Evaluation of the splint-supported Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device in skeletal Class II growing subjects.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the use of the Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device (FFRD), supported with bimaxillary splints, in treatment of skeletal Class II malocclusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 46 skeletal Class II females who received either conventional Forsus alone (FFRD group) (15 patients, 12.54 +/- 0.90 years), FFRD and bimaxillary splints (splint-FFRD group) (15 patients, 12.29 +/- 0.82 years), or were untreated controls (16 subjects, 12.1 +/- 0.9 years) were retrieved from previous clinical trials. FFRD was inserted onto the mandibular archwire in the FFRD group after leveling and alignment with multibracket appliances. In the splint-FFRD group, Forsus was inserted between fixed maxillary and mandibular splints. Treatment continued until reaching an edge-to-edge incisor relationship. RESULTS: Both treatment groups failed to induce significant mandibular skeletal effects compared to the normal growth exhibited by untreated controls. The splint-FFRD group showed significant reduction of SNA (-0.88 degrees +/- 0.51 degrees ) and ANB (-1.36 degrees +/- 0.87 degrees ). The mandibular incisors showed significant proclination in the FFRD (9.17 degrees +/- 2.42 degrees ) and splint-FFRD groups (7.06 degrees +/- 3.34 degrees ). CONCLUSIONS: The newly proposed splint-supported FFRD was equally effective as the conventional FFRD in treatment of Class II malocclusion with dento-alveolar changes and additional maxillary restricting effect. It has an additional advantage of immediate initiation of the Class II correction.