Functional orthodontics after arthroscopic disk repositioning in adolescent anterior disk displacement with mandibular retrusion.

OBJECTIVE Condylar remodeling is crucial in retrognathic adolescents with anterior disk displacement without reduction (ADDwoR). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of functional orthodontics after arthroscopic disk repositioning surgery in improving condylar remodeling. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the condylar remodeling in patients with retrognathic unilateral ADDwoR who received arthroscopic disk repositioning surgery from March 2013 to December 2017. The primary predictor variable was functional orthodontics, based on which patients were divided into group A and group B. The outcome variables were condylar remodeling on both the affected side and the unaffected side measured by using the 3-circle method. The independent-sample t test was performed to test the difference between the 2 groups. A P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS In total, 117 patients (28 males and 109 females) were included in our study, with 75 cases in group A (follow-up: 7.48 months) and 62 cases in group B (follow-up: 7.95 months). Group A showed better condylar remodeling on the affected side compared with group B, but there was no significant difference on the unaffected side. CONCLUSIONS Functional orthodontics after arthroscopic disk positioning leads to improved condylar remodeling in patients under 17 years of age with ADDwoR and mandibular retrusion.