The effectiveness of minimally-invasive corticotomy-assisted orthodontic treatment of palatally impacted canines compared to the traditional traction method in terms of treatment duration, velocity of traction movement and the associated dentoalveolar changes: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a minimally-invasive corticotomy-assisted treatment of palatally impacted canines (PICs) compared with the traditional method by evaluating treatment time, the velocity of movement, and the associated dentoalveolar changes. Materials and methods: Forty-six patients with palatally or mid-alveolar upper impacted canines were recruited and distributed into two groups: the corticotomy-assisted traction group (CAT group, mean age: 20.39±2.27 years) and the traditional treatment group (TT group, mean age: 20.26±2.17 years). The closed surgical approach was used in both study groups. The velocity of traction movement, traction duration and overall treatment duration were evaluated clinically. In addition, the bone support ratios and the amount of root resorption were assessed on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Results: At the end of treatment, significant differences were found between the two groups regarding the velocity of traction movement, traction time, and overall treatment time (P<0.05). The mean velocity of traction movement in the CAT group was greater than the TT group ( x velocity=1.15±0.35 mm/month; 0.70±0.33 mm/month, P=0.027, respectively). The duration of the active traction and the overall orthodontic treatment in the CAT group were significantly shorter than the TT group by 36% and 29%, respectively. The mean bone support ratios of the aligned canines did not differ significantly between the two groups (88% vs. 89% in the CAT and TT groups, respectively). No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding the mean amount of root resorption on the adjacent laterals ( x resorption = 1.30±1.18 mm; 1.22±1.02 mm, P=0.612, in CAT and TT groups, respectively). Conclusions: The traction movement velocity of the palatally impacted canines can be increased using minimally-invasive corticotomy-assisted orthodontic treatment. The side effects of the acceleration procedure were minimal and almost similar to those of the traditional technique.

Adult periodontal comparison after treatment of palatally impacted canines aligned by conventional or accelerated minimally-invasive corticotomy-assisted orthodontic traction: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the post-treatment periodontal status of the palatally impacted canines and their adjacent teeth treated by an accelerated minimally-invasive corticotomy-assisted method versus the conventional traction method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A parallel-group two-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted on patients with palatally or mid-alveolar unilateral impacted canines. Participants were randomly selected and allocated to receive the conventional treatment (CT) with a closed surgical approach, or accelerated treatment (CAT). The evaluated periodontal variables were periodontal pocket depth (PPD), keratinized tissue width (KTW), gingival recession level (GRL), papillary bleeding index (PBI) and Gingival Index (GI). All post-treatment periodontal measurements were performed two weeks after removing the fixed orthodontic appliance. RESULTS: In total, 46 patients were included (CT group: n=23; mean age: 20.26±2.17 years), or accelerated treatment (CAT group: n=23; mean age: 20.39±2.27 years). The differences between the two study groups were non-significant for all periodontal outcomes at all measurement points (P>.05). The mean total values of PPD around the aligned canine did not exceed 2mm (XPPD=1.99±0.25mm; 1.91±0.26mm, in the CT and CAT group, respectively, P=0.677). The results of total values of PPD on the adjacent teeth were nearly similar in the two study groups (mean difference: 0.12mm; 0.02mm, for the lateral incisor and the first premolar, respectively). Very low GRL values were detected in the two study groups. CONCLUSIONS: The use of corticotomy-assisted method did not impair the periodontal health in the short follow-up term. Both treatment modalities are considered acceptable in terms of post-treatment periodontal outcomes, as the gingival indices levels were at low values.

