Analysis of soft tissues after combined rapid maxillary expansion and maxillary protraction therapy in skeletal class III patients of different ages

Objective To analyse and compare the changes of soft tissue after RME and maxillary protraction therapy in skeletal class Ⅲ patients of three age groups.Methods We selected 75 patients with skeletal classⅢ malocclusion,and divided them into 3 groups.These cases were treated consecutively with RME and maxillarty protraction.Lateral cephalometric radiographs were used to quantify the soft tissue changes before and after treatment.Results The obvious differences of the soft tissue were observed after RME and maxillary protraction therapy in the three age groups.The changes of upper lip in 3-7 age group were the most significant after treatment,while those of lower lip in 11-15 age group were the most significant.Conclusion Results can be obvionsly affected by ages after RME and maxillary protraction therapy.