Eur J Dent Educ. 2021 Aug;25(3):621-633. doi: 10.1111/eje.12640. Epub 2020 Dec 14.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The outbreak and diffusion of the novel SARS-CoV2 coronavirus have caused an emergency status in the dental education system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous survey composed of 34 questions was delivered to students of the Master Degree Programme in Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics of the Universities of Emilia-Romagna, the fifth Italian region most affected by the pandemic. The psychological impact of COVID-19 was assessed by means of the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7). Numerically recoded data were analysed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), whilst to investigate the association between quantitative variables, the Pearson correlation coefficient (R) was computed.

RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 399 students (75%) out of 532. Most students experienced difficulties in working at the thesis during the COVID-19 emergency. For over half of them, online teaching could only partially replace traditional face-to-face lessons. The negative impact on the study career was judged as particularly high by sixth-year students. Clinical training activities were considered as exposing to the risk of contracting COVID-19 infection by the majority of the students. The level of concern of contracting COVID-19 infections during future university activities was positively correlated to risk perception related to clinical training.

CONCLUSION: The results of this survey could be used to train students to a correct risk assessment. Students reported experiencing concern whilst thinking of COVID-19 and 6.5% of them showed symptoms related to high levels of anxiety. These data may guide Universities in trying to reduce students’ anxiety by means of correct communication strategies.

PMID:33269536 | PMC:PMC7753295 | DOI:10.1111/eje.12640

J Orofac Orthop. 2022 Jan;83(1):13-22. doi: 10.1007/s00056-021-00314-1. Epub 2021 Jun 29.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine and compare the play and torque expression of self-ligating and conventionally ligated lingual brackets, with square and rectangular slots, when engaged with archwires of different size, cross section and material.

METHODS: Passive play and torque expression of 3 types of archwires and 5 types of brackets from four different manufacturers were measured and compared using a dynamometer. Each archwire was tested five times in each bracket; passive play was compared to ideal values, while torque expression was tested at 5, 10 and 20 Nmm as clinically efficacious values.

RESULTS: Regarding full thickness stainless steel archwires, the lowest passive play was found in STb brackets (2.66 ± 0.89°, Ormco, Glendora, CA, USA), which was statistically significantly lower than for ALIAS brackets (4.44 ± 0.75°, Ormco), In-Ovation L brackets (6.14 ± 3.22°, Dentsply GAC, Bohemia, NY, USA), Harmony brackets (7.76 ± 2.94°, American Orthodontics, Sheboygan, WI, USA) and eBrace brackets (9.46 ± 3.94°, Riton Biomaterial, Guangzhou, China). Increasing the torsional load to the greatest torsional load clinically applicable, there were no statistically significant differences between STb, ALIAS, In-Ovation L and Harmony brackets.

CONCLUSIONS: STb and ALIAS brackets generated the lowest passive play; STb and In-Ovation L brackets showed the lowest angle of play at the greatest torque expression. These measurements allow to understand the accuracy of lingual systems and at the same time the amount of overcorrections to be applied in the setup in order to obtain high quality orthodontic treatments.

PMID:34185103 | DOI:10.1007/s00056-021-00314-1

Insects. 2021 May 13;12(5):446. doi: 10.3390/insects12050446.

ABSTRACT

Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca, strain CoDiRO is the bacterium responsible for the onset of the disease known as the olive quick decline syndrome, which has been causing a phytosanitary and economic emergency in the Apulia region since 2013. To date, three insect species have been identified as pathogenic carriers of X. fastidiosa. With the advancement of the infection front, and the possibility of pathogenic insects being “hitchhiked” over long distances, the monitoring of the vectors of X. fastidiosa in the Italian regions bordering Apulia is an increasingly contingent issue for the rapid containment of the bacterium and the protection of the olive-growing heritage. Accordingly, the present research concerned the capture and recognition of the vector insects of X. fastidiosa in the upper Ionian coasts of Calabria (Italy) to evaluate the possible presence of the bacterium through molecular diagnostic techniques. The sampling allowed us to ascertain the presence of Philaenus spumarius and Neophilaenus campestris and their preferential distribution in olive groves and meadows, whereas all the 563 individuals tested negative for the pathogen.

