Pseudo Class III malocclusion has been characterised by an anterior crossbite in the presence of a forward mandibular displacement. The skeletal relationship is usually Class I or mildly Class III. The incidence of pseudo Class III malocclusion in a sample of 7096 Chinese children was estimated to be 2-3%, which is one and a half times that of skeletal Class III malocclusion in the same population. With such a high incidence of pseudo Class III malocclusion, it is difficult to justify the lack of attention given to the timing of treatment of pseudo Class III malocclusion which remains to be controversial. Some clinicians believed that in many patients, it was best to allow the eruption of the permanent teeth before initiating orthodontic treatment. That way, a relatively straight forward manner of treatment within a predictable period of time could be provided for the patients. However, delaying the treatment until the permanent dentition may cause loss of space required for the eruption of the canines. This lack of space could be caused by the retroclination of upper incisors frequently found in pseudo Class III malocclusions. Therefore, a growing number of clinicians believe in the advantages of early intervention.The alternative treatment to this kind of malocclusion include the use of protraction headgear, chincap and Fränkel III, which have been shown to be effective with statistically significant changes in the cranio-facial complex. Besides skeletal changes, the benefits attributed to the early treatment of pseudo Class III malocclusion focus on gaining space for the eruption of canines, improving self-esteem of the growing child and on eliminating traumatic occlusion to the incisors in crossbite.In the current study, we aimed at familiarising the practising clinician with concepts of early diagnosis of pseudo Class III malocclusion and the benefits of early intervention. Specific emphasis was given to treatment planning to ensure maximum benefits in the shortest treatment time. The aims of the present article are to illustrate a simple effective method for the early treatment of pseudo Class III malocclusion in the mixed dentition and to highlight the advantages of early intervention by following up these cases for a period of 4 years.
Early orthodontic intervention for pseudo Class III malocclusion should be initiated to: prevent existing problems from getting worse; and minimise or eliminate the need for comprehensive orthodontic treatment at a latter stage.
The follow-up period (2 - 4 years) showed that the canines and premolars erupted in Class I occlusion. Some minor rotations and midline discrepancies were observed in some of the cases. However, without a doubt, the early interceptive treatment of these cases had either minimised the need for comprehensive treatment or in some other cases, eliminated the need for any further treatment.
The early treatment for a few months resulted in:
Elimination of mandibular displacement thus allowing the permanent dentition to be guided into Class I at the proper mandibular position
Creation of space for the eruption of canines and premolars
Elimination of traumatic occlusion.
The follow-up period (2 - 4 years) showed that the canines and premolars erupted in Class I occlusion. Some minor rotations and midline discrepancies were observed in some of the cases. However, without a doubt, the early interceptive treatment of these cases had either minimised the need for comprehensive treatment or in some other cases, eliminated the need for any further treatment.
The early treatment for a few months resulted in:
Elimination of mandibular displacement thus allowing the permanent dentition to be guided into Class I at the proper mandibular position
Creation of space for the eruption of canines and premolars
Elimination of traumatic occlusion.
