Influence of Class II Elastics on Centric Relation and Centric Occlusion Discrepancy after Orthodontic Treatment

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to verify the influence of the use of Class II intermaxillary elastics on centric relation (CR) to centric occlusion (CO) occlusal discrepancy. A total of 30 patients had been at the contention stage for at least three months were divided in two groups: G1 - 15 had been submitted to intramaxillary orthodontic mechanics only, and G2 - 15 had used Class II intermaxillary elastics. Distances of horizontal and vertical overlap and the distance or coincidence of the mandibular dental midline in relation to the maxillary midline were measured in CR and CO positions. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney test. No statistically significant differences (P>0.05) were found between G1 and G2. Both in the horizontal and vertical directions, these discrepancies were smaller than or equal to 1mm in 96.66 % of the patients. In the transverse plane, there was no discrepancy in 63.33 % of the patients, and in 33.33 % these discrepancies were equal to 0.5 mm. The use of Class II elastic didn't be capable of increasing the occlusal discrepancies between CR and CO.