The aim of this study is to identify the diagnostic criteria for pseudo-Class III malocclusion and compare it with Class I malocclusion in the southern Chinese population. Sixty-seven patients (mean age, 10.9 +/- 1.8 years) were included in this study; 36 patients represented pseudo-Class III malocclusion. Selection criteria included the following: (1) anterior crossbite (at least 2 incisors with negative overjet and overbite); (2) mandibular displacement; (3) all patients were southern Chinese who had been followed after the growth spurt, none had developed a skeletal Class III malocclusion; (4) the patients were treated for an average of 7 months to procline upper incisors and retrocline lower incisors. None of the cases received any treatment that might affect skeletal growth. Thirty-one patients with Class I malocclusion were included in the Class I malocclusion group for the comparison of dentoskeletal characteristics with the pseudo-Class III malocclusion group. Selection criteria included the following: (1) skeletal Class I malocclusion with normal overjet and overbite, (2) mild to moderate crowding with Class I molar relationship, (3) straight facial profile. The following were included in the assessment of pseudo-Class III malocclusion cases: (1) family history, (2) molar and canine relationships at habitual occlusion and centric relation, and (3) dentoskeletal morphology. The results were that 72% of the examined cases in the pseudo-Class III malocclusion group showed no family history and 75% showed Class I molar relationship at habitual occlusion. Compared with the Class I malocclusion group, subjects in the pseudo-Class III malocclusion group showed a significantly decreased midface length, increased maxillary-mandibular difference, more retroclined upper incisors, and a retrusive upper lip. In conclusion, a pseudo-Class III malocclusion is characterized by retroclined upper incisors, retrusive upper lip, decreased midface length, and increased maxillary-mandibular difference. Findings of this study showed that patients with a pseudo-Class III malocclusion exhibit certain morphologic, dental, and skeletal characteristics that should be of aid in the diagnosis of pseudo-Class III malocclusion.