Pattern of lip retraction according to the presence of lip incompetence in patients with Class II malocclusion

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to compare changes in hard tissue and soft tissue after the four first premolars were extracted with anterior teeth retraction according to the presence or absence of lip incompetence. METHODS: Patients who underwent the four first premolars were extracted with anterior teeth retraction were divided into competent (n = 20) and incompetent lip (n = 20) groups. Cephalometric measurements for hard tissue and soft tissue changes were performed pre-treatment and post-treatment. RESULTS: In the competent group, the upper and lower lips retreated by 2.88 mm and 4.28 mm, respectively, and in the incompetent group by 4.13 mm and 5.57 mm, respectively; the differences between the two groups were significant (p < 0.05). A strong positive correlation between retraction of the upper lip and upper incisors was observed in both groups (p < 0.05), whereas a correlation between retraction of the lower lip and lower incisors was only found in the incompetent group. A simple linear regression analysis showed that the pattern of lip retraction following the retraction of the anterior teeth was more predictable in the incompetent group than in the competent group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the initial evaluation of lip incompetence in patients with skeletal Class II is essential for the accurate prediction of the soft tissue changes following retraction of the anterior teeth in premolar extraction treatment. Therefore, sufficient explanation should be provided during patient consultations.