PMID:34068247 | PMC:PMC8153157 | DOI:10.3390/insects12050446

Angle Orthod. 2021 Sep 1;91(5):641-649. doi: 10.2319/092720-823.1.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To compare the degree of accuracy of the Face Hunter facial scanner and the Dental Pro application for facial scanning, with respect to both manual measurements and each other.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients were measured manually and scanned using each device. Six reference markers were placed on each subject’s face at the cephalometric points Tr, Na’, Prn, Pog’, and L-R Zyg. Digital measurement software was used to calculate the distances between the cephalometric reference points on each of the scans. Geomagic X Control was used to superimpose the scans, automatically determining the best-fit alignment and calculating the percentage of overlapping surfaces within the tolerance ranges.

RESULTS: Individual comparisons of the four distances measured anthropometrically and on the scans yielded an intraclass correlation coefficient index greater than .9. The t-test for matched samples yielded a P value below the significance threshold. Right and left cheeks reached around 60% of the surface, with a margin of error between 0.5 mm and -0.5 mm. The forehead was the only area in which most of the surface fell within the poorly reproducible range, presenting values out of tolerance of more than 20%.

CONCLUSIONS: Three-dimensional scans of the facial surface provide an excellent analytical tool for clinical evaluation; it does not appear that one or the other of the measuring tools is systematically more accurate, and the cheeks are the area with the highest average percentage of surface in the highly reproducible range.

PMID:33826690 | PMC:PMC8376172 | DOI:10.2319/092720-823.1

J Clin Orthod. 2021 Jan;55(1):69-70.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:33822764

Int Orthod. 2021 Jun;19(2):235-242. doi: 10.1016/j.ortho.2021.03.002. Epub 2021 Mar 27.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The twofold aim of the present investigation was to: 1. evaluate the degree of mid-palatal suture (MPS) maturation via CBCT in relation to patient age, and 2. to determine whether there was a correlation between quantitative (i.e., suture density) and qualitative (i.e., suture morphology) analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The stage of mid-palatal suture maturation and suture density ratio were assessed for 160 subjects on CBCTs using five qualitative stages proposed by Angelieri with the addition of three additional stages (i.e., B/C, C/D and D/E) and quantitative grey density scores of Grünheid MPS1,2,3,4 with the addition of parasutural bone and soft palate. The repeatability of both methods was evaluated using Cohen’s K.The relationship between midpalatal suture maturation and age was assessed using ANOVA and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) analysis and tabulation and a χ2 test for quantitative and qualitative analysis respectively. Statistical significance was assessed using a 5% threshold.

RESULTS: The final sample included 160 CBCTs (80 male,80 female; mean age 23.2±13.5). Both methods were found to be correlated and highly repeatable. In addiction they showed an age-related correlation in MPS morphology.

CONCLUSION: The mid-palatal suture density ratio and the stage of mid-palatal suture maturation has the potential to become useful in clinical practice. In fact, despite the correlation between MPS maturation stage and age, the latter parameter cannot be used as a clinical discriminator due to the great variability between subjects. It is therefore advisable to assess each patient individually on CBCT scans in order to determine treatment choices.

PMID:33785290 | DOI:10.1016/j.ortho.2021.03.002

Korean J Orthod. 2021 Mar 25;51(2):135-141. doi: 10.4041/kjod.2021.51.2.135.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of thermoforming on aligner thickness and gap width in six aligner systems with the same nominal thickness.

