[Evaluation of the changes occurring in the vertical direction of the face in cases treated with activator + occipital headgear combination].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the vertical skeletal and dentoalveolar changes in the Class II Division 1 cases treated with the activator + occipital headgear combination. The present study was performed on 40 subjects and comprised 20 subjects who had undergone activator + occipital headgear therapy and 20 control subjects who had received no orthodontic treatment. 15 linear and angular measurements were performed on 80 lateral cephalometric films of 40 subjects. By comparing the treatment and control groups, the changes related to growth was eliminated and following results were obtained: SNA and ANB angles were reduced in treatment group (p less than 0.01) and the difference between treatment and control groups were statistically significant (p less than 0.01). Jarabak ratio did not show any change in the treatment group but decreased in the control group (p less than 0.05) and the difference between treatment and control groups was statistically significant (p less than 0.05). The growth of lower anterior alveolar height was inhibited by treatment when compared to control group (p less than 0.01).