Influence of the modified Milwaukee brace on the dentofacial complex

The influence of the Milwaukee brace treatment in a material of 56 patients, mean age 13.9 +/- 2.1 years, was studied. Thirteen of the patients wore monoblock and 46 did not, during the period of wearing the MW-brace, mean 0.9 years. Pre- and post-treatment cephalograms and study models were analysed. Small but significant detrimental changes were seen in about half of the 22 dentofacial variables analysed. Decreasing of the interincisors angle and the palatal vault height, and increasing of the ILs-SNL, ILs-MaxL and canine width were highly significant changes. Detrimental changes in the monoblock group occurred also but they were not as considerable as in the non-monoblock group. The influence of the five dentofacial characteristics which were analysed in more detail did not show any clear correlation to the magnitude of the change.