Effects of soft tissue grafting prior to orthodontic treatment on preventing gingival recession in dogs.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of prophylactic gingival grafting in the mandibular anterior labial area for preventing orthodontically induced gingival recession. METHODS: Eight mongrel dogs received gingival graft surgery at the first (I1) and third (I3) mandibular incisors on both sides based on the following group allocation: AT group (autogenous connective tissue graft on I1), AT-control group (contralateral side in the AT group), CM group (xenogeneic cross-linked collagen matrix graft on I3) and CM-control group (contralateral side in the CM group). At 4 weeks after surgery, 6 incisors were splinted and proclined for 4 weeks, followed by 16 weeks of retention. At 24 weeks after surgery, casts were made and compared with those made before surgery, and radiographic and histomorphometric analyses were performed. RESULTS: Despite the proclination of the incisal tip (by approximately 3 mm), labial gingival recession did not occur. The labial gingiva was thicker in the AT group (1.85±0.50 mm vs. 1.76±0.45 mm, P>0.05) and CM group (1.90±0.33 mm vs. 1.79±0.20 mm, P>0.05) than in their respective control groups. CONCLUSIONS: The level of the labial gingival margin did not change following labial proclination of incisors in dogs. Both the AT and CM groups showed enhanced gingival thickness.

Prediction of mandibular movement and its center of rotation for nonsurgical correction of anterior open bite via maxillary molar intrusion.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate quantitatively the relationship between molar intrusion (change [Δ] maxillary first molar [U6]-palatal plane [PP]) and changes in vertical and sagittal cephalometric parameters and to determine the center of mandibular autorotation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients diagnosed with anterior open bite and successfully treated with molar intrusion (overbite [OB] > 0 mm) were retrospectively enrolled. Lateral cephalograms taken before and after molar intrusion were used to measure changes in vertical and sagittal cephalometric parameters. The center of mandibular autorotation was calculated by measuring displacement of gonion (Go) and pogonion (Pog). Paired t-tests were used to compare variables, and linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between ΔU6-PP and other variables. RESULTS: The mandible exhibited counterclockwise rotation after maxillary molar intrusion, which led to closure of anterior open bite. Strong linear relationships, in descending order, between ΔU6-PP and ΔOB, Δanterior facial height (AFH), Δvertical reference plane (Pog), and Δsella-nasion to Go-menton (SN-GoMe), were observed. When the maxillary molar was intruded 1 mm, OB increased by 2.6 mm, AFH decreased by 1.7 mm, Pog moved forward by 2.3 mm, and SN-GoMe decreased by 2°. The center of mandibular autorotation was located 7.4 mm behind and 16.9 mm below condylion after molar intrusion. CONCLUSIONS: The mandible exhibited counterclockwise rotation after maxillary molar intrusion; the center of mandibular autorotation was located behind and below condylion with individual variations.

DNA Island Formation on Binary Block Copolymer Vesicles.

Here, we report DNA-induced polymer segregation and DNA island formation in binary block copolymer assemblies. A DNA diblock copolymer of polymethyl acrylate-block-DNA (PMA-b-DNA) and a triblock copolymer of poly(butadiene)-block-poly(ethylene oxide)-block-DNA (PBD-b-PEO-b-DNA) were synthesized, and each was coassembled with a prototypical amphiphilic polymer of poly(butadiene)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PBD-b-PEO). The binary self-assembly of PMA-b-DNA and PBD-b-PEO resulted in giant polymersomes with DNA uniformly distributed in the hydrophilic PEO shell. When giant polymersomes were connected through specific DNA interactions, DNA block copolymers migrated to the junction area, forming DNA islands within polymersomes. These results indicate that DNA hybridization can induce effective lateral polymer segregation in mixed polymer assemblies. The polymer segregation and local DNA enrichment have important implications in DNA melting properties, as mixed block copolymer assemblies with low DNA block copolymer contents can still exhibit useful DNA melting properties that are characteristic of DNA nanostructures with high DNA density.