The long-term health of the periodontal tissues and status of TMJ function and functional occlusion was evaluated in 96 orthodontically treated subjects at least 10 to 35 years after treatment and compared to a similar group of 103 adults with untreated malocclusions. The findings indicated no statistically significant difference in over-all periodontal disease between the two groups. However, the orthodontically treated group did show evidence of a greater percentage of teeth with mild-to-moderate periodontal disease. There were also more subjects in the orthodontically treated group with more than 40% of the teeth in their mouths having periodontal disease. Both groups showed minimal evidence of severe periodontal disease realizing that they were from a high socio-economic level and had a high level of dental awareness and good oral hygiene. A greater prevalence of periodontal disease was also apparent in orthodontic subjects treated with extraction therapy as compared to those treated with a non-extraction approach. There was no difference in the prevalence of signs/symptoms of TMJ dysfunction in the two groups. A similar high prevalence of nonfunctional occlusal contacts occurred in both groups. A high prevalence of a mandibular shift from the retruded contact to the intercuspal position was evident in both groups, with a greater amount of shift present in the control group. Significant bibliography and literature survey performed.
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