J Orofac Orthop. 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1007/s00056-025-00626-6. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41307572 | DOI:10.1007/s00056-025-00626-6

Sensors (Basel). 2025 Nov 20;25(22):7081. doi: 10.3390/s25227081.

ABSTRACT

The progressive aging of the population requires reliable, non-invasive, and real-time tools to monitor hydration, prevent dehydration-related complications, and promote active aging in elderly patients. Wearable sensors based on interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) and on Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) represent a promising tool thanks to their miniaturization, sensitivity to dielectric variations with humidity, and compatibility with flexible substrates. This study reports the design, fabrication, and metrological characterization of inkjet-printed IDEs for skin hydration monitoring, as a building block of a multisensor wearable device. IDEs were fabricated on polyimide substrates using silver nanoparticle-based ink. Their characterization involved the following: (i) morphological evaluation by scanning electron microscopy; (ii) EIS measurements in KCl solutions, leading to developing a regression model to correlate impedance with salt concentration; (iii) in vitro EIS validation on agar gel samples, which demonstrated a robust linear relationship between the impedance phase shift at 199.5 Hz and water loss, with consistent sensitivity values across sensors. The results confirm the feasibility of IDEs for hydration monitoring, identifying optimal frequency ranges and validating regression models. These findings represent a critical step toward the development of multisensor wearable devices for elderly monitoring, enabling decentralized and continuous health monitoring to improve healthcare sustainability and telemedicine.

PMID:41305287 | DOI:10.3390/s25227081

Am J Otolaryngol. 2025 Nov 11;47(1):104740. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2025.104740. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate, in Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, the use of pre-treatment drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) as a patient selection tool, that could improve the outcomes of mandibular advancement device (MAD) therapy. A multicenter retrospective case-control study has been performed.

METHODS: A multicenter case-control study with two parallel arms was conducted to compare functional outcomes in patients undergoing MAD therapy. Group A (n = 118) received MAD therapy based solely on static clinical assessments, including dentoskeletal features, oropharyngeal anatomy, and upper airway endoscopy. Group B (n = 87) underwent pre-treatment DISE to dynamically evaluate the site, type, and pattern of upper airway collapse, thereby guiding patient selection for MAD therapy.

RESULTS: In Group A, the mean pre-treatment apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 28.1, decreasing significantly to 12.4 post-treatment (p = 0.0001). In Group B, the mean AHI decreased from 31.3 to 9.5 (p = 0.0001). The Delta apnea-hypopnea index (ΔAHI) was significantly greater in Group B (-21.7) than in Group A (-16.6; p = 0.04). Similarly, the Delta Oxigen desaturation index (ΔODI) was -18.6 in Group B versus -14.1 in Group A (p = 0.04). The therapeutic success rate was significantly higher in Group B (82.7 %) compared to Group A (60.1 %) (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION: In OSA patients, a pre-treatment DISE evaluation, improves the selection of appropriate candidates for MAD therapy by enabling dynamic assessment of upper airway collapsibility during a pharmacologically induced sleep. This targeted selection results in significantly better therapeutic outcomes for MAD therapy for the OSA treatment.

PMID:41260021 | DOI:10.1016/j.amjoto.2025.104740

Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2025 Oct 24:S0889-5406(25)00380-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2025.08.016. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vivo transfer accuracy of a new slim and rigid computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD-CAM) transfer tray.

METHODS: Seventeen patients (9 males and 8 females; average age, 14.3 years) with permanent dentition undergoing orthodontic treatment were enrolled. Digital models were obtained, and brackets and molar tubes were virtually positioned. The CAD-CAM transfer tray was designed and 3-dimensionally printed, and the bonding procedure was performed. Transfer accuracy was assessed by measuring linear and angular deviations between planned and in vivo bonded bracket positions by superimposition using a local best-fit alignment performed by a semiautomatic algorithm in the analysis software Geomagic Control (3D System Inc, Rock Hill, NC).

RESULTS: A total of 408 teeth (208 maxillary and 200 mandibular) were superimposed. All mean linear deviations were <0.5 mm, although some exceeded the 0.25-mm cutoff (4.4% of mesiodistal measurements, 4.2% of vertical, and 0.2% of buccolingual). Angular discrepancies were greater, especially when using a 1° cutoff (25.7% for torque, 33.8% for rotation, and 18.6% for tip). However, these discrepancies decreased significantly when the cutoff was raised to 2° (in 5.6%, 9.3% and 3.4% respectively). Considering all brackets, no directional bias was detected, except in buccolingual measurements (35% vestibular and 65% lingual). Transfer accuracy was influenced by the variables tooth type, tooth position, and arch, which had various impacts across specific measurements.

CONCLUSIONS: The new CAD-CAM transfer tray demonstrated good overall transfer accuracy and some clinical advantages, although refinement of the design is required to enhance its performance.

PMID:41137818 | DOI:10.1016/j.ajodo.2025.08.016

J World Fed Orthod. 2025 Oct 9:S2212-4438(25)00792-1. doi: 10.1016/j.ejwf.2025.08.003. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Anterior open bite can negatively impact facial aesthetics, as well as cause functional impairment and social challenges. We present the case of an adolescent patient with a severe anterior open bite.

METHODS: After an initial phase of expansion using an expander on palatal mini-screw implants, the patient was treated with a fixed buccal appliance and intermaxillary elastics. Skeletal anchorage was used to achieve effective posterior control. Finally, minor finishing was performed with aligners, and the case was completed with multiple restorations of the teeth.