Assessment of Patient-Centered Outcomes When Treating Palatally Impacted Canines Using Conventional Versus Accelerated Minimally Invasive Corticotomy-Assisted Orthodontic Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective This study aimed to investigate whether there were any differences in pain levels, discomfort, and functional impairments when treating palatally impacted canines (PICs) using the conventional treatment method compared to the accelerated minimally invasive corticotomy-assisted method. Materials and methods Fifty-two patients (11 males and 41 females) with unilateral PICs were included. The patients were randomly assigned to the conventional traction group (26 patients, mean age of 20.37 ± 2.15 years) or the minimally-invasive corticotomy-assisted group (26 patients, mean age of 20.18 ± 2.18 years). The levels of pain, discomfort, and functional difficulties were assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) after 24 hours (T1), four days (T2), seven days (T3), 14 days (T4), and 28 days (T5) following the surgical exposure procedure. Results There were no statistically significant differences between the two treatment groups for any patient-centered outcome at all assessment times (P>0.01). The levels of pain and discomfort were slightly greater in the conventional group than in the corticotomy-assisted group on the first day after surgical exposure, with no significant difference between the two groups (mean pain: 4.11, P=0.481; mean discomfort: 9.00, P=0.223). Pain and discomfort required seven days to reach low levels and four weeks to reach the lowest levels in both study groups. The levels of swelling, mastication difficulties, swallowing difficulties, limitation in jaw movements and speech changes were mild to moderate on the first postoperative day and the recovery time was four days postoperatively for swallowing difficulties and speech changes. In comparison, the recovery time was seven days for the other three outcomes in both study groups. Conclusions After one day of the surgical intervention, either by conventional or corticotomy-assisted methods, the patients reported mild to moderate pain, discomfort, and functional impairments. These disabilities gradually reached low levels during the first and second weeks to reach their lowest levels four weeks postoperatively in both study groups. The similarity between the conventional and the acceleration methods in pain levels and other oral disabilities may make corticotomy-assisted treatment a comfortable and effective method when treating adult patients with PICs. In addition, patient satisfaction with the corticotomy-assisted procedure was high.

Comparison of Maximum Heat Generation during Implant Site Preparation between Single and Gradual Drilling Protocols in Artificial D1 Bone Blocks: An In Vitro Study.

Aim: Two protocols for implant site preparation have been demonstrated in the literature: conventional gradual drilling and single drilling. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the maximum temperature changes reached during and after implant site preparation of 4.2 implant diameter using the gradual drilling protocol and single drilling protocol. Material and Methods. The artificial bone block samples (#1522-23; Sawbones, Malmö, Sweden) with the density of d1 were divided into two groups. Twelve implant site preparations were performed with the use of only one drill in group A, and the same number of preparations was performed using five gradual drills in group B. The drilling speed was set for each group at 1500 rpm with the use of external irrigation with a constant of 50 ml/min at room temperature (25 ± 1°C). The maximum temperature changes were measured using an infrared camera (Fluke Ti55, USA). The data were gathered and analyzed using Student's t-test for independent samples. Results: With the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the means of ∆T between groups A and B, group B showed a statistically significant higher temperature change (∆T) than group A. Conclusions: The current outcomes propose that the single drilling protocol, while preparing a bed for a 4.25 mm dental implant in d1 artificial bone blocks, generates less heat than the conventional gradual drilling protocol.

The Effectiveness of Conventional and Accelerated Methods of Orthodontic Traction and Alignment of Palatally Impacted Canines in Terms of Treatment Time, Velocity of Tooth Movement, Periodontal, and Patient-Reported Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

