Treatment of class III malocclusion with MEAW technique

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the sagittal skeletal and dental changes contributing to Class III correction in patients treated with the fixed appliances, using Multiloop Edgewise Arch Wire (MEAW) technique.Methods: The sample consisted of eleven patients with Class III malocclusion. The average ANB is -0.7 Degree. Five of them were crowded malocclusion, while the others were just crossbite with leveling arches. Cephalometric films in centric occlusion from before and after fixed appliance were analyzed. During the treatment of each patient, MEAW technique was used. An analysis of sagittal skeletal and dental changes was performed according to the method of West China University of Medicine Science.Results: As a result of the fixed appliance, all the seven patients attained a Class I or absolute Class III (with the extraction of two lower premolars) occlusal relationship. From the cephalometric films, dental correction is much more proved than the skeletal correction. Overbite and overjet were much improved during the course. Conclusions: MEAW technique was not only effective to openbite malocclusions, but also useful to those patients with Class III malocclusions. But how to bend the wire should be specialized. The length and the angle of every loop was critical, thus the result would be more reliable.