The reliability of 3 sagittal reference planes in the assessment of Class I and Class III treatment

The objective of this study was to test the reproducibility and validity of 3 sagittal reference planes with the use of the Wits analysis. Measurements made to the functional occlusal plane, the bisected occlusal plane, and the maxillomandibular bisector were compared with each other and with the angular measurement of the ANB angle. The angular relationship of these reference planes to the postmaxillary vertical reference plane was also studied. The data were collected from pretreatment (T1), posttreatment (T2), and 2-year postretention (T3) lateral cephalograms of 35 Class I and 10 Class III subjects. Nonextraction treatment for these patients was performed with full fixed orthodontic appliances in the permanent dentition. Cephalometric data were compared with 39 Class I and 9 Class III control subjects. The serial lateral cephalograms of untreated control subjects that were analyzed were taken at ages approximating those of the treated groups at T1, T2, and T3. The maxillomandibular bisector was determined to be an easily identifiable and reproducible reference plane that exhibited greater stability over time with both growth and treatment than either the functional occlusal plane or bisected occlusal plane. The mean values for the maxillomandibular bisector Wits result for Class I and III populations were distinct and, when combined with previous Class II data, yielded a triphasic distribution that may be a useful clinical tool for patient assessment.