Mandibular articular disk position changes during Herbst treatment: a prospective longitudinal MRI study.

The aim of this prospective longitudinal study of 15 consecutively treated Class II malocclusions was to assess any possible changes in the relative position of the articular disk to the condyle during different phases of Herbst therapy. Using a disk position index, parasagittal MRIs (central, medial and lateral slices) of the right and left TMJ were analyzed at five occasions: before Herbst treatment (T1), at start of treatment when the appliance was placed (T2), after 6 weeks of treatment (T3), after 13 weeks of treatment (T4), and after 7 months of treatment when the appliance was removed (T5). In all subjects Herbst treatment resulted in Class I or overcorrected Class I dental arch relationships. Condyle position was on average unchanged during Herbst treatment (T1 to T5). Before treatment (T1) the articular disk was in a slight protrusive position relative to the condyle. At start of treatment (T2) the mandible was advanced to an incisal edge to edge position. Because of the physiologic relative movement of disk and condyle on mandibular protrusion the disk attained a pronounced retrusive position. At the end of treatment (T5), the disk had almost returned to its original pretreatment position. In several cases, however, a slight retrusive disk position prevailed. In conclusion, Herbst treatment did not result in any adverse changes in articular disk position. On the contrary, the Herbst appliance could possibly be useful in the therapy of patients with anterior disk displacement.