The Effects of Maxillary Protraction with or without Rapid Maxillary Expansion and Age Factors in Treating Class III Malocclusion: A Meta-Analysis

We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of 12 studies to examine whether maxillary protraction face mask associated with rapid maxillary expansion (FM/RME) could be an effective treatment for Class III malocclusion and to evaluate the effect of timing on treatment response. Patients with a maxillary deficiency who were treated with FM with or without RME were compared with those who had an untreated Class III malocclusion. In both treatment groups, forward displacement of the maxilla and skeletal changes were found to be statistically significant. In addition, posterior rotation of the mandible and increased facial height were more evident in the FM group compared with the control group. However, no significant differences were observed between the early treatment groups and late treatment groups. The results indicated that both FM/RME and FM therapy produced favorable skeletal changes for correcting anterior crossbite, and the curative time was not affected by the presence of deciduous teeth, early mixed dentition or late mixed dentition in the patient.本研究针对12项相关研究开展了全面的荟萃分析，旨在评估联合快速上颌扩弓（rapid maxillary expansion, RME）的上颌前牵面罩（maxillary protraction face mask, FM）疗法（FM/RME）对安氏III类错𬌗（Class III malocclusion）的治疗有效性，并探讨治疗时机对治疗应答的影响。研究将接受伴或不伴RME的FM治疗的上颌发育不足患者，与未接受治疗的安氏III类错𬌗患者进行对照。结果显示，两个治疗组均出现了具有统计学意义的上颌向前移位及骨骼改变；相较于对照组，FM组患者的下颌后旋转与面高升高表现更为显著。但早期治疗组与晚期治疗组之间未观察到显著差异。综上，FM/RME与单纯FM治疗均可产生利于矫正前牙反𬌗（anterior crossbite）的骨骼改变，且患者的治疗时长不受乳牙列、替牙早期或替牙晚期阶段的影响。