METHODS: Six passive upper aligners of different brands were adapted to a single printed cast. Each sample was evaluated with high-resolution micro-computed tomography. To investigate aligner thickness and gap width, two-dimensional (2D) analysis was conducted assessing the effects of the following variables: tooth type (central incisor, canine, and first molar), 2D reference points, and aligner type. Data were analyzed and compared using analysis of variance and Tukey’s post-hoc tests (p < 0.05).

RESULTS: Tooth type, dental region, and aligner type affected both the gap width and aligner thickness. The aligner thickness remained moderately stable across the arch only in the F22.

CONCLUSIONS: All thermoformed samples displayed smaller aligner thickness and gap width at anterior teeth and both gingival and coronal centers than at posterior teeth and occlusal surfaces.

PMID:33678629 | PMC:PMC7940810 | DOI:10.4041/kjod.2021.51.2.135

Int Orthod. 2021 Dec;19(4):697-706. doi: 10.1016/j.ortho.2021.09.008. Epub 2021 Oct 22.

ABSTRACT

Two case reports are presented showing how the strategic use of skeletal anchorage via orthodontic miniscrews manages to solve the complex problems of orthodontic disimpaction of second mandibular molars with excellent anchorage control and reduction of the adverse effects common to the use of conventional methods. The temporary anchorage device (TAD)-mediated biomechanics used can be categorized as both “pulling from the distal side” and “pushing from the mesial side” techniques in which both direct and indirect anchorage mechanics were employed. Each of these mechanics has its advantages and disadvantages, which must be weighed and considered on a case-by-case basis. Based on the force application side and the type of anchorage, a simplified classification of TADs supported biomechanics for the recovery of fully or partially impacted second molars is proposed.

PMID:34696999 | DOI:10.1016/j.ortho.2021.09.008

J Oral Rehabil. 2022 Jan;49(1):47-53. doi: 10.1111/joor.13271. Epub 2021 Nov 15.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep disorder due mainly to peripheral causes, characterized by repeated episodes of obstruction of the upper airways, associated with arousals and snoring. Sleep bruxism (SB) is a masticatory muscle activity during sleep that is characterized as rhythmic (phasic) or nonrhythmic (tonic) and is not a movement disorder or a sleep disorder in otherwise healthy individuals. Given the potentially severe consequences and complications of apnea, the concurrent high prevalence of SB in daily dental practice, getting deeper into the correlation between these phenomena is worthy of interest..

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between SB-related masseter muscle activity (MMA) and apnea-hypopnea events as well as to assess their temporal sequence.

METHODS: Thirty (N = 30) patients with sleep respiratory disorders and clinical suspicion of sleep bruxism (SB) were recruited. Ambulatory polygraphic recording was performed to detect apnea-hypopnea events (AHEs) and sleep bruxism episodes (SBEs). Pearson test was used to assess the correlation between apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and SB index (SBI). A 5-s time window with respect to the respiratory events was considered to describe the temporal distribution of SBEs. Furthermore, SBI was compared between groups of patients with different AHI severity (i.e., mild, moderate and severe) using ANOVA.

RESULTS: On average, AHI was 27.1 ± 21.8 and SBI 9.1 ± 7.5. No correlation was shown between AHI and SBI. Most of SBEs (66.8%) occurred without a temporal relationship with respiratory events. Considering OSA, 65.7% of SBEs occurred within 5 s after AHEs, while in the case of central apnea (CA) 83.8% of SBEs occurred before the respiratory event. The participants with severe apnea (N = 9) show a tendency to have higher bruxism indexes when compared to patients with mild (N = 11) and moderate apnea (N = 10).

CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that: 1. At the study population level, there is no correlation between AHI and SBI, as well as any temporal relationship between SBEs and respiratory events. 2. Specific patterns of temporal relationship might be identified with future studies focusing on the different types of apnea-hypopnea events and bruxism activities.

PMID:34674282 | DOI:10.1111/joor.13271

J Clin Orthod. 2021 Jun;55(6):343-353.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:34464346