The objective of the current review was to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional and accelerated methods of palatally impacted canine's (PIC) traction in terms of treatment duration, velocity, periodontal, and patient-reported variables. An electronic search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) published between January 1990 and October 2021 was conducted in nine databases. Five major orthodontic journals were hand searched for additional studies. The participants were patients with unilateral or bilateral PICs who received conventional or accelerated orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances. Cochrane's risk of bias tool (RoB 2 tool) for RCTs and ROBINS-I tool for CCTs were used to assess the risk of bias. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines were used to assess the overall quality of the evidence. Nine articles (eight RCTs and one CCT) were included in this review (371 patients). There was no clarity in most studies about the possible effect of the mechanical traction method on treatment outcomes. The treatment duration decreased (about three to six months) when the open surgical method was used with traditional techniques and the traction velocity increased significantly (about 1-1.5 mm/month) when acceleration methods were used. No significant differences were found between the conventional intervention groups, as well as between the traditional and accelerated groups, in terms of most periodontal variables (p > 0.005). No significant differences were found in the pain levels associated with traditional PICs' traction when comparing different exposure methods in the short-term follow-up (1-10 days), while contradictory results were found in the pain incidence between these methods. The relationship between the pain/discomfort levels and the type of mechanical traction method was not evaluated. According to the GRADE, the quality of evidence supporting these findings ranged from low to very low. The combination of the open surgical technique with various designs of either superelastic wires or elastic traction means can lead to a reduction in the orthodontic treatment duration of PICs. The use of direct anchorage by miniscrews to move the PICs away from the adjacent teeth roots can lead to a reduction in root resorption and shorten the treatment duration. The evidence supporting these findings ranged from low to very low. The use of different types of mechanical means for conventional PICs' traction, with the use of open or closed traction techniques, does not lead to significant differences in periodontal outcomes between intervention groups. Contradictory results exist regarding the severity of the perceived pain in relation to the surgical exposure type, and the relationship between this variable and the mechanical traction method is still unclear. The use of accelerated methods for PICs' traction can lead to an increase in the velocity of traction movement with no significant differences in periodontal outcomes between accelerated and conventional methods. The evidence supporting these findings ranged from low to very low. More high-quality randomized CCTs are needed to establish good evidence in this field. The protocol of this systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42021274476) during the first stages of this review.

Evaluation of the efficacy of platelet rich fibrin (I-PRF) intra-articular injections in the management of internal derangements of temporomandibular joints - a controlled preliminary prospective clinical study.

BACKGROUND: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most complex joints in the body. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are among the most troublesome disorders for patients, as they can cause pain, affect oral functions and disturb dentists on the level of diagnosis and treatment. The most common symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders are articulated sounds (such as clicking or TMJ crepitation), joint pain in comfort and function situations (jaw movements), pain or strain in masseter and jaw muscles and or restricted mandibular movements. One of the most modern biocompatible substances used to treat joint disorders, including the TMJ, is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and injectable platelet-rich fibrin (I-PRF). This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of platelet-rich fibrin (I-PRF) intra-articular injections in managing internal derangements of temporomandibular. METHODS: Twenty patients suffering from a unilateral click due to temporomandibular disorders were individually injected with 1 mL of (I-PRF) twice 1 week apart into the superior joint space of the TMJ with the internal disorder. Data were recorded and evaluated by the Helkimo index. This evaluation was conducted three times; 1 week after the first injection, 1 week after the second injection, and 6 months after the first injection. RESULTS: The clicking disappeared entirely in 14 out of 20 patients after 1 week of getting the first injection, and in all patients after 1 week of getting the second injection, and returned to two of them after a six-month since the first injection. CONCLUSION: Preliminary results showed the efficacy of the Injectable Platelet-Rich Fibrin (I-PRF) in managing articular clicking in patients with internal disorders of the temporomandibular joint. Injectable Platelet Rich Fibrin has significant clinical efficacy in treating the articular clicking resulting from internal temporomandibular joint disorders.

