OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of incidental maxillary sinus findings in a large sample of orthodontic patients by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) with a wide field of view and assess the relationships of such abnormalities with age and gender. METHODS: Five hundred thirteen CBCT scans obtained for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning in a Northern Italian population (N = 513; 292 female and 221 male subjects; 1,026 maxillary sinuses) were studied. The frequencies of pseudocysts and mucosal thickening of the maxillary sinus were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influence of age and gender on these abnormalities. RESULTS: Pseudocysts were detected in 52 patients (10.1%) and 59 sinuses (5.75%). Mucosal thickening was observed in 206 patients (40.1%) and 258 sinuses (25.1%). Gender and age were significantly associated with pseudocysts (p = 0.027) and mucosal thickening (p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Half of the orthodontic patients had incidental maxillary sinus findings. Men were more likely to show pseudocysts, and older patients (aged 41 - 60 years) were more likely to show mucosal thickening.
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of mandibular advancement devices (MADs) in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) ranges between 42% and 65%. However, it is still unclear which predictive factors can be used to select suitable patients for MAD treatment. This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the predictive value of cephalometric analysis for MAD treatment outcomes in adult OSA patients. METHODS: The MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched through December 2014. Reference lists from the retrieved publications were also examined. English language studies published in international peer-reviewed journals concerning the predictive value of cephalometric analysis for MAD treatment outcome were considered for inclusion. Two review authors independently assessed eligibility, extracted data, and ascertained the quality of the studies. RESULTS: Fifteen eligible studies were identified. Most of the skeletal, dental, and soft tissue cephalometric measurements examined were widely recognized as not prognostic for MAD treatment outcome; however, controversial and limited data were found on the predictive role of certain cephalometric measurements including cranial base angle, mandibular plane angle, hyoid to mandibular plane distance, posterior nasal spine to soft-palate tip distance, anterior nasal spine to epiglottis base distance, and tongue/oral cross sectional area ratio thus justifying additional studies on these parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Currently available evidence is inadequate for identification of cephalometric parameters capable of reliably discriminating between poor and good responders to MAD treatment. To guide further research, methodological weaknesses of the currently available studies were highlighted and possible reasons for their discordant results were analyzed.
Adult* ; Epiglottis ; Humans ; Mandibular Advancement* ; Skull Base ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* ; Spine ; Treatment Outcome*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of ultrasonic instrumentation with different scaler-tip angulations on the shear bond strength (SBS) and bond failure mode of metallic orthodontic brackets. METHODS: Adhesive pre-coated metallic brackets were bonded to 72 extracted human premolars embedded in autopolymerizing acrylic resin. The teeth were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 24 each) to undergo no treatment (control group) or ultrasonic instrumentation with a scaler-tip angulation of 45degrees (45degrees-angulation group) or 0degrees (0degrees-angulation group). SBS was tested in a universal testing machine, and adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores were recorded. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The control group had a significantly higher mean SBS value than the treated groups, which showed no significant differences in their mean SBS values. The ARI scores were not significantly different among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonic instrumentation around the bracket base reduces the SBS of metallic orthodontic brackets, emphasizing the need for caution during professional oral hygiene procedures in orthodontic patients. The scaler-tip angulation does not influence the SBS reduction and bond failure mode of such brackets.
Adhesives ; Bicuspid ; Humans ; Oral Hygiene ; Orthodontic Brackets* ; Tooth ; Ultrasonics*

A 27-year-old man presented an anterior open bite relapse. He had low tongue posture positioned anteriorly at rest and during swallowing and reported chronic difficulty in nose breathing. Head cone-beam computed tomography revealed nasal septum deviation, right turbinate hypertrophy, and left maxillary sinus congestion, which were thought to contribute to the breathing problem, encourage the improper tongue posture, and thereby cause the relapse. Multidisciplinary treatment involving an otorhinolaryngologist, an orthodontist, and a periodontist resolved the upper airway obstruction and corrected the malocclusion. The follow-up examination after 3 years 5 months demonstrated stable results.
Adult ; Airway Obstruction* ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Deglutition ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Malocclusion ; Maxillary Sinus ; Nasal Septum ; Nose ; Open Bite* ; Posture ; Recurrence* ; Respiration ; Tongue ; Turbinates

Single-tooth implantation has become a common treatment solution for replacement of a root-fractured maxillary incisor in adults, but the long-term esthetic results can be unfavorable due to progressive marginal bone loss, resulting in gingival recession. In this case report, a maxillary central incisor with a root fracture in its apical one-third was orthodontically extruded and extracted in a 21-year-old female. Implant surgery was performed after a 3-month healing period, and the final crown was placed about 12 months after extraction. After 12 years, favorable osseous and gingival architectures were visible with adequate bone height and thickness at the buccal cortical plate, and no gingival recession was seen around the implant-supported crown. Although modern dentistry has been shifting toward simplified, clinical procedures and shorter treatment times, both general dentists and orthodontists should be aware of the possible long-term esthetic advantages of orthodontic extrusion of hopelessly fractured teeth for highly esthetically demanding areas and should educate and motivate patients regarding the choice of this treatment solution, if necessary.
Adult ; Crowns ; Dental Implants, Single-Tooth ; Dentistry ; Dentists ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Gingival Recession ; Humans ; Incisor* ; Orthodontic Extrusion ; Rehabilitation* ; Tooth ; Young Adult