Accuracy of orthodontic movement with nocturnal three-dimensionally printed and thermoformed aligners : Retrospective cohort study comparing two different treatments protocols
J Orofac Orthop. 2025 Aug 19. doi: 10.1007/s00056-025-00609-7. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the accuracy of orthodontic tooth movements achieved with three-dimensionally (3D) printed aligners (Noxi, Sweden&Martina, Due Carrare, Padova, Italy) using a 12 h/day protocol with that of thermoformed aligners (F22 aligner, Sweden&Martina, Due Carrare, Padova, Italy) using a 22 h/day protocol.
METHODS: Of the 40 white adult patients (12 men and 28 women, mean age 30.1 years) undergoing orthodontic treatment with aligners selected based on specific inclusion criteria, 20 patients were treated with Noxi aligners using a 12 h/day protocol (study group), and the remaining 20 patients were treated with F22 aligners using a 22 h/day protocol (control group). Pretreatment, ideal posttreatment (as planned in the setup), and real posttreatment digital models were analyzed using VAM software (Vectra, Canfield Scientific, Fairfield, NJ, USA). Angular and linear measurements were evaluated to measure mesiodistal tipping, vestibulolingual tipping, and rotational movements for 1120 teeth. Data were compared to evaluate treatment accuracy for each tooth, with statistical analysis of the results.
RESULTS: No statistically significant differences in accuracy emerged between the study group (64.2%) and the control group (65.4%) for any type of tooth movement or tooth category. In the study group, vestibulolingual tipping showed the highest predictability (69.63%), followed by mesiodistal tipping (65.38%) and rotation (60.5%). In the control group, the vestibulolingual and mesiodistal movements showed the highest predictability, with a mean accuracy of about 67%, followed by rotation (62.3%).
CONCLUSION: Despite the reduced collaboration request, the group treated with Noxi aligners did not show any significant differences compared to the group treated with F22 aligners with regard to percentage accuracy for all analyzed orthodontic movements.
PMID:40828392 | DOI:10.1007/s00056-025-00609-7
Clinical feasibility of a quick response code-based digital self-reporting of medication adherence: results in patients on ticagrelor therapy from the APOLLO-QR observational study
Eur Heart J Digit Health. 2025 May 30;6(4):733-741. doi: 10.1093/ehjdh/ztaf056. eCollection 2025 Jul.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: The APOLLO-QR (APPlying smartphOne for piLLs intake cOnfirmation by QR code reading) study assessed the congruence between a quick response (QR) code-based digital self-reporting and pill count in measuring medication adherence.
METHODS AND RESULTS: The APOLLO-QR pilot, observational study prospectively included patients owning a smartphone accepting to undergo a home-telemonitoring of ticagrelor adherence by sending feedback of each pill intake through an email generated by framing a QR code placed on the medication packaging. Ticagrelor adherence was measured at 1 and 3 months by pill count allowing to calculate accuracy of the digital self-reporting in estimating drug adherence by assessing the correspondence between the number of received feedback emails and the number of pills taken from those prescribed. Among 109 patients, 30-day adherence to ticagrelor was 98.6 ± 2.6% as measured by pill count vs. 88.9 ± 10.4% as assessed by the number of feedback emails sent by the digital self-reporting, which provided an accuracy in estimating drug adherence of 90.1 ± 10.1%. Similar results were achieved at three months among the 95 patients (87.2%) continuing the study. Only nine patients (8.3%) missed sending four consecutive feedback emails of whom three (2.8%) had voluntarily discontinued ticagrelor within 1 month. A high patient satisfaction emerged from responses to a questionnaire showing that tested telemonitoring was consistently perceived as easy, convenient, and useful, although the need for more interactivity was suggested.
CONCLUSION: The QR code-based self-reporting of pill intake showed a high accuracy in estimating medication adherence and yielded a good patient satisfaction, suggesting a potential for its clinical applicability.
PMID:40703142 | PMC:PMC12282341 | DOI:10.1093/ehjdh/ztaf056
Should MitraClip also be used in less severe functional mitral regurgitation? The RESHAPE-HF2 study
Eur Heart J Suppl. 2025 Apr 16;27(Suppl 3):iii60-iii63. doi: 10.1093/eurheartjsupp/suaf017. eCollection 2025 Mar.
ABSTRACT
Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) is currently indicated in symptomatic patients with severe functional mitral regurgitation (MR) who are not eligible for surgery and who have a high likelihood of responding to treatment. This recommendation is based on two randomized trials suggesting that the benefits of TEER may be limited to patients with severe MR, defined by an effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) ≥0.40 cm2, and a non-excessively remodelled left ventricle. The randomized RESHAPE-HF2 study recently showed that compared to medical therapy alone, treatment with TEER by MitraClip in patients with symptomatic heart failure and less severe functional MR, with lower EROA (mean 0.23 cm2), is associated with a significant reduction in hospitalizations for heart failure, and an improvement in symptoms and quality of life, without a clear benefit on mortality. However, within the cohort of patients with less severe MR enrolled in the RESHAPE-HF2 study, the benefits of MitraClip compared to medical therapy alone seem more significant in selected patients with characteristics associated with a higher risk of heart failure exacerbation, suggesting the importance of careful selection of patients with symptomatic heart failure and MR who could benefit from TEER.
