patients' study casts. A single, independent, calibrated operator carried out the occlusal scores, using the validated Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index. This was repeated to test intraoperator reliability. A total of 51 patients completed surgery-first treatment during the study period. The mean (range) age at surgery was 23.3 (15-47) years. The pre-treatment skeletal jaw relationship was Class III in 39 cases, and Class II in 12 cases. The mean (SD) overall treatment duration was 11.7 (5.7) months. The intraexaminer reliability of assessing the occlusion was high. The PAR scores confirmed a significant improvement in the quality of occlusion at the completion of treatment, which compares favourably with previous studies on the conventional orthodontics-first approach. The surgery first approach can be effective at correcting both Class II and Class III malocclusion types with reduced treatment times.

Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) scoring of cleft patients treated within a regional cleft centre in the United Kingdom

OBJECTIVE

To assess static occlusal outcomes for patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) and cleft palate (CP) managed within a UK Regional Cleft Service and to compare with previously published Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) scores from a non-cleft population of patients treated within a UK consultant-led hospital service.

DESIGN

Retrospective multicentre study.

SETTING

Eight orthodontic hospital units within the Spires Cleft Service, UK.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients born with CLP or CP between 1985 and 1995 treated within the service.

METHODS

Patients were assigned to groups by cleft type and whether they were treated by orthodontics only or a combination of orthodontics and orthognathic surgery. PAR was recorded before and after treatment from study models.

RESULTS

Data were collected for 171 patients included in the study. Median pre-treatment PAR was 42 and post-treatment 11. Median percentage change in PAR for all patients was 73%, although 12% of cleft patients had a PAR improvement that was worse or no different. Median change in PAR score was 71% for those treated with orthodontics only and 83% for those who had an osteotomy. Median PAR improvement for those treated with orthodontics only was 73% in the cleft lip group, 77% in the CP group, 66% in the unilateral CLP group and 53% in the bilateral CLP group. Median pre- and post-treatment PAR for the cleft group was higher and PAR reduction lower than those published for non-cleft patients.

CONCLUSION

These data demonstrate high severity of malocclusion, complexity of orthodontic treatment and difficulty in achieving an ideal static occlusion for cleft patients. If PAR is to be used to assess orthodontic outcomes in cleft patients the findings of this study should be considered. A higher proportion of cases are likely to be classed as 'worse or no different', and a lower percentage change will be expected.

Surgical treatment of a skeletal Class III patient using customized brackets based on the CAD/CAM virtual orthodontic system

The computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) virtual orthodontic system produces customized brackets, indirect bonding jigs, and archwires based on a three-dimensional virtual setup. In surgical cases, this system helps to visualize the final occlusion during diagnosis and to efficiently plan individualized presurgical orthodontic treatments. A 20-year-old female patient with a skeletal Class III malocclusion, maxillary protrusion, and lip protrusion was successfully treated with orthognathic surgery and orthodontic treatment with maxillary first premolar extractions. The CAD/CAM system was applied for efficient treatment, with a total active treatment time of 16 months. In this case report, the applicability of the CAD/CAM virtual orthodontic system for orthognathic surgery cases is demonstrated. Suggestions are also made to overcome the limitations and to maximize the advantages of this system during orthodontic treatment of patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.

Can socioeconomic and psychosocial factors predict the duration of orthodontic treatment?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Very little is known about the role of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors in predicting orthodontic treatment duration. Thus, this study aimed to test whether socioeconomic position (SEP) and psychosocial factors, namely, family environment and resiliency can predict orthodontic treatment duration.

METHODS

Data were analysed from a hospital-based, prospective, longitudinal study that recruited 145 consecutively selected 12- to 16-year-old male and female adolescents. Baseline SEP and psychosocial data were collected by a validated child self-completed questionnaire before the placement of fixed appliances. Linear regression analysis was used.

