Age effects on orthodontic treatment: adolescents contrasted with adults

Skeletodental treatment changes in 30 adolescent girls and 26 women who had Class II, Division 1 malocclusions were contrasted cephalometrically, primarily with the McNamara analysis. The data show that adult treatment does not obligate the practitioner to longer treatment. In this study, both age groups were treated in 2.5 years on the average. Apical base corrections were achieved with equal facility in both groups by the posterior remodeling of point A, and this (in conjunction with unrestrained mandibular growth) is the major source of correction in the adolescents. In adults, in whom growth is trivial, an appreciable source of sagittal correction is the steepening of the occlusal plane. Several sequelae of Class II elastic force occurred as by-products of molar correction in the adults: increased mandibular molar eruption, increased maxillary molar intrusion, increased maxillary incisor eruption, increased mandibular incisor intrusion, and steepening of the occlusal plane.