Effects of vertical chincap therapy on the mandibular morphology in open-bite patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the vertical chincap on mandibular morphology and also on the dentoalveolar structures in patients with high-angle open-bite malocclusions. We examined 35 children with high-angle skeletal Class I or II open-bite malocclusions. Eighteen subjects were selected as the treatment group, and 17 were the controls. Vertical chincaps, applying 400 g on each side from beneath the anterior part of the mandibular corpus in an upward direction, were used in the treatment group for 16 hours per day over a mean period of 9 months. We studied 70 lateral cephalograms taken before and after the treatment and the control periods. The changes of 7 linear and 8 angular parameters were evaluated statistically in both groups with paired and Student t tests, respectively. Eruption of the mandibular incisors, decrease of the ramal inclination, decrease of the mandibular plane, and increase of the overbite in the treatment group compared with the control group were found to be statistically significant. Intrusion of the first molars, decrease of the gonial angle, and increase of the mandibular corpus inclination in the treatment group were contrary to the results observed in the control group; these comparisons were also found to be statistically significant. It appears that the vertical chincap is effective in treating skeletal open bite and in decreasing the gonial angle and ramus/corpus relationship.