Effects of twin-block therapy on protrusive muscle functions

Protrusive mandibular function, including maximum protrusive force and fatigue time, was investigated in 66 children displaying Class II Division 1 malocclusion. Thirty-two children were treated with the Clark Twin-block appliance and the other 34 children served as untreated controls. The observation period was 6 months. Cross-sectional data based on pretreatment records showed that maximum protrusive force ranged from 18.5 N to 160 N, with a mean of 80.3 +/- 30.7 N. Maximum protrusive force was significantly higher in males than in females (P <.001). The correlation between maximum protrusive force and chronologic age was low (r = 0.20) and did not reach significance. Maximum protrusive force in the group of children with disk displacement was not significantly different from that of the group without disk displacement. Comparison of pretreatment and 6-month records in the untreated control group revealed a significant increase in maximum protrusive force (P <.01) as a result of normal growth, while the measured change in the Twin-block-treated children did not reach significance. Fatiguing the protrusive muscles did not alter mandibular position in the Twin-block group after 6 months of treatment. The present study does not support the lateral pterygoid hypothesis, as there was no evidence of an increase in mandibular protrusive function after treatment with the Twin-block functional appliance.