Clinical Evaluation of Miniscrew Implants-Assisted Mandibular Retraction in Camouflage Treatment for Skeletal Class III Malocclusion

This study evaluated the efficacy of miniscrew implants-assisted mandibular retraction in camouflage treatment for 18 patients with mild to moderate skeletal class III malocclusion who had completed orthodontic treatment. Specifically, the straight-wire technique was harnessed to insert miniscrew implants in the buccal shelf, and lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained before and after treatment and analyzed. The results revealed a statistically significant increase in the A point, Nasion, B point (ANB) angle (1.16 ± 1.03 degrees) and the Occlusal Plane-Mandibular Plane (OP-MP) angle (1.75 ± 1.8 degrees), as well as a mean reduction of (-1.65 ± 1.27 degrees) in the OP-Frankfort horizontal (FH) angle. In addition, L6-MP and L7-MP angles were reduced by an average of -2.17 ± 2.13 mm and -1.62 ± 1.05 mm, respectively. L5-MP, L6-MP, and L7-MP angles exhibited mean decreases of -8.65 ± 3.91 degrees, -12.03 ± 3.64 degrees, and -11.99 ± 7.28 degrees, respectively. The L1-MP angle changed by -5.56 ± 4.63 degrees, and the L1-NB distance was decreased by an average of -1.4 ± 1.14 mm. The mesiobuccal cusps of the mandibular first and second molars (L6A-FHV and L7A-FHV) showed significant distal displacement, as did the mesiobuccal cusp of L6A-FHV relative to the mandible. According to the multiple linear regression analysis, the model had 94.1% explained variance. Both L6A-FHV' and Xi-FHV exerted obvious effects on L6A-FHV. In conclusion, the use of miniscrew implants during the camouflage treatment of skeletal class III malocclusion and mandibular molar distalization and intrusion contributed to the counterclockwise rotation of the occlusal plane in the mandible, which triggered stable and even slight clockwise rotation of the mandible. Furthermore, the magnitude of total mandibular retraction was determined by mandibular molar distalization (the dominant predictor) and mandibular distalization.