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Short-term effects of the Sander bite-jumping appliance on the pharyngeal airways in subjects with skeletal Class II
Roberto Rongo1, Stefano Martina2, Rosaria Bucci1,2
1Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Oral Sciences, School of Orthodontics, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples, Italy.
Background:
Skeletal Class II subjects present often a retruded mandible that might increase the probability of breathing disorders.
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of functional treatment by means of the Sander bite-jumping appliance (BJA) on the upper airways of growing subjects.
Methods:
Thirty-four subjects (21 males, 13 females; mean age 11.1 ± 1.2 years) with skeletal Class II malocclusion due to mandibular retrusion were treated with the Sander BJA (BJA group). The control group consisted of thirty-four untreated subjects with skeletal Class II malocclusion (25 males, 9 females; 10.4 ± 1.2 years; CTR group). The effect of the Sander BJA appliance on the airway dimensions was evaluated by comparing lateral cephalograms recorded before (T0) and after (T1) the period of observation/treatment. Within- and between-group comparisons were statistically evaluated according to the distribution of the data (P < .05).
Results:
The oropharyngeal region (ph_pph) increased in the BJA group (1.8 ± 3.2; P = .001) but the difference respect to the CTR group was not statistically significant (0.73 ± 4.0; P = .314; P = .077). The tongue height (th) increased in the BJA group (2.8 ± 3.7; P < .001), and this increase was statistically significant respect to the CTR group (0.6 ± 4.7; P = .461; P = .038). In the BJA, the Ans_Pns_P angle showed a statistically significant decrease (-3.8 ± 7.8; P = .007) compared to the CTR group (-0.1 ± 5.4; P = .705; P = .026).
Conclusions:
The airway dimensions increased for both control subjects and Class II patients treated with Sander BJA due to physiological growth. The Sander BJA induced a statistically significant change in the tongue and soft palate position, but the clinically relevant of these changes is questionable.
