The European Journal of Orthodontics Advance Access originally published online on February 22, 2006
The European Journal of Orthodontics 2006 28(3):262-268; doi:10.1093/ejo/cji111
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Post-treatment development of the curve of Spee
Department of Orthodontics, Academic Centre for Dentistry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Address for correspondence Andrej Zentner, Department of Orthodontics, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Louwesweg 1, 1066 EA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: AZentner{at}acta.nl
The aim of this study was to investigate the post-treatment development of the curve of Spee (CS) and to predict its post-treatment stability on the basis of cephalometric parameters. Lateral cephalograms and study models of 135 subjects (50 males and 85 females) were taken before orthodontic treatment (T1; 12.0 ± 1.5 years), at the end of orthodontic treatment (T2; 14.6 ± 1.5 years), and at least 3 years out of retention (T3; 26.6 ± 5.0 years); the curve depth (CD), location of the deepest point (LDP) of the curve, and eight cephalometric parameters were assessed. The sample was divided into a treated and an untreated lower arch group. The upper arch was treated in all patients. The sample consisted of 25 per cent Class I, 73 per cent Class II, and 2 per cent Class-III-treated malocclusions.
The results showed that the post-treatment CD was frequently unstable and unexpected changes were relatively common. The LDP was displaced distally during T1T2 and showed mesial relocation during T2T3. Assessment of potential predictors of the post-treatment changes in CD and LDP using stepwise regression analysis showed that a deep curve at T2 was associated with a decrease of the CD during T2T3. A combination of distal location of the LDP with proclination of the lower incisors at T2 and extraction treatment was associated with mesial relocation of the LDP during T2T3. The results also suggest that an optimal CD of about 2.0 mm at T2 was associated with the least amount of post-treatment change.