Abstract :
Aim : the aim of this comparative randomized clinical trail was to study the effect of Modified
Bluegrass "Non-Punitive therapy" on tongue thrust and dentoalvolar structure and to compare it
with Conventional Lingual Spurs "Punitive therapy" for an early correction of anterior open bite
in mixed and early permanent dentition.
Material and Methods: The sample consisted of 20 subjects recruited at Ain Shams university
,orthodontic clinic Ain Shams University. Randomly allocated into 2 groups, with anterior open
bite and Class I malocclusion , 5 out of the 20 subjects were excluded due to not completing
follow up process Group 1 comprised 7 patients treated with Conventional lingual spurs with a
mean initial age of 11.14 years (SD, ±1.86). Group 2 consisted of 8 patients treated with
Modified Bluegrass appliance, with a mean age of 10.38 years (SD, ±2.45).
Results:. Baseline demographic and cephalometric characteristics were similar between groups.
After 1 year months, There were significantly greater overbite improvement in both groups,
slightly more in G1(3.2±2.69) than in the G2,( 2.2±1.32),with no statistical
Conclusions: Both appliances resulted in an improvement of overbite and tongue position during
an early open-bite correction , with similar dentoskeletal changes were observed in both groups
after I year of treatment. However ,the C.L.S group showed significant reduction in Mandibular
plane angle than the M.B.G group .