Dentoskeletal effects induced by rapid molar distalization with the first class appliance

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment effects of the first class appliance (FCA; Leone, Firenze, Italy), a new intraoral device for unilateral or bilateral rapid molar distalizaton. A retrospective study was conducted to compare the predistalization and postdistalization cephalograms of 17 patients (10 male, 7 female) with Class II malocclusions treated with the FCA. Mean age at the start of treatment was 13 years 4 months. The FCA produced rapid molar distalization, and the bilateral Class II molar relationship was corrected in 2.4 months, on average. Maxillary molar distalization contributed to 70% of the space created anterior to the first molars; 30% of the space was due to reciprocal anchorage loss of the maxillary second premolars. The maxillary first molars showed a significant distalization of 4.0 mm, associated with a significant distal axial incline of 4.6° and a significant extrusion of 1.2 mm. As for anchorage loss, the second premolars exhibited a significant mesial movement of 1.7 mm, associated with a significant mesial axial incline of 2.2° and a nonsignificant extrusion of 1.0 mm. In the anterior region, a significant mesial movement of the maxillary incisor of 1.3 mm was associated with a significant incisor proclination (2.6°) and a significant increase in overjet (1.2 mm). No significant changes in either sagittal or vertical skeletal relationships were observed. The results suggest that the FCA is an efficient and reliable device for distalizing the maxillary permanent first molars.