Orthodontic treatment for posterior crossbites.

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Dental Development
• Maxillofacial Orthopedics

Background:

• Posterior crossbite involves upper back teeth fitting inside lower back teeth, potentially causing jaw deviation.
• Treatment options vary, targeting dental widening or etiological factors like habits or breathing issues.
• This review updates previous findings on orthodontic interventions for posterior crossbites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of orthodontic treatments for correcting posterior crossbites.
• To compare different appliance types and their outcomes in children and adults.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified through comprehensive database searches.
• Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed independently by two reviewers.
• Meta-analyses were conducted using fixed-effect models where appropriate.

Main Results:

• Limited evidence suggests quad-helix appliances may be more effective than removable expansion plates for correcting posterior crossbites in children.
• Quad-helix appliances showed greater molar expansion compared to expansion plates.
• Evidence comparing other appliance types or assessing long-term stability was insufficient.

Conclusions:

• The quad-helix appliance shows potential superiority over removable plates for early mixed dentition posterior crossbites.
• Overall evidence quality is low to moderate, with insufficient data to definitively recommend one treatment over another for all cases.