Computerized occlusal analysis: correlation with occlusal indexes to assess the outcome of orthodontic treatment or the severity of malocculusion / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aims of our study were to verify the validity of the T-Scan III system (Tekscan) as an objective occlusal evaluation tool, and to assess the differences between two occlusal indexes-the peer assessment rating (PAR) index and the American Board of Orthodontics objective grading system (OGS)-by comparing the scores derived from the T-Scan III system with the two occlusal indexes and analyzing the correlations between them. METHODS: The final study sample included 48 adult volunteers (39 men and 9 women, mean age 24.14 +/- 3.16 years), after excluding 29 volunteers whose occlusion could not be evaluated by the T-Scan III system due to severe skeletal or occlusal problems. PAR index and OGS scores were assessed using dental study models, and measurements of centric occlusion, protrusive movement, and lateral excursion movement were obtained via the T-Scan III system. The results were analyzed to determine correlations. RESULTS: Occlusal analysis by the T-Scan III system was clinically reliable (p < 0.05), and the PAR index and OGS scores were significantly correlated with several measurements obtained with the T-Scan III system (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The T-Scan III system is a quantitative and reliable method for occlusal evaluation, and represents a potential substitute for occlusal indexes. Compared to the PAR index, the OGS scores of more variables were significantly correlated with the T-Scan measurements.

An Overview of Indices Used to Measure Treatment Effectiveness in Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate

In the contemporary era, the demand for orthodontic treatment is ever rising. Orthodontic treatment duration can range from a year to a few years. Our aim is to assess the available techniques of categorising treatment effectiveness in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and to study their effect on improvement of treatment outcomes. The electronic databases including Medline-PUBMED, Science Direct, and ISI Web of Knowledge were searched from 1987 to 2013, and 40 311 relevant articles were found. Of these, we identified 22 articles including original articles as well as literature reviews. The different parameters and indices that are applied to speed-up orthodontic treatment outcomes in patients with CLP were identified as the GOSLON Yardstick, 5-year-old index, EUROCRAN index, Huddart Bodenham system, modified Huddart Bodenham system, GOAL Yardstick and, Bauru-Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Yardstick. This overview can create better awareness regarding the uses, advantages, and disadvantages of the different indices. It can enable better assessment and provide the impetus needed for a sustained upgrade in the standards of care for CLP in daily orthodontics.

The role of polymorphisms associated with early tooth eruption in dental and occlusal traits in East Asian populations / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: A recent study suggested that rs6504340, a polymorphism within the homeobox B (HOXB) gene cluster, is associated with the susceptibility for malocclusions in Europeans. The resulting malocclusions require orthodontic treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of rs6504340 and other dentition-implicated polymorphisms with dental and occlusal traits in Korean and Japanese populations. METHODS: The study participants included 223 unrelated Koreans from the Busan area and 256 unrelated Japanese individuals from the Tokyo metropolitan area. DNA samples were extracted from saliva specimens. Genotyping for rs6504340 and four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have been shown to be associated with the timing of first tooth eruption and the number of teeth at 1 year of age (rs10506525, rs1956529, rs9674544, and rs8079702) was performed using TaqMan assays. The Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN), overjet, overbite, arch length discrepancy, crown sizes, and length and width of the dental arches were measured. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate relationships between rs6504340 and these dental/occlusal traits. RESULTS: We evaluated the aesthetic components and dental health components of the IOTN in the Korean and Japanese populations and found that neither rs6504340 nor the other four SNPs showed any association with dental and occlusal traits in these East Asian populations. CONCLUSIONS: These negative results suggest that further research is needed to identify the genetic determinants of malocclusions in order to reach a consensus.

Prevalence of malocclusion and its relationship with caries among school children aged 11 - 15 years in southern India / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of malocclusion and its relationship with dental caries among school children in southern India. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1,800 students aged 11 - 15 years whose Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) and dentition status were recorded and analyzed. The chi-square test, ANOVA, and Spearman's correlation tests were carried out. RESULTS: The mean DAI score +/- the standard deviation was 18.61 +/- 6.1. Approximately 85% of the students (83.0% males, 86.8% females) had DAI scores of 35, which suggested very severe or handicapping malocclusion requiring mandatory treatment. The mean decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) was 2.28 +/- 1.47. A DMFT of > 0 was observed in 91.8% of the study subjects. Children with a DAI score of > 35 were found to have significantly (p < 0.001) higher caries experience as compared to other children. Moreover, the DAI scores showed a significant correlation with the mean DMFT scores (r = 0.368, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A positive correlation was found between the severity of malocclusion and dental caries.