Face maskresearched

Quick facts

Field	Value
ID	OA-0148
Type	functional_appliance
Category	functional_appliance
Fixed/removable	removable (extra-oral)
Primary function	maxillary protraction; Class III correction
Malocclusion target	Class III; maxillary deficiency
See also	Reverse pull headgear Reverse pull headgear

Overview

OA-0148 "Face mask" is an alternate catalog entry for the protraction facemask / reverse pull headgear appliance. Full clinical, technical, fabrication, and business research resides at Reverse pull headgear.

The facemask consists of forehead and chin pads connected by a vertical frame, with Class III elastics (14–16 oz/side, 14–16 hours/day) running from the frame to upper arch hooks. It protracts the maxilla forward in growing patients (best under age 10), correcting Class III malocclusion with maxillary deficiency. Typically combined with a maxillary RPE to loosen circummaxillary sutures before protraction.

Common variants & modifications

• Delaire facemask: wire-frame construction with forehead and chin

pads; original and most widely used design

• Petit facemask (Petit Jr.): simplified rigid bar frame; less

adjustable but more comfortable for some patients

• Hybrid Hyrax + facemask: palatal expander integrated with

facemask hooks for simultaneous expansion + protraction

• Tandem traction bow: intraoral bow + extraoral pad combination;

allows protraction without chin cup

• Alt-RAMEC protocol: alternating rapid expansion + constriction

prior to protraction to loosen midpalatal suture in older patients

Sources

• Facemask Therapy for Class III — AAO
• [Delaire Facemask in Maxillary Protraction —

AJO-DO](https://www.ajodo.org)

• [Reverse Pull Headgear: Evidence and Technique —

EJO](https://academic.oup.com/ejo)

• [Maxillary Protraction in Early Class III — Proffit, Contemporary

Orthodontics 6th ed.](https://www.elsevier.com)

Research log

• 2026-06-09 — cross-referenced to OA-0139 where full research

resides.