Facial profile attractiveness of patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion treated with maxillary protraction anchored in miniscrews

• Grant number: 23/13503-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Orthodontics
• Principal Investigator: Felicia Miranda
• Grantee: Julia Bianconcine Beijo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to compare changes in the attractiveness of the facial profile and smile of patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion treated with maxillary protraction anchored in miniscrews using hybrid expanders and conventional Hyrax expanders. Materials and Methods: Two treatment groups will be analyzed. The HH group consisted of 18 individuals (8 female, 10 male; mean initial age of 10.80 years) with Class III malocclusion treated with a hybrid expander with two miniscrews in the maxilla and two miniscrews in the anterior region of the mandible. Class III elastics were used connecting the maxillary first molars and mandibular miniscrews until correction of the anterior crossbite or a maximum period of 12 months of treatment. The CH group consisted of 14 individuals (6 female, 8 male; mean initial age of 11.44 years) treated with a similar protocol, except for the use of a conventional hyrax expander in the maxilla. Frontal and lateral facial photographs taken before (T1) and after (T2) maxillary protraction therapy will be randomly analyzed by laypeople and orthodontists. The evaluators will analyze the front and profile photo, assigning scores from 1 (very unpleasant) to 5 (very pleasant) for each patient. In addition to the evaluation, the evaluators will indicate the facial structures that are most and least pleasing on each face. Following the same methodology, frontal photographs of patients smiling before and after therapy will also be analyzed by laypeople and orthodontists. The Mann-Whitney test will be used for intergroup and inter-evaluator comparisons. The results will be considered at a significance level of 5%.