Is alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction an effective protocol in the treatment of Class III malocclusion? A systematic review

ABSTRACT Introduction: the treatment of Class III malocclusion in early age is one of the greatest challenges for orthodontists, and the establishment of more effective treatment method is a constant concern for these professionals. Thus, the objective of this systematic review is to verify the effectiveness of the therapy protocol for alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction (Alt-RAMEC) in the early treatment of Class III malocclusion. Methods: searches were performed in the following electronic databases: Cochrane Library, Medline (EBSCO and PubMed), SciELO, LILACS and Scopus. The following inclusion criteria were used: in vivo studies conducted with early intervention (patient in craniofacial development phase) with the use of the Alt-RAMEC protocol. Reviews, case reports, editorials, and studies with syndromic patients or under use of systemic drug were excluded. Duplicates were also excluded. The studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Cochrane tool for assessment of risk of bias, and classified as high or low risk of bias. Results: 53 articles were found. Duplicates exclusion was thus performed and 35 articles remained. After inclusion analysis, only 5 matched the criteria. Two articles were classified as low risk of bias and three as high risk of bias. It was observed that the Alt-RAMEC enable protraction in less time and with better results, promoting greater effectiveness in the protraction treatment of Class III malocclusion. Conclusions: Although there is positive evidence of the effectiveness of early treatment with the Alt-RAMEC protocol in patients with Class III malocclusion, further studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness using long-term methodology.

resumo Introdução: o tratamento da má oclusão de Classe III em idade precoce é um dos maiores desafios para os ortodontistas, e a descoberta de métodos de tratamento mais efetivos é uma preocupação constante para esses profissionais. Assim, o objetivo da presente revisão sistemática é verificar a eficácia do protocolo de expansão rápida da maxila e constrição alternadas (Alt-RAMEC) no tratamento precoce da má oclusão de Classe III. Métodos: foram realizadas buscas nas bases de dados eletrônicas Cochrane Library, Medline (EBSCO e PubMed), SciELO, LILACS e Scopus, obedecendo aos seguintes critérios de inclusão: estudos in vivo em que foi realizada intervenção precoce (pacientes em fase de desenvolvimento craniofacial) com o uso do protocolo Alt-RAMEC. Foram excluídos, além das duplicatas, os relatos de caso, revisões, editoriais e estudos com pacientes sindrômicos ou sob uso de drogas sistêmicas. Os estudos foram avaliados, quanto à qualidade metodológica, por meio da ferramenta Cochrane para Avaliação de Risco de Viés, e classificados como alto ou baixo risco de viés. Resultados: foram encontrados 53 artigos e, após removidas as duplicatas, restaram 35 artigos, dos quais 8 foram lidos na íntegra, mas apenas 5 se enquadraram nos critérios de inclusão. Desses, apenas 2 foram classificados como tendo baixo risco de viés e 3 como tendo alto risco de viés. Observou-se que o Alt-RAMEC promove a protração em menor tempo e com melhores resultados, assim como possui maior efetividade no tratamento da má oclusão de Classe III. Conclusões: apesar das evidências positivas da efetividade do tratamento precoce de pacientes com má oclusão de Classe III usando o protocolo Alt-RAMEC, ainda são necessários mais estudos em longo prazo para confirmar sua efetividade.

Is alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction an effective protocol in the treatment of Class III malocclusion? A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION:: the treatment of Class III malocclusion in early age is one of the greatest challenges for orthodontists, and the establishment of more effective treatment method is a constant concern for these professionals. Thus, the objective of this systematic review is to verify the effectiveness of the therapy protocol for alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction (Alt-RAMEC) in the early treatment of Class III malocclusion. METHODS:: searches were performed in the following electronic databases: Cochrane Library, Medline (EBSCO and PubMed), SciELO, LILACS and Scopus. The following inclusion criteria were used: in vivo studies conducted with early intervention (patient in craniofacial development phase) with the use of the Alt-RAMEC protocol. Reviews, case reports, editorials, and studies with syndromic patients or under use of systemic drug were excluded. Duplicates were also excluded. The studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Cochrane tool for assessment of risk of bias, and classified as high or low risk of bias. RESULTS:: 53 articles were found. Duplicates exclusion was thus performed and 35 articles remained. After inclusion analysis, only 5 matched the criteria. Two articles were classified as low risk of bias and three as high risk of bias. It was observed that the Alt-RAMEC enable protraction in less time and with better results, promoting greater effectiveness in the protraction treatment of Class III malocclusion. CONCLUSIONS:: Although there is positive evidence of the effectiveness of early treatment with the Alt-RAMEC protocol in patients with Class III malocclusion, further studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness using long-term methodology.