RESUMO
A new appliance is described that mimics in function the protrusive jaw-positioning devices used previously in monkeys. The appliance consists of maxillary and mandibular posterior biteplates separated by a sharp vertical interface perpendicular to the occlusal plane. Function of the appliance was evaluated in 35 consecutively treated patients and compared against matched controls. The patients, who ranged in age from 9 to 14 years, accepted the appliance readily and wore it 24 hours each day, even while eating. Although cephalometrics was the primary assessment tool, tomograms and/or transcranial x-ray films and models were also obtained. The rate of mandibular length increase, measured from articulare, was comparable to or better than that found in monkeys using similar devices. The dentoalveolar effects were also similar to those found in monkeys, including anterior migration of the mandibular dentition and posterior movement of the maxillary dentition. The mandibular molars moved forward 4.8 mm of which 73% was determined to have come from increased anterior movement of the mandible. Subtracting normal growth, the net mandibular length increase was 2.2 mm during the 9.4-month average treatment interval.
