RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate morphometric characteristics of alveolar bone around the incisors of high-angle skeletal class III patients receiving surgical orthodontic treatment. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Thirty high-angle skeletal class III patients (mean age, 20.94 ± 3.25 years) underwent cone-beam computed tomography before treatment (T0), after pre-surgical orthodontic treatment (T1) and after treatment (T2). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The vertical bone level (VBL), alveolar bone thickness (ABT), alveolar bone area (ABA) and position of upper and lower central incisors (UCIs and LCIs) were evaluated. The ABT included five levels (4, 6, 8 mm from the cemento-enamel junction, midroot and root apex level). One-way repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni's multiple-comparison test and matched t test was performed to compare variables. RESULTS: Before treatment, the average labial ABT was approximately 1 mm in UCIs and 0.38 ~ 0.79 mm in LCIs, and the VBL of the LCIs was over 2 mm. After treatment, the VBL increased by 2.19 ± 1.96 mm (P < .001) on the lingual side of UCIs and 2.78 ± 2.29 mm and 3.09 ± 2.52 mm on the labial and lingual sides of LCIs, respectively (all P < .001). ABT at every level decreased significantly, decreasing by 1.66 ± 1.93 mm at the 8 mm level of UCIs and 1.06 ± 1.01 mm at the apex of LCIs (P < .001). The lingual ABA of UCIs and LCIs decreased by over 50% (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In high-angle skeletal class III patients, the condition of alveolar bone around UCIs and LCIs was extremely poor before treatment. Further alveolar bone resorption occurred during surgical orthodontic treatment. More attention should be paid to the movement of anterior teeth in cases of severe alveolar bone loss.