PMID:40248280 | PMC:PMC12001762 | DOI:10.1093/eurheartjsupp/suaf017
Chemical, optical, and morphological properties of TPU and PET-G samples after aging in artificial saliva: an in vitro study
BMC Oral Health. 2025 Apr 11;25(1):533. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-05863-0.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Thermoplastic materials, such as glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PET-G) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), undergo alterations due to environmental factors in the oral cavity, which can affect their composition and surface properties over time. While previous studies have explored these changes, a comprehensive characterization of TPU and PET-G properties, particularly after immersion in artificial saliva, remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the aging process of 24 TPU and 24 PET-G dumbbell-shaped specimens before and after exposure to artificial saliva. The analysis focused on the morphological, chemical, and optical properties of the samples, including thickness, weight, and surface roughness.
METHODS: The study examined 48 thermoplastic samples, equally divided between PET-G and TPU. The samples were thermoformed into standardized shapes and analyzed at three time points: after thermoforming (T0), after 7 days (T1), and after 14 days (T2) of immersion in artificial saliva at 37 °C. Measurements included weight, thickness, surface roughness, absorbance, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA to identify significant changes over time, with a significance level of p < 0.01.
RESULTS: Both materials exhibited significant reductions in surface roughness, with TPU showing a decrease in average roughness (Ra) from 99.43 nm at T0 to 76.53 nm at T2 (-23.02%) and PET-G decreasing from 33.25 nm to 20.19 nm (-39.27%). The root mean square roughness (Rq) in TPU declined by 41.67% (from 126.91 nm to 74.02 nm), while PET-G showed a reduction of 28.06% (from 44.98 nm to 32.35 nm). Peak-to-valley roughness (Rt) also decreased by 10.5% in TPU and 27.96% in PET-G. No statistically significant changes were observed in thickness, weight, optical density, or chemical composition (p > 0.01). The roughness disparity between TPU and PET-G persisted even after immersion in saliva.
CONCLUSIONS: Following the simulated intraoral aging process, significant changes in surface roughness were observed in TPU and PET-G specimens. The reduction in roughness, particularly a 39.27% decline in PET-G and 23.02% in TPU, has been clinically associated with decreased plaque accumulation and reduced friction between the aligner and the teeth.
PMID:40217188 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-025-05863-0
Does operator experience affect the accuracy of guided palatal miniscrew insertion via surgical guide? An in-vitro study
Int Orthod. 2025 Mar 18;23(3):100995. doi: 10.1016/j.ortho.2025.100995. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: To compare the in-vitro accuracy of guided palatal miniscrew insertion comparing expert and inexpert clinicians.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-one synthetic bone models, derived from a single master model, were acquired to simulate the clinical act of miniscrew insertion. Digital planning and CAD/CAM surgical guide manufacturing were executed by matching the CBCT of the master model with its corresponding STL file. The insertion of two palatal miniscrews in the anterior paramedian region was planned. The operators (mean age 35 years±5 years; 11 males and 9 females) were divided into two sub-groups (inexperienced and experienced), and the miniscrews inserted using a standardized procedure. Linear and angular discrepancies between planned and inserted miniscrew positions were then evaluated at the level of head and tip point by superimposing the reference model (derived from digital planning) with the 20 working models (derived from scanning after miniscrew insertion). Absolute accuracy and comparison between the sub-groups were assessed using a one-sample Wilcoxon test (P<0.05).
RESULTS: Regardless of experience, a statistically significant difference in all investigated measurements was found. However, no statistically significant differences were detected between the two sub-groups, except for the sagittal discrepancy at the head, with the inexperienced group being less accurate (P=0.002).
CONCLUSIONS: The use of a CAD/CAM surgical guide ensures comparable accuracy between inexperienced and experienced clinicians, excepting some outlier discrepancies among the inexpert subjects. Although there are differences in accuracy between the planned and achieved miniscrew position, these differences do not appear to be clinically significant.
PMID:40106941 | DOI:10.1016/j.ortho.2025.100995
Skeletal versus conventional anchorage in dentofacial orthopedics: an international modified Delphi consensus study
Prog Orthod. 2025 Mar 3;26(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s40510-025-00556-4.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To establish consensus of skeletal anchorage versus conventional anchorage in treating: 1. Maxillary transverse deficiency in growing and adult patients, 2. Class II skeletal disharmony due to mandibular retrusion in growing patients, 3. Class III skeletal disharmony in growing patients.
METHODS: A four-rounds modified Delphi method was conducted. A steering committee performed a literature selection and compiled a list of 33 statements. An international panel of 25 experts in orthodontics agreed to participate. In each round, panelists were asked to rate their level of agreement with each statement using a 5-point Likert scale and provide comments. Statements that reached consensus were either accepted or rephrased. Statements that did not reach consensus were either rephrased, rejected, or split into two statements or merged with another.
RESULTS: After the four rounds, 24 statements achieved consensus while 9 were rejected. The distribution of consensus statements was as follows: Maxillary transverse deficiency: 4 statements; Class II skeletal disharmony: 10 statements; Class III skeletal disharmony: 10 statements.
CONCLUSIONS: This modified Delphi consensus study aimed to provide guidance for orthodontists in choosing between skeletal and conventional anchorage for various treatment conditions. The study generated 24 consensus statements across three key domains. While the Delphi method provides valuable expert opinions, future studies, including randomized controlled trials, are needed to confirm these findings and address remaining uncertainties. Such efforts will aid in refining orthodontic treatment protocols and enhancing patient outcomes.
PMID:40025259 | DOI:10.1186/s40510-025-00556-4