Profile changes in patients with class III malocclusions after Delaire mask therapy.

The purpose of this study was to make a detailed evaluation of hard and soft tissue changes after Delaire orthopedic mask therapy (France-Orthodontie). The treatment group, which comprised 16 girls (mean age: 8.65 years, SD: 1.4 years) with skeletal Class III relationships caused by maxillary retrognathism, was compared with an untreated control group of 10 girls (mean age: 9.29 years, SD: 1.4 years). The following results were obtained: (1) After maxillary protraction, the maxilla was displaced anteriorly, whereas the mandible rotated posteriorly; (2) the maxillary incisors moved in the anterior direction, whereas the mandibular incisors moved posteriorly; (3) the mandibular plane angle and anterior lower and total face heights increased; (4) these changes were reflected in the profile, whereby the skeletal profile convexity increased and soft tissue facial angle and facial convexity decreased; and (5) the Class III concave profile became more balanced, with the upper lip area becoming more marked.