Comparison of complications in the conventional telescopic Herbst rod and tube and Manni telescopic Herbst: A retrospective clinical study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the prevalence of clinical complications between two different telescopic Herbst systems: the conventional telescopic system, with traditional rod and tube (RMS), and the Manni telescopic Herbst appliance (MTH).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety subjects treated with RMS were compared to 89 patients treated with MTH. All of the complications that occurred were reported, and percentages of prevalence were calculated.

RESULTS: MTH showed a significantly lower percentage of reversible complications (that did not require appliance removal) when compared to the reversible complications during RMS treatment (20.2% vs 51.1%). No statistically significant differences were found between RMS and MTH regarding irreversible complications (that required appliance removal and full re-make). All of the irreversible complications occurred after reversible complications in the RMS group, while most of the irreversible complications in the MTH group occurred without any previous reversible complication.

CONCLUSIONS: MTH exhibited a smaller number of clinical complications during Class II skeletal malocclusion therapy.