Early treatment of Class III malocclusion with facemask therapy

The facemask is a widely used device in the treatment of Class III malocclusion and is intended to anteriorly displace the superior maxilla or stimulate its growth in that direction. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of treatment using orthopedic maxillary expansion with facemask therapy in patients with Class III malocclusion. Sixty-four patients, with a mean age of 8.14 ± 1.18 years at the start of treatment and a mean age of 9.78 ± 1.19 years at the end, were treated using orthopedic maxillary expansion and associated facemask therapy. The patients were evaluated using lateral head teleradiography before and after treatment, and the differences were analyzed. In addition, binary logistic regression was used as a model for predicting successful treatment. When comparing the changes achieved by treatment, statistically significant favorable changes were found at the skeletal level. Furthermore, an improvement in the airways at all levels was detected. Orthopedic maxillary expansion associated with facemask therapy has proven effective in treating early skeletal Class III malocclusion.