An evaluation of changes in mandibular anterior alignment from 10 to 20 years postretention

Little, Robert M.; Riedel, Richard A.; Artun, Jon

« Previous Next »American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics
Volume 93, Issue 5 , Pages 423-428, May 1988

An evaluation of changes in mandibular anterior alignment from 10 to 20 years postretention

Robert M. Little, D.D.S. M.S.D. Ph.D.
- Reprint requests to: Dr. Robert M. Little University of Washington School of Dentistry Department of Orthodontics, SM-46 Seattle, WA 98195
- Department of Orthodontics, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash., USA
- University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Professor, Department of Orthodontics, University of Washington
Richard A. Riedel, D.D.S. M.S.D.
- Department of Orthodontics, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash., USA
- University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Professor, Department of Orthodontics, University of Washington.
Jon Artun, D.D.S. M.S.D.
- Department of Orthodontics, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash., USA
- University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Visitng Lecturer, Department of Orthodontics, University of Washington; Clinical Instructor, Department of Orthodontics, University of Oslo.

Abstract

Pretreatment, end of treatment, 10-year postretention, and 20-year postretention records of 31 four premolar extraction cases were assessed to evaluate stability and relapse of mandibular anterior alignment. Crowding continued to increase during the 10- to 20-year postretention phase but to a lesser degree than from the end of retention to 10 years postretention. Only 10% of the cases were judged to have clinically acceptable mandibular alignment at the last stage of diagnostic records. Cases responded in a diverse unpredictable manner with no apparent predictors of future success when considering pretreatment records or the treated results.

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