Do we pay for maxillary protraction? Evaluation of the effects of Alt-RAMEC protocol and face mask treatment on root development

Objectives To evaluate root development of pediatric patients treated with Alt-RAMEC + Face mask therapy. Material and methods The 19 subjects (9 girls, 10 boys; mean age: 8.6 ± 1.1 years) treated with Alt-RAMEC and a Petit-type face mask were included to the study. The cone-beam tomography (CBCT) records of these patients were used to quantify the root length. The root length measurements of 456 permanent teeth (maxillary-mandibular incisors, canines, premolars, and first molars) were performed at the beginning of the treatment (T0), after the Alt-RAMEC protocol (T1), and at the end of the face mask treatment (T2) using Planmeca Romexis software. Results Tooth length values increased significantly in the maxillary teeth except the central incisors, left lateral incisor, the palatal root of the right first molar, and distal and palatinal roots of the left first molar ( p