The short-term effects of face mask and fixed tongue appliance on maxillary deficiency in growing patients--a randomized clinical trial.

Background: The purpose of this single blind, prospective, parallel randomized trial study was to compare the effects of face mask and fixed tongue appliance in treatment of Class III malocclusion with maxillary deficiency in growing patients.

Methods: 88 patients with maxillary deficiency were selected. 60 fulfilled the study requirements. The patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups by computer generated tables. One group was treated with removable face mask and the other group was treated by fixed tongue appliance. 4 of the patients dropped out of study leaving a final number of 56 patients. Thus, the face mask group included 30 patients (13 males, 17 females) with the mean age of 8.5 (SD 1.4) years and the fixed tongue appliance group included 26 patients (13 males, 13 females) with the mean age of 8.9 (SD 1.7) years. The patients Lateral cephalograms obtained at the beginning and end of the study were analyzed.

Results: Paired t-tests showed that SNA increased by 1.3° (SD 1.1°) in face mask group (P<0.001) and it increased by 1.8° (SD 0.9°) in fixed tongue appliance group (P<0.001). T-test showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups except for SNB. IMPA decreased significantly in both groups.

Conclusions: Both treatment modalities were successful in moving the maxilla forward and improving the profile of the patients; however, the bulky size of face masks might reduce patients' compliance and make them less favorite choice of treatment.