Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of the investigation was to evaluate if the inclination of the lower anterior teeth can be controlled reliably after lower premolar extraction for Class III camouflage treatment with completely customized lingual appliances (CCLAs). Treatment outcome was tested against the null hypothesis that lower premolar extractions for non-surgical camouflage treatment of a Class III malocclusion will lead to further compensation by retroclining mandibular incisors during CCLA treatment. METHODS: This retrospective study included 25 patients (f/m 12/13; mean age 20.7 years, SD 9.5 years) with uni- or bilateral Class III molar relationship and a Wits value of ≤ -2 mm. In all consecutively debonded patients, lower premolars were extracted to correct the sagittal relationship with a non-surgical camouflage approach. Lateral head films prior to (T1) and at the end of lingual orthodontic treatment (T2) were used to evaluate skeletal and dentoalveolar effects. A paired t-test with alpha = 5% was used to define differences between the endpoints. The linear correlation between the inclination of the mandibular incisors at T1 and the achieved correction was measured with the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC). A Schuirmann's TOST equivalence test was used to check if the final lower incisor inclination was within the defined norms. RESULTS: The null hypothesis was rejected as the mean lower incisor inclination was improved by 1.8° despite lower premolar extractions (T1: 86.8°/ T2: 88.6°). There was a strong correlation (-0.75) between the lower incisor inclination at T1 and the achieved correction indicating a controlled correction towards the norm regardless of the initial incisor position. At T2, the interincisal angle as well as the lower incisor inclination were within the norm. CONCLUSION: Lower premolar extractions for non-surgical camouflage treatment of a Class III malocclusion will not lead to undesired retroclining of mandibular incisors during CCLA treatment even in severe cases.