Mandibular morphometric analysis in open bite early treatment relapse subjects: a retrospective observational pilot study

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the mandibular shape differences between a group of success and a group of failure Anterior Open Bite (AOB) malocclusion early orthodontic treatment in growing subjects, in order to identify mandibular features of relapse. METHODS: Twenty three patients (7 males, 16 females, 9.3 years ±1,5 years) were enrolled from the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Inclusion criteria were: white ancestry, overbite < 0 mm, mixed dentition phase, end-to-end or Class I molar relationship, first skeletal class assessed on lateral cephalograms (0° < ANB < 4°), cervical skeletal maturation CS1-CS2, no previous orthodontic treatment, no congenital diseases. Pre-treatment (T1) lateral cephalograms were acquired. Each patient underwent early orthodontic treatment with Rapid Maxillary Expander (RME) and Bite Block (BB) or Quad-Helix Crib (QHC) until open bite correction. Radiographic records were recollected at T2 (permanent dentition, skeletal cervical maturation CS3-CS4). Mean interval time T2-T1 was 4.2 years ±6 months. According to treatment stability, a Relapse Group (RG 11 patients, 3 M, 8F; 13.7 years ±8 months, 7 subjects treated with RME/BB, 4 with QH/C) and a Success Group (SG, 12 patients, 4 M, 8F; 13.4 ± 10 months, 7 subjects treated with QH/C, 5 with RME/BB) were identified. On the lateral radiographs the mandibular length (Co-Gn), the inferior gonial angle (NGo^GoMe) and the antegonial notch depth (AND) were analyzed. Then the mandibular Geometric Morphometric analysis (GMM) was applied. Intergroup statistically significant differences were found using student’s t-tests. Procrustes analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed for the GMM. RESULTS: At T1 no statistically significant differences were found between RG and SG, however higher values of antegonial notch depth were found in RG. T2-T1 comparison showed in RG statistically significant increases in Co-Gn (p = 0.04), NGo^GoMe angle (p = 0.01) and antegonial notch depth (p = 0,04). PC1 confirmed the increase in the antegonial notch depth in RG when compared to SG at T2. CONCLUSIONS: The increased antegonial notch depth associated with the increased mandibular length and the increased gonial angle could be responsible of relapse of early orthodontic treatment in open bite growing subjects. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12903-022-02546-y.