The Effects of the Maxillary Splint Headgear in Comparison with Twin Block Appliance on Early Treatment of Class II Skeletal Malocclusion

Background & Objective:  Class II malocclusion is one of the most common types of malocclusion, and if untreated, can lead to speech and health problems, temporomandibular discomfort, trauma risk to maxillary incisors, and psychological issues. Early treatment with appliances like Maxillary splint headgear (MSH) or Twin block can, therefore, be highly impactful. The present study aimed to compare the effects of MSH and Twin block on cephalometric landmarks to make an informed decision for optimal treatment planning.  Materials & Methods:  The research comprised sixteen patients treated with a maxillary headgear splint and sixteen patients treated with a Twin block, and lateral cephalometric radiographs were evaluated before and after treatment. These two groups were compared due to orthodontic parameters using an independent t-test or Mann-Whitney test. Results:  The results indicate that age and gender had no effect on the final treatment outcome. No significant differences were observed in cephalometric parameters (P>۰.۰۵) except for pre-treatment "ANB" and "Lip Competency at rest," which were higher in the MSH group (P=۰.۰۳۵ and ۰۴۴, respectively). Conclusion:  MSH and Twin block are equally effective in treating Class II malocclusion.