Cephalometric evaluation of adult anterior open bite non-extraction treatment with Invisalign

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate, by means of cephalometric appraisal, the vertical effects of non-extraction treatment of adult anterior open bite with clear aligners (Invisalign system, Align Technology, Santa Clara, CA, USA). METHODS: Lateral cephalograms of 30 adult patients with anterior open bite treated using Invisalign (22 females, 8 males; mean age at start of treatment: 28 years and 10 months; mean anterior open bite at start of treatment: 1.8 mm) were analyzed. Pre- and post-treatment cephalograms were traced to compare the following vertical measurements: SN to maxillary occlusal plane (SN-MxOP), SN to mandibular occlusal plane (SN-MnOP), mandibular plane to mandibular occlusal plane (MP-MnOP), SN to mandibular plane (SN-MP), SN to palatal plane (SN-PP), SN to gonion-gnathion plane (SN-GoGn), upper 1 tip to palatal plane (U1-PP), lower 1 tip to mandibular plane (L1-MP), mesiobuccal cusp of upper 6 to palatal plane (U6-PP), mesiobuccal cusp of lower 6 to mandibular plane (L6-MP), lower anterior facial height (LAFH), and overbite (OB). Paired t-tests and descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze the data and assess any significant changes resulting from treatment. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found in overall treatment changes for SN-MxOP, SN-MnOP, MP-MnOP, SN-MP, SN-GoGn, L1-MP, L6-MP, LAFH, and OB. CONCLUSIONS: The Invisalign system is a viable therapeutic modality for non-extraction treatment of adult anterior mild open bites. Bite closure was mainly achieved by a combination of counterclockwise rotation of the mandibular plane, lower molar intrusion and lower incisor extrusion.