RESULTS

The response rate was 98.6 per cent and the dropout was 8.2 per cent. Maternal emotional support was an important predictor of orthodontic treatment duration. Adolescents with high levels of maternal emotional support were more likely to have a shorter orthodontic treatment duration (by nearly four months) than those with low levels of maternal emotional support (P = 0.02). Parental SEP, paternal emotional support, maternal and paternal control, as well as resiliency were not significantly associated with orthodontic treatment duration (P > 0.05). The multivariable regression analysis (including age, gender, and malocclusion severity) confirmed the significance of maternal emotional support as a predictor of orthodontic treatment duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal emotional support is an important predictor of orthodontic treatment duration. This may be explained by a higher maternal involvement in the orthodontic treatment, which may have facilitated achieving the required orthodontic treatment outcome in a shorter treatment duration.

Assessing Treatment Outcomes of a Graduate Orthodontic Program

Objectives:

To assess treatment outcomes of a graduate orthodontic program during two different periods.

Materials and Methods:

Consecutive orthodontic patients’ files were selected from the archives of the Graduate Orthodontic Program, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Following the application of certain inclusion criteria, the final sample consisted of 109 patients. The sample was allocated into two groups depending on the time of treatment [Group A: 1998-2003, (n=60); Group B: 2004-2009 (n=49)]. The first period started a few years after the inception of the program and the second 10 years later. All pre- and post-treatment dental casts were blindly assessed by one investigator using the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) and the Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need (ICON). Statistical analysis included Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson Chi-Square test and Spearman correlation coefficient. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results:

In Group A, the mean PAR index changed from 28.6 before treatment to 5.5 after treatment and the mean ICON index changed from 71.9 to 23.5. In Group B, the mean PAR index changed from 23.6 before treatment to 4 after treatment and the mean ICON index changed from 62.8 to 19.8. The mean PAR score reduction was 78.4% for the 1st group and 81.4% for the 2nd group, respectively. Ninety percent of the cases of Group A and 89.8% of the cases of Group B had a post-treatment ICON score < 31. The severity of the initial malocclusion was found to be positively correlated with the treatment occlusal outcome. Out of the 109 cases, 68 were considered as substantially or greatly improved, 29 moderately improved, 8 showed minimal improvement and 4 cases were considered as not improved or worse. The mean PAR percentage improvement and the ICON score at the end of treatment were not correlated to the presence or absence of tooth extractions in the treatment plan. There was no correlation between the treatment outcome and the number of graduate residents involved in the therapy. The treatment outcomes were not correlated to the gender or age of patients.

Conclusion:

Patients treated by graduate orthodontic residents during 1998-2009 demonstrated significant improvement of their occlusion and the quality of the treatment remained constant throughout the years. The outcome of orthodontic treatment was not correlated to the gender and the age of patients, the number of postgraduate students performing the treatment, and the presence of tooth extractions in the treatment plan.

Assessing the outcome of orthognathic surgery by three-dimensional soft tissue analysis

Studies of orthognathic surgery often focus on pre-surgical versus post-surgical changes in facial shape. In contrast, this study provides an innovative comparison between post-surgical and control shape. Forty orthognathic surgery patients were included, who underwent three different types of surgical correction: Le Fort I maxillary advancement, bilateral sagittal split mandibular advancement, and bimaxillary advancement surgery. Control facial images were captured from volunteers from local communities in Glasgow, with patterns of age, sex, and ethnic background that matched those of the surgical patients. Facial models were fitted and Procrustes registration and principal components analysis used to allow quantitative analysis, including the comparison of group mean shape and mean asymmetry. The primary characteristic of the difference in shape was found to be residual mandibular prognathism in the group of female patients who underwent Le Fort I maxillary advancement. Individual cases were assessed against this type of shape difference, using a quantitative scale to aid clinical audit. Analysis of the combined surgical groups provided strong evidence that surgery reduces asymmetry in some parts of the face such as the upper lip region. No evidence was found that mean asymmetry in post-surgical patients is greater than that in controls.

Efficiency and Duration of Orthodontic/Orthognathic Surgery Treatment

INTRODUCTION

To investigate the combined orthodontic-orthognathic treatment times at an academic hospital in the UK and to consider the level of occlusal change in delivering this treatment by the way of comparing peer assessment rating (PAR) scores pre- and post-treatment.

