A comparative assessment of orthodontic treatment outcomes of mild skeletal Class III malocclusion between facemask and facemask in combination with a miniscrew for anchorage in growing patients: A single-center, prospective randomized controlled trial

Objectives: To investigate the hypothesis that there is difference in the treatment outcomes of milder skeletal Class III malocclusion between facemask and facemask in combination with a miniscrew in growing patients. Materials and Methods: Patients were randomly divided into two groups. In one group, the patients were treated with facemask therapy (FM group: 12 males, eight females, average age: 10 years, 5 months 6 1 year, 8 months). In the other group, patients were treated with facemask therapy along with a miniscrew (FMþMS group: 12 males, seven females, average age: 11 years, 1 month 6 1 year, 3 months). A lingual arch with hooks was fixed to the maxillary arch in both groups and a protractive force of 500 g was applied from the facemask to the hooks. The patients were instructed to use the facemask for 12 hours per day. In the FMþMS group, a miniscrew was inserted into the palate and fixed to the lingual arch. Results: Mobility and loosening of the miniscrew were not observed during treatment. Lateral cephalometric analysis showed that SNA, SN-ANS, and ANB values were significantly increased in the FMþMS group compared with those for the FM group (SNA, 1.18 SN-ANS, 1.38 ANB, 0.88). Increase in proclination of maxillary incisors was significantly greater in the FM group than in the FMþMS group (U1-SN, 5.08). Conclusions: During treatment of milder skeletal Class III malocclusion, facemask therapy along with a miniscrew exhibits fewer negative side effects and delivers orthopedic forces more efficiently to the maxillary complex than facemask therapy alone.