Treatment Timing and Profile Cephalometrics Comparison: Early vs. Deferred Treatment

Objective: To measure facial profile and phase II treatment time differences for patients who received early mixed dentition treatment and patients who presented early but for whom treatment was deferred until the permanent dentition. Methods: A random sample of patients aged 7.5 to 9.5 years at the first visit (n= 69) was drawn retrospectively from an experienced orthodontist's practice. 43 patients (Group1) received early treatment, starting age (T1) = 8.6±1.83 years (mean±SD). 26 patients (Group2) received deferred treatment. Lateral cephalometric measurements were compared between Groups by t-test at the start (T3) and the end (T4) of definitive full-bonded treatment.   Results: At T3, ANB and Convexity Angle were smaller in the early treatment group than the deferred group(P=0.0002). No significant differences were found for SNPog at T3 or for any of the three cephalometric measures at T4 (See Table). At T3, the deferred group was significantly younger than the early treatment group (Group1=12.8±1.0 years; Group2=11.3±1.3 years; mean difference = 1.5 years, P<0.0001).

Conclusion: Deferred treatment patients started treatment younger than the early treatment patients started Phase II treatment. Similar end-of-treatment profile cephalometric values were seen in both treatment groups.