Orthodontic treatment of anterior open-bite malocclusion: stability 10 years postretention

Introduction: The postretention stability of open-bite treatment is a controversial topic in orthodontics.

Methods: In this study, the lateral cephalometric radiographs of 64 patients treated with orthodontics alone were evaluated to determine the amount of postretention change. The mean postretention interval was 14 years. The sample was divided into 3 groups based on the amounts of pretreatment overbite: (1) the contact group (n = 24), incisal overlap and incisal contact; (2) the overlap group (n = 25), incisal overlap and no incisal contact; and (3) the open-bite group (n = 15), no incisal overlap. The headfilms were digitized, and the values were analyzed.

Results: The 3 groups reacted differently. During the postretention period, mean overbite deepened in all groups, with the contact group deepening significantly more than the open-bite group. Overjet increased significantly more in the open-bite group than in the contact group. Pretreatment overjet correlated mildly with postretention overjet relapse in the open-bite group.

Conclusions: All 64 subjects had positive incisal overlap at the postretention recall.