RESULTS: The combination of a fixed appliance and intermaxillary elastics resulted in the extrusion and retroclination of the maxillary incisors, leading to bite closure. Successful results were achieved, with good occlusion, improved facial aesthetics, and stability maintained over the 2-year retention period.

CONCLUSIONS: Temporary anchorage devices offer reliable anchorage for posterior vertical control. With appropriate treatment planning -taking into account incisor display, growth potential and biomechanics- this approach can serve as a non-surgical alternative for managing severe open bite cases.

PMID:41073251 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejwf.2025.08.003

PLoS One. 2025 Oct 9;20(10):e0333091. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0333091. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

SIREN is a citizen science project that involves lay people in the digitization of historical daily discharge measurements from Italian rivers. Such data, largely available only in printed yearbooks, hinders scientific progress in hydrological studies and water resource management. In this article, we examine the motivations behind citizen engagement in SIREN. Our multi-step approach combines quantitative analysis of online contributions, pilot interviews with selected volunteers, and a comprehensive questionnaire collecting basic demographic data and subjective impressions of the experience. Through these approaches, we identify three participant profiles: two driven primarily by the activity itself and one by the scientific content. The first profile values the straightforward nature of data entry, seeing it as an easy way to contribute with existing skills. The second profile treats participation as a leisure activity, readily fitting into brief intervals of free time. The third profile stems from deeper engagement, encompassing volunteers with professional or personal interests in hydrology, Italian geography, or both. The study also highlights the significant role of retired individuals (an underrepresented group in the citizen science literature) who often contribute using skills developed during their careers. This work highlights the importance of creating citizen science projects that are accessible, meaningful, and connected to volunteers’ lives and interests.

PMID:41066342 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0333091

Prog Orthod. 2025 Sep 19;26(1):31. doi: 10.1186/s40510-025-00579-x.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40971098 | DOI:10.1186/s40510-025-00579-x

Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2025 Sep 19:S0889-5406(25)00333-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2025.07.012. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to establish a consensus, thanks to the participation of a large group of experts in the field of aligner therapy, on several of its clinical and extraclinical aspects, with particular reference to its potential and biomechanical limitations.

METHODS: A Delphi study was conducted in 3 rounds. On the basis of the most recent systematic reviews in the literature, the steering committee formulated 35 questions. A group of 36 international experts agreed to participate in the survey and were asked to respond to the questions, choosing their level of agreement on a scale of 1-5 in the first round, then from 1 to 3 in the second, and finally with a yes or no response in the third, progressively narrowing the field of research. The items for which consensus (≥70%) was obtained were accepted; the others were reformulated.

RESULTS: On the basis of the analysis of the experts’ responses, 68 questions were reformulated for the second round and 28 for the third round. After 3 rounds, the study generated 47 consensus statements regarding biomechanical aspects and extraclinical factors.

CONCLUSIONS: The study, based on the modified Delphi method, collected the opinion of experts, comparing it with the scientific literature to evaluate the potential and limitations of orthodontic aligners, obtaining 47 consensus statements related to biomechanics and extraclinical factors.

PMID:40970859 | DOI:10.1016/j.ajodo.2025.07.012

Sensors (Basel). 2025 May 31;25(11):3476. doi: 10.3390/s25113476.

ABSTRACT

Oral caries is one of the most common oral diseases worldwide, affecting about 2.4 billion people. This phenomenon always starts with enamel demineralization, eventually progressing to tooth cavitation and loss when not properly treated. Nowadays, the standard diagnostic techniques to detect demineralization strongly depend on the operator’s expertise and are characterized by fairly low sensitivity and specificity, and/or involve ionizing radiation. This study investigates the feasibility of a non-invasive, effective, rapid, and radiation-free approach employing impedance spectroscopy for early caries detection. Two binary classifiers were developed for automated assessment and validated using a dataset obtained by in vitro demineralization of human teeth. A computationally efficient single-neuron classifier, utilizing a single impedance phase measurement at 15 Hz, achieved 88% accuracy, offering a lightweight, low-power solution suitable for microcontroller implementation and rapid measurements. A Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) classifier, utilizing equivalent circuit element values, yielded a similar accuracy of 86%. A prototype of a diagnostic portable tool was developed and characterized, demonstrating reliable impedance phase measurement (uncertainty < 2°). The performance of these classifiers meets or exceeds the existing AI-based methodologies for caries detection relying on radiographic data. This work introduces a novel application of AI to tooth impedance spectra, addressing a significant research gap in non-invasive diagnostics and laying the foundation for a novel, accessible, and accurate tool for early caries management.

PMID:40969076 | DOI:10.3390/s25113476

Cranio. 2025 Sep 4:1-8. doi: 10.1080/08869634.2025.2552537. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on sleep bruxism (SB) and respiratory indexes in pediatric patients.

METHODS: Twenty-four subjects needing orthodontic treatment and with suspicion of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) were recruited. Before orthodontics, a clinical and anamnestic evaluation as well as a polygraphic recording was performed. The subjects underwent rapid palatal expansion and, after 6 months, the evaluations were repeated for the participants with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 1.

RESULTS: Mean AHI was 2.3±1.4 and 2.2±1.2 at T0 and T1, respectively, while sleep bruxism events (SBEs) values were 15.1± 17 and 23.1±14.5. No significant differences between pre and post treatment values could be detected.

CONCLUSIONS: At the study population level, no statistically significant differences in the main (i.e., AHI and SBEs) and secondary outcomes with RME treatment were described. Specific phenotypes might be identified with future studies.

PMID:40908797 | DOI:10.1080/08869634.2025.2552537