Treatment of Maxillary Retrusion-Face Mask with or without RPE?

Abstract

Background/Aim: Maxillary transverse deficiency often combines with retruded maxillary skeletal position causing a skeletal class III malocclusion. In these cases combination of rapid palatal expander and a facial mask to protract the maxilla is a very effective treatment protocol. When the maxilla is not deficient is it necessary to use palatal expansion before protracting? Should we use this combination because it has been proved to be effective? The aim of this paper is to show that maxillary protraction is also effective when applied without expanding the maxilla although there are some statistically significant changes.

Keywords

• maxillary retrusion
• face mask
• rapid palatal expansion