OBJECTIVEThis study aims to analyze the long-term stability of the anterior teeth and hard tissue of skeletal class III malocclusion after a three-year orthodontic surgery by systematic review.

METHODSAll studies about skeletal class III malocclusion with orthodontic-surgery were searched by computer-based retrieval and manual retrieval; the deadline is December 2013. The literature, filtered according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria, was performed with quality. assessment. The same indicators of the anterior location and hard tissue stability were combined and evaluated with metaanalysis and descriptive analysis by Rev Man5.2.

RESULTSFour before-and-after comparison study articles with 180 cases were included. The grades of the four literature evaluation were A. The meta-analysis results showed that comparing the three-year post-orthodontic-surgery and post-orthodontic-surgery, the total weighted mean difference (WMD) of Ul-SN was 4.29 (P<0.05); the WMD of Ll-MP, OB, OJ, SNA, SNB, ANB, and MP-SN were -1.58, 0, -0.41, -0.58, 0.25, -0.70, and 0.39, respectively (P>0.05). The measurement methods of A and B point position were different, hence the qualitative description were as follows: point A remained at a relatively stable position, and point B had some replacement compared with post-operative (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONTo the skeletal class III malocclusion after three-year orthodontic-surgery, the position of the lower anterior teeth could be kept stable, as well as the overbite and the overjet of the anterior teeth; only the upper inci- sor has a lip-inclined relapse. The maxillary could also be kept stable, and the mandibular had a little relapse.