OBJECTIVETo analyze effects of non-surgical treatment on subjects of 12-20 years old with severe skeletal Class III deformity and to directly evaluate dental and facial profile changes.

METHODSEighteen patients with severe skeletal Class III malocclusion (male 5, female 13), diagnosed as indication for orthognathic surgery, were included in the study. The average age was 14.6 +/- 2.5 years old., with age range from 12 years old to 20 years old. 12 cases were treated with Tip-Edge straight-wire technique and 6 cases with Begg light wire technique. The average treatment time was 2.5 +/- 0.8 years. The selection criteria included: (1) mesial or superior mesial Class III molar relationship, with maxillary first molar occlude the buccal groove of the mandibular second molars (2) no mandibular shift (3) ANB < -1.5 degrees (4) high angle cases with average value of SN-MP 34.9 degrees +/- 5.9 degrees, 4 cases present with openbite (5) concave facial profile (6) originally classified as surgery cases. Lateral cephalometric films taken at the beginning and the end of the treatment were analyzed with traditional cephalometric analysis. The arithmetic mean (Mean) and standard deviation (SD) were calculated for each variable. Paired t-test was performed to evaluate the significant treatment change.

RESULTSNormal overjet and overbite were established with proclination of upper incisors and retroclination of lower incisors. Inclination of upper incisors was increased 5.9 degrees when measured with the angle of upper incisor to SN plane (P < 0.01). Inclination of lower incisors was decreased 6.6 degrees when measured with the angle of lower incisor to mandibular plane (P < 0.001). Negative value of the distance difference of upper lip and lower lip to Sn-Pg' at the beginning of treatment changed to positive value with significant difference (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSuccessful treatment effects could be obtained with non-surgical therapy in severe skeletal Class III malocclusion in permanent dentition. Remarkable soft-tissue change was noted after the treatment and concave facial profile changed to straight profile.