Stability of anterior open bite treated with the crib appliance in mixed dentition: A systematic review

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the stability of dentoalveolar and skeletal anterior open bite (AOB) treatment outcomes achieved using a crib appliance.Methods: An electronic search was performed in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library to identify studies published up to December 2024. The search focused on in vivo studies evaluating the stability of dentoalveolar and skeletal correction of AOB using crib appliances. A total of 451 potentially relevant publications were identified, of which five met the inclusion criteria, comprising one randomized controlled trial and four non-randomized trials. Follow-up periods ranged from 12 months to 5 years.Results: The included studies suggest that crib appliances, often used in combination with other orthodontic devices, may contribute to the favorable correction and stability of AOB treatment during the mixed dentition phase. The studies reported stability rates up to 95%. The fixed palatal crib appliance demonstrated the highest stability and the lowest relapse rate. However, most studies combined cribs with other orthodontic appliances, follow-up durations were variable, and substantial methodological heterogeneity was present among the included investigations, highlighting the need for further well-designed longitudinal studies to confirm these findings.Conclusions: Crib appliances appear to be effective in correcting anterior open bite and maintaining treatment stability.