Treatment of skeletal class III malocclusion using face mask therapy with alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction (Alt-RAMEC) protocol

• Main Authors: Anand Ramchandra Rathi, N Retna Kumari, Kannan Vadakkepuriyal, Madhu Santhkumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-01-01
• Series: Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry
• Subjects: Alt-RAMEC; maxillary expansion; reverse pull head gear
• Online Access: http://www.jisppd.com/article.asp?issn=0970-4388;year=2015;volume=33;issue=4;spage=341;epage=343;aulast=Rathi

Class III malocclusion is very common malocclusion and can be due to maxillary retrusion, mandibular prognathism, or combination. Ellis and McNamara found a combination of maxillary retrusion and mandibular protrusion to be the most common skeletal relationship (30%). The treatment should be carried out as early as possible for permitting normal growth of the skeletal bases. Reverse pull head gear combined with maxillary expansion can effectively correct skeletal Class III malocclusion due to maxillary deficiency in growing patient. An eight-year-old female patient with chief complaint of prognathic mandible and anterior crossbite was successfully treated in duration of 5 months with facemask and expansion therapy based on Alternate Rapid Maxillary Expansion and Constriction (Alt-RAMEC) protocol.