Treatment effects of the Carriere® Motion 3D™ appliance for the correction of Class II malocclusion in adolescents

Objectives: To determine the treatment effects produced in Class II patients by the Carriere (R) Motion 3D (TM) appliance (CMA) followed by full fixed appliances (FFA). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 34 adolescents at three time points: T1 (pretreatment), T2 (removal of CMA), and T3 (posttreatment). The comparison group comprised 22 untreated Class II subjects analyzed at T1 and T3. Serial cephalograms were traced and digitized, and 12 skeletal and 6 dentoalveolar measures were compared. Results: Phase I with CMA lasted 5.2 +/- 2.8 months; phase II with FFA lasted 13.0 +/- 4.2 months. CMA treatment restricted the forward movement of the maxilla at point A. There was minimal effect on the sagittal position of the chin at pogonion. The Wits appraisal improved toward Class I by 2.1 mm during the CMA phase but not during FFA. Lower anterior facial height increased twice as much in the treatment group as in controls. A clockwise rotation (3.9 degrees) of the functional occlusal plane in the treatment group occurred during phase I; a substantial rebound (-3.6 degrees) occurred during phase II. Overjet and overbite improved during treatment, as did molar relationship; the lower incisors proclined (4.2 degrees). Conclusions: The CMA appliance is an efficient and effective way of correcting Class II malocclusion. The changes were mainly dentoalveolar in nature, but some skeletal changes also occurred, particularly in the sagittal position of the maxilla and in the vertical dimension.