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Updated: May 31, 2026
Quantitative Assessment Protocol for Facial Soft Tissue Volumetric Changes with Stereophotogrammetry
Published on: December 9, 2025
Skeletal, dental and soft tissue changes in Class III patients treated with fixed appliances and lower premolar
Elham S J Abu Alhaija1, Susan N Al-Khateeb
1Preventive Dentistry Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. elham@just.edu.jo
Background:
Mild Class III malocciusions can be treated by upper incisor proclination and lower incisor retroclination following extraction of the lower first premolars.
Aims:
To compare the skeletal, dental and soft tissue changes in Class III patients treated with fixed appliances, Class III traction and lower first premolar extractions with the changes in a group of untreated Class III patients.
Methods:
The Treatment group consisted of 30 Class III patients (Mean age 13.69 +/- 1.48 years) who were treated by upper and lower fixed appliances, Class III intermaxillary traction and lower first premolar extractions for 2.88 +/- 1.12 years. The Control group consisted of 20 untreated Class III patients (Mean age 13.51 +/- 0.95) matched for age and gender. The T1 to T2 changes in the treated and untreated groups were compared using a paired t-test while differences between the two groups were compared with an independent t-test.
Results:
During treatment, the upper incisors were proclined about 1 degree and the lower incisors were retroclined 8 degrees. Small, but statistically significant changes in SNB, Wits and the overlying soft tissues accompanied the changes in incisor inclination. At the end of treatment a positive overbite and overjet were achieved. The increase in lower facial height in the Treatment group was comparable with the change in the Control group.
Conclusions:
A range of mild to moderate Class III malocclusions can be treated by dentoalveolar compensation.
