Is Early Treatment With Functional Appliances Worth the Effort? A Discussion of the Pros and Cons of Early Interceptive Treatment

Early treatment of Class II, Div. 1 malocclusion is a much debated approach and some evidenced based studies using a single appliance has concluded that this approach was mostly not worthwhile. This article will discuss the pros and cons of early treatment with functional appliances and present guidelines for early treatment. The role of facial growth and dentoalveolar development, and growth intensity will be discussed as they relate to treatment outcome.