Effects of removable functional orthodontic apparatus on mandibular condyle bone quality

Aim: This study aims to compare the impact of dynamic functional orthodontic appliances on mandibular condyle bone density in patients with Class I, Class II, and Class III malocclusion during their growth and development phases. Methodology: The histories of patients with three separate malocclusions who received dynamic functional orthodontic appliance treatment were analyzed in this retrospective study. Twenty-eight patients met the inclusion criteria and were divided into four groups: maxillary expansion devices (Group A), twinblock/monoblock devices (Group B), face masks (Group C), and chincups (Group D). The fractal analysis approach was used to determine the mandibular condyle bone density by analyzing panoramic films taken from the patients at the beginning (T0) and end (T1) of treatment. Results: In Groups A and B, the results of the mandibular condyle bone fractal analysis decreased at the end of treatment compared with the pre-treatment results (p < 0.05). In Groups C and D, the post-treatment results were better than the pre-treatment ones (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Among the different malocclusion groups, some dynamic functional orthodontic appliances (maxillary expansion and twinblock/monoblock devices) enabled an increase in bone density in the mandibular condyle, while some (face masks and chincups) decreased the density. It is important to conduct orthodontic treatment by analyzing the results obtained with the use of these appliances.   How to cite this article: Yüzbaşıoğlu Ertuğrul B. Effects of removable functional orthodontic apparatus on mandibular condyle bone quality. Int Dent Res 2021;11(Suppl.1):7-11. https://doi.org/10.5577/intdentres.2021.vol11.suppl1.2   Linguistic Revision: The English in this manuscript has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English.