Where should we seek information if we need to make a treatment decision? In an article, website or book? Curiously, this is not as straight forward as it may seem for most professionals, and be even more confusing for laypersons. Let us roll up our sleeves and address the issue.

Over the last decade, research in dentistry has been evolving expressively in the field of tissue engineering. The search for means to achieve tissue repair, or the generation of new tissue, has the goal to broaden dramatically the therapeutic possibilities over different areas. Tissue engineering is a very promising option for providing tissue for craniofacial repair.5 When added up, the incidence of incisor pre-foramen fissures, which involve the alveolar ridge, and of incisor transforamen...

The low intensity and long duration aggressions to the periosteum induce the formation of new layers and can increase the volume of bone and change its shape. In intrusive mechanics, the natural inclination of the roots provides the tooth inclination movement. At the same time that it promotes compression forces on the periodontal ligament of teeth subjected to this kind of mechanics, in other areas, tension forces with deflection occur. These effects also involve the outer surfaces, since...

Dr. Stephen Yen was born in Boston and lived in different parts of Asia during his childhood. His mother, Chin- Ho Yu Yen, was a physician and his father, Peter Kai-Jen Yen, an orthodontist who taught at Harvard for twenty five years. His parents taught Dr. Yen about faith, family and work as they served two terms as Christian missionaries in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Dr. Yen’s father was a pioneer in the field of orthodontics and founded departments in Taipei, Hong Kong, Xian, Chengdu,...

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the amount of gingival display on smile esthetics. Methods: Two extraoral photographs were used: One of the close-up smile and one frontal view of the smiling face of four individuals (one Caucasian and one Afro-Brazilian man, and one Caucasian and one Afro-Brazilian woman). The photographs were manipulated in a computer and five images were created for each original photograph with different degrees of gingival display: 0 mm,...

Objective: This prospective clinical study evaluated dentoskeletal changes in Class II malocclusion patients after treatment with the Twin Block functional appliance. Methods: The treatment group consisted of 19 subjects (mean age 9.5 years) and the control group consisted of 19 subjects (mean age 9.9 years) situated before pubertal growth spurt. Unpaired Student’s t test showed the sample homogeneity at the beginning of the study. Initial (T1) and one year follow-up (T2) cephalometric...

Objective: The present study aimed to retrospectively compare the postretention stability of maxillary anterior incisors alignment in Class I and Class II patients. Method: Sample comprised 38 patients of both genders, treated with no extraction and Edgewise mechanics, divided into two groups: Group 1 comprised 19 patients, at a mean age of 13.06 years, with Class I malocclusion and initial maxillary anterior crowding greater than 3 mm. Group 2 comprised 19 patients, at a mean age of 12.54...

Introduction: Functional appliance is an effective way of treating skeletal Class II malocclusion in children and adolescents. A 12-month stepwise mandibular advancement protocol has been proved to enhance the condylar growth and improve the mandibular prognathism using Herbst appliance. Objective: The following case report documented a 11 year old Chinese girl with 11 mm overjet treated by a phase I 12-month growth modification therapy using Twin Block appliance with Hyrax palatal expander...

The clinician should expect some loss of the dental alignment obtained during orthodontictherapy in the long term in cases in which the orthodontic retainer has been removed bythe orthodontist or lost by the patient. In this situation, patients are often reluctant to wearbraces again to re-treat anterior misalignment. This report describes the successful use of asimple and effective technique to correct mild changes in the incisor alignment after orthodontictreatment. An innovative and low...

Aim: The purpose of this study was to make an electromyographic comparison of the action potentials of the upper and lower segments of the orbicularis oris muscle, bilaterally, in youngsters with Class II, Division 1 malocclusion and youngsters with normal occlusion in order to verify whether or not there is a difference between the two groups with regard to the electromyographic activity that occurs. Methods: The sample consisted of 50 girls, in the age-range from 8 to 10 years, with no...

Objective: To evaluate dentofacial patterns of patients with normal occlusion and Angle malocclusions, examining potential differences between specific cephalometric measures as they relate to gender, both intra- and intergroup. Methods: The sample consisted of 200 lateral cephalometric radiographs obtained from young Brazilians of both genders, aged between 11 years and 2 months and 19 years and 10 months, with permanent dentition. The material was divided according to the type of occlusion...

Objective: Investigate the effects of heat-activated NiTi and stainless steel wires to evaluate potential changes in the position of mandibular incisors in extraction cases as correlated with treatment length. Method: The sample consisted of 36 individuals of both genders, Brazilian Caucasians with mean initial age of 15 years and 5 months with Class I and Class II malocclusions, divided into two groups. In Group 1 (n=17) leveling was performed with Sequence 1, comprised of three different...

