Abstract
The purpose of this study was to re-examine the scientific adjustability in chincap therapy based on the actual status of patients using chincap and the skeletal profile change occurring and after chincap therapy. The subjects consisted of 51 patients all of whom possessed an anterior cross-bite (anterior reversed cross-bite). The applied total force with the chincap was 400 g-600 g and the mean treatment period was 30 months. The anterior cross-bite improved after the treatment with chincap therapy and other appliances such as the lingual arch for the changing of tooth inclination. It is suggested that the improvement of anterior cross-bite was related to the change of the mandibular position. This being on effect of the chincap. Although SNB significantly decreased and ANB significantly increased during the chincap therapy, GoPog did not however change significantly. Moreover, SNB was larger than the control and ANB was smaller than the control at the each stage of the therapy, at beginning of the therapy, the end and after one year of the end. As for the qualitative change of the skeletal profile from the biginning of therapy to after the one year of the end, SNB, ANB, U 1-SN, L 1-MP, gonial angle, and facial angle tended to return to the original profile of the patients. Inconclusion, mandibular growth suppression which was the reason for apply the chincap therapy, was not shown in the actual effects in skeletal profile. The mandibular position improved during and after chincap therapy, but mandibular growth suppression did not appear with chincap therapy. It is suggested that the skeletal profile changes during the chincap therapy were often not maintained thereafter.
