Pharyngeal airway, hyoid bone, and soft palate changes after Class II treatment with Twin-block and Forsus appliances during the postpeak growth period

Introduction: This study aimed to compare cephalometrically the pharyngeal airway, hyoid bone, and soft palate (SP) changes after Class II malocclusion treatments using Twin-block (TWB) and Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device (FFRD) (3M Unitek Corp, 3M Dental Products, Monrovia, Calif) during the postpeak growth period. Methods: Forty-two patients with Class II malocclusion treated during the postpeak growth period were randomly and retrospectively included in this study. These patients were divided into 2 treatment groups: TWB and FFRD. The skeletal, dental, pharyngeal airway, hyoid bone position, and SP measurements were obtained from the lateral cephalometric radiographs taken at the beginning and at the end of the treatment. Paired samples and independent-samples t tests were used for the intragroup and intergroup comparisons, respectively. Results: In the TWB group, the SNB (degrees), Md1-NB (mm), Md1-NB (degrees), and McNamara upper and lower pharyngeal airway dimensions significantly increased, whereas the ANB (degrees), AD1-Ba (mm), AD2-H (mm), adenoidal nasopharyngeal area, and SP angle decreased (P < 0.05). In the FFRD group, the SNB (degrees), Md1-NB (mm), Md1-NB (degrees), Ptm-Ba (mm), and McNamara upper airway dimensions significantly increased, whereas the ANB (degrees), AD2-H (mm), and interincisor angle decreased (P < 0.05). Moreover, there were statistically significant differences in the Md1-NB angles and SP thicknesses between the 2 groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The effects of TWB and FFRD treatment on the airway during the postpeak growth period were similar. However, the FFRD caused a greater mandibular incisor protrusion.