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of orthognathic surgery for mandibular setback – with and without combined maxillary surgery – on the upper airways (UA). Methods: Immediate lateral preoperative and postoperative cephalometric radiographs of 17 Class III patients were evaluated. Measurements of airway space (AS) diameter were taken in the sagittal plane in the hypopharyngeal and oropharyngeal regions, and changes in hyoid bone position were also recorded....

Objective: This study aimed to investigate stress distribution in a photoelastic model generated by Ricketts Utility Arch (RUA), also known as Ricketts base arch, for intrusion of mandibular incisors. Stresses in the root thirds of each incisor were compared and the existence of differences in the concentration of stresses between the incisors was also examined. Methods: Fifteen intrusion RUAs were fabricated. Activation force was set at 50 gf in the midline region. The photoelastic model was...

Objective: The aim of this paper is to emphasize the organization of the information availablein exams and along the orthodontics treatment of growing individuals, which are usedas guidance to predict the pubertal growth spurt. Conclusion: Such information provide opportunitiesto increment the diagnosis and prognosis of these cases and in making planningdecisions, treatment evolution and the retention phase, mainly for those patients presentingmalocclusions associated to skeletal...

Objective: To evaluate the shear strength of two composites (Transbond XT and Concise) using an adhesion booster (Ortho Primer). Methods: The sample consisted of 90 bovine incisors divided into six groups (n=15). All teeth were subjected to prophylaxis with pumice and enamel etching with phosphoric acid. Transbond XT was used conventionally in Group I. Group II was handled similarly to Group I, except that Ortho Primer was applied instead of XT Primer. After etching, the enamel in Group III...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of gingival exposure on smile esthetics and to compare different opinions among orthodontists, clinicians and laypersons. Methods: Photographs of smiling faces of a male and a female subject were manipulated on the computer with different gingival exposure levels, ranging from 4 mm of gingival exposure to 4 mm of upper lip incisor coverage. The photographs were printed in actual size of the face, and randomly analyzed by 30...

Introduction: Cleft lip and palate patients usually have severe maxillary deficiencies, particularly in the anterior region of this arch and their treatment should include maxillary expansion. Objective: To evaluate the expansion pattern of three brands of fan-type expander screws to correct transverse deficiencies. Methods: Eighteen expansions on typodonts were performed with 6 simulations for each group: G1 - Dentaurum® screw; G2 – Leone® screw; and G3 – Morelli® screw. For each...

Objective: Evaluate the legal actions and behavior in the doctor/patient relationship, used bydental surgeons practicing orthodontics. Methods: The population sample of the present studyconsisted of dental surgeons, active in the field of orthodontics, and registered with DentalPress Publishing Company — Maringá/PR, Brazil, with a total sample size of 525 professionals.The research was conducted using a 17-question survey forwarded to these professionals.Results and Conclusions: The...

Objective: To determine the frequency of patients who require extraction of permanent premolars among those treated with extraction of deciduous teeth for the correction of incisor crowding in the mixed dentition and analyze possible associated variables. Methods: The sample was composed of orthodontic records of 70 patients with permanent dentition whose treatment had begun in the mixed dentition phase and involved serial extraction. All records were analyzed by a single examiner to...

Introduction: An appropriate selection of instruments is essential to perform a correct debonding technique, by properly removing orthodontic brackets and the remaining resin. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate three methods of remaining resin removal on enamel surface after bracket debonding, by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Methods: Eighteen bovine incisors were selected and divided into three groups (A, B and C) of six teeth each. Before bracket bonding, epoxy...

Objective: To carry out a comparative evaluation of prevalence of anterior spacing characteristics in Japanese-Brazilian and Caucasian children in the deciduous dentition. Methods: Two samples of children aged 2-6 years were selected: 405 Japanese-Brazilians from 36 schools in the State of São Paulo and 510 Caucasian children from 11 public institutions in São Paulo city. Spacing features in the maxillary and mandibular arches were assigned to four categories: Generalized spacing, only...

This report describes the treatment of a 15-year-old female patient with Angle Class I malocclusion, severe maxillary anterior crowding, maxillary midline shift to the left, and maxillary atresia associated with posterior crossbite. The treatment consisted of palatal expansion using a modified Haas expander and placement of a standard Edgewise fixed appliance. Interproximal reduction was performed on mandibular incisors and canines to align anterior teeth, as well as to reduce Bolton...

Introduction: The management of unerupted teeth has always been considered as a challenging procedure in orthodontic practice. Within this perspective, the search for effectiveness in the procedures adopted for the management of unerupted teeth is essential, which explains the purpose of the present paper. When enamel drilling is performed, a natural structure is transfixed, which may be restored with composite material and may dispense from risky procedures such as bonding attachment...