Digital analysis of the occlusal changes and palatal morphology using elastodontic devices. A prospective clinical study including Class II subjects in mixed dentition

Aim The aim of the present prospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of elastodontic appliance (EAs) in the treatment of subjects presenting Class II sagittal discrepancy in mixed dentition, and to evaluate palatal morphological development during treatment. Materials and methods The study group, composed of 19 subjects, received treatment with EA for 1 year. The control group consisted of 17 untreated subjects. Inclusion criteria: age between 6 and 11 years, mixed deciduous dentition and skeletal and/or dental Class II malocclusion. Exclusion criteria: previous orthodontic therapy, systemic diseases and signs of temporal dysfunction. Skeletal and dentoalveolar parameters were compared between T0 and T1. A 3D imaging technology was used to compare palatal morphology obtained from intraoral digital scans between T0 (pre-treatment) and T1 (posttreatment). Results A significant reduction of the overjet and improvement of the overbite were registered in the study group (p < 0.05); instead, a slight increment of the overjet and overbite was detected at T1 in the control group, however without statistical significance (p > 0.05). The number of subjects presenting anterior crowding decreased at T1 in both arches (p < 0.05), while in the control group there was a small increase of subjects presenting anterior crowding in both arches (p > 0.05). In the study group, no significant differences were found between the SNA^ values detected at T0 and T1 (p > 0.05); instead, a significant increment was found for SNB^, ANB^, and IIA^ values (p < 0.05). The 3D deviation analysis showed in both group a pre-treatment palatal asymmetry which partially recovered at T1 in the study group, compared to controls. Conclusion EAs can successfully mitigate early signs of malocclusion in Class II subjects as well as contribute to the harmonious development of the palate.