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Principles of dentofacial orthopedics
1School of Dentistry, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA.
Seminars in Orthodontics
|May 9, 1998
Summary
Patient response to orthodontic treatment varies due to craniofacial growth differences. Precise timing of orthopedic interventions, guided by skeletal maturity assessment, is crucial for effective treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Craniofacial Growth
- Skeletal Biology
Background:
- Individual responses to orthodontic treatment are significantly influenced by variations in craniofacial growth patterns.
- Limited evidence supports the long-term efficacy of orthopedic appliances in permanently altering the craniofacial skeleton.
- Emerging research suggests specific appliances may be more effective at particular stages of growth, highlighting the importance of treatment timing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the anatomical basis of palatal expansion and its differential effects.
- To introduce a novel method for assessing skeletal maturity using phalangeal measurements.
- To discuss the future of craniofacial growth assessment, emphasizing physiological and clinically feasible measurements.
Main Methods:
- Anatomical review of palatal expansion.
- Development and presentation of a new skeletal maturity assessment method using epiphyseal and diaphyseal widths and phalangeal fusion.
- Comparison with traditional hand/wrist radiography for growth prediction.
Main Results:
- Palatal expansion demonstrates greater magnitude in the anterior palate, both horizontally and vertically.
- The new method provides a more precise determination of an individual's position on the pubertal growth curve.
- This approach facilitates more quantitative diagnosis, treatment planning, and objective outcome assessment.
Conclusions:
- Accurate assessment of skeletal maturity is vital for optimizing orthodontic treatment timing and predicting growth.
- The presented method offers a potentially more valid and replicable approach to physiological growth assessment.
- Future advancements in craniofacial growth assessment should focus on developing clinically feasible, valid, and replicable physiological measurements.