METHODS

It was a retrospective longitudinal study of orthognathic patients between 2010 and 2013 who had completed orthognathic treatment. Analysis of records of 50 patients was carried out. Age, gender malocclusion, and skeletal pattern, extraction/nonextraction of teeth, duration of active orthodontic treatment, number of appointments, transfer of patients between orthodontists mid-treatment, and PAR scores pre and post-treatment were recorded for each patient.

RESULTS

The skeletal pattern was III in 70% of and II in 28% of patients. Mean duration of active orthodontic treatment was 27.9 months. Age, gender, malocclusion, and skeletal pattern did not seem to affect treatment times. Extraction of teeth and transfer of operators increased treatment times. The mean PAR reduction was 89% with the PAR efficiency factor (reduction in PAR scores divided by duration of treatment in months) of 1.61. Younger patients, those with class III malocclusions and patients starting with higher PAR scores, achieved greater PAR reductions. Gender, number of appointments, extractions, transfer of operators, and total duration of treatment were not shown to affect the PAR % reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Combined orthodontic-orthognathic treatment has been effective in treating patients with severe skeletal discrepancies. Transfer of operators and extractions protracted treatment times. Younger patients and those with class III malocclusions achieved higher PAR % reduction.

Duration of orthognathic-surgical treatment

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the duration of orthognathic-surgical treatment conducted with conventional pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment phases.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study material was comprised of the files of 185 consecutive patients treated in Oral and Maxillofacial Unit, Tampere University Hospital, Finland, in 2007-2014. The files were reviewed and the following data was obtained: gender and age of patients, ICD-10 diagnosis, type of malocclusion, duration of pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment and type of operation.

RESULTS

Total treatment duration (median) from placement of separating rings for banding until fixed orthodontic appliances were removed and retention period started was 31.1 months, of which pre-surgical orthodontics took 24.4 months and postsurgical 6.4 months. Treatment duration (median) was in BSSO was 32.1, LeFort 1 30.1 and bimaxillary osteotomy 29.7 months. Orthodontic extractions were performed in 35 patients (19%). If the orthodontic treatment included tooth extraction, the duration of pre-surgical treatment was on average 10 months longer, which is a statistically highly significant difference (p < .001, linear regression).

CONCLUSIONS

Tooth extractions (excluding 3rd molars) included in pre-surgical orthodontic treatment prolong treatment time by an average of 8-9 months.

Factors influencing orthodontic treatment time for non-surgical Class III malocclusion

Objective:

To identify variables and their effect size on orthodontic treatment time of Class III malocclusion.

Material and Methods:

Forty-five Class III malocclusion cases were selected from 2008 patients' records. Clinical charts, cephalometric radiographs, and pre and posttreatment dental casts were evaluated. Age, sex, PAR index at T1 and T2, overjet, missing teeth, extractions, number of treatment phases, missed appointments, appliance breakages, and cephalometric variables SNA, SNB, ANB, Wits, SnGoGn, CoA, CoGn, IMPA, 1.PP were investigated by multiple linear regression analysis and stepwise method at p<0.05. The sample was also divided into two groups: Group 0-2 (patients who had missed two clinical appointments or less) and Group >2 (patients who missed more than 2 appointments), to detect the influence of this data on treatment time and the quality of the treatment (PAR T2).

Results:

Average treatment time was 30.27 months. Multiple regression analysis showed that missed appointment (R2=0.4345) and appliance breakages (R2=0.0596) are the only variables able to significantly predict treatment duration. Treatment time for patients who missed more than 2 appointments was nearly one year longer. However, no significant influence on PAR T2 was observed for those patients.

Conclusion:

Orthodontic treatment duration in Class III patients is mainly influenced by factors related to patient compliance. Patients who missed more appointments did not show worse orthodontic finishing, but longer treatment. No occlusal, cephalometric, or demographic variable obtained before treatment was able to give some significant prediction about treatment time in Class III patients.