Functional-orthopaedic therapy of Class II malocclusion: diagnostic tools and evaluation of treatment outcomes

The aim of this PhD project was to study the diagnostic tools and the treatment outcomes of class II malocclusion functional-orthopaedic treatment. The thesis is composed of five studies. The aim of the first study (chapter 1) was to summarise the current evidence on class II malocclusion orthopaedic treatment, performing an overview of the systematic reviews on this topic. In chapter 2, it is reported a research on the reproducibility of the Fränkel manoeuvre, that is a procedure by which the mandible of Class II individuals is postured forward in dental Class I relationship. The evaluation of the resulting facial profile provides information concerning the components determining the sagittal discrepancy. The third study aimed to evaluate the influence of the sagittal jaw relationship, in Class I and Class II individuals, on the perception of facial attractiveness by people with different background. In chapter 4 and 5 two researches focused on the outcomes of class II patients treated by means of a Sander II appliance are reported.