Height and width of orthodontically treated palates in Class II Division 1 patients: a longitudinal study.

Aim: To assess the relationship between palatal height and width on plaster casts from 33 growing individuals with Class II Division 1 relationships who received orthodontic treatment without extraction.

Methods: The palatal contours in the permanent canine and first molar regions were registered with a digital pantograph before treatment (T1), at the end of treatment (T2), and at least 5 years posttreatment (T3).

Results: The anterior palatal height did not change between T1 and T2, but a significant reduction was observed between T2 and T3. In the posterior palatal region, the height increased between T1 and T2 but not thereafter. No significant transverse changes were found in the canine region between T1 and T2. In the posterior region, however, the width increased significantly between T1 and T2.

Conclusion: Palatal morphology in orthodontically treated Class II patients changed from an initially more triangular into a more square shape due to an increase in height and basal width, as well as a decrease in cervical width.