The effectiveness of traditional corticotomy vs flapless corticotomy in miniscrew-supported en-masse retraction of maxillary anterior teeth in patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusion: A single-centered, randomized controlled clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: This single-centered, parallel-groups trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of traditional corticotomy vs flapless corticotomy in accelerating en-masse retraction. In addition, to assess the skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue variables, as well as the external apical root resorption (EARR) of the maxillary anterior teeth. METHODS: Forty patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusion aged >18 years at the beginning of treatment, requiring maxillary first premolar extractions, were randomly distributed into 2 groups (n = 20 each): 1 group was treated using traditional corticotomy, and the other group was treated with flapless corticotomy in en-masse retraction with anchorage based on miniscrews placed between maxillary second premolars and first molars bilaterally. Randomization was implemented with a computer-generated list of random numbers; allocation was concealed in sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes. The study was single-blinded (outcomes' assessor). The primary outcome was the en-masse retraction duration. Secondary outcomes were the skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue changes on lateral cephalometric and the EARR of maxillary anterior teeth on digital panoramic radiographs. RESULTS: The en-masse retraction duration in the flapless corticotomy group was longer than the traditional corticotomy group. The average retraction duration was 4.04 ± 1.10 months for the flapless corticotomy group and 3.75 ± 2.14 months for the traditional corticotomy group, with no significant difference between the 2 groups (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.81 to 1.39; P = 0.59). No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups regarding changes in several lateral cephalometric variables (eg, SNA angle [95% CI, -2.55° to 1.66°; P = 0.67], SN-U1 angle [95% CI, -1.70° to 1.32°; P = 0.80], and UL-E [95% CI: -1.33 to 1.00 mm; P = 0.78]) or in the amount of EARR in the maxillary anterior teeth (P = 0.31). The proportion of the observed EARR ranged from 1% to 6% of root length in both corticotomy groups. No serious harms were observed in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences between the flapless and traditional corticotomies were found in terms of the skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue variables as well as in the amount of EARR. Corticotomy-assisted en-masse retraction led to improvements in skeletal structures and facial profile and resulted in sufficient retraction of maxillary anterior teeth, slight distal movement of maxillary first molars, and an intrusion movement for both anterior and posterior teeth. Both corticotomy techniques did not cause significant EARR. REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03279042). PROTOCOL: The protocol was not published before the trial commencement.

En-masse Retraction of Upper Anterior Teeth in Adult Patients with Maxillary or Bimaxillary Dentoalveolar Protrusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of accelerated and non-accelerated methods of en-masse retraction of the upper anterior teeth in terms of skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue variables, as well as the duration of retraction or overall orthodontic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search of PubMed and nine other major databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials (CCTs) was performed between January 1990 and April 2018. The bibliography in each identified article was reviewed. In addition, manual searching was performed in the same time frame in five major orthodontic journals.The participants were patients over 14 years old undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment with extraction of maxillary or bimaxillary premolars followed by en-masse retraction of maxillary anterior teeth in both groups. Cochrane's risk of bias tool for RCTs and methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS) for CCTs were used. RESULTS: Eight articles (six RCTs and two CCTs) were included in this review, and only five articles were suitable for quantitative synthesis. The en-masse retraction caused a decrease in the SNA and ANB angles with no significant differences between the different en-masse retraction methods. Using temporary skeletal anchorage devices (TSADs) gave significantly better results in terms of posterior anchorage in comparison with conventional anchorage(standardized mean difference (SMD) = -3.03 mm, p < 0.001). No significant difference was found between en-masse/flapless corticotomy and en-masse/control groups in terms of anterior teeth retraction (p = 0.661); while there was a significantly greater anterior teeth retraction in corticotomy with flap elevation group compared to control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is a weak to moderate evidence that using accelerated and non-accelerated methods would improve the facial profile and lead to similar skeletal corrections. There is weak to moderate evidence that using TSADs would lead to better posterior anchorage than using conventional anchor-age.Moderate evidence was found regarding the benefit of using piezosurgery in achieving good incisors' inclination. Contradictory results were found regarding the amount of achieved anterior retraction and the retraction time in the studies that evaluated acceleration methods versus the traditional methods of retraction. According to the quality of evidence, there is a need for more well-conducted RCTs, and more work to be oriented towards en-masse retraction with the use of other acceleration methods. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The correction of the maxillary or bimaxillary dentoalveolar protrusion by en-masse retraction of the upper anterior teeth with/without acceleration is accompanied by aesthetic results in the facial soft tissues as well as in the underlying skeletal and dental structures. The traditional corticotomy-assisted retraction is expected to reduce the retraction time significantly. However, the strength of evidence is not strong and requires additional research work.

A comparison between modified and conventional surgical techniques for surgical lip repositioning in the management of the gummy smile.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare conventional and modified lip repositioning surgical techniques used for management of gummy smile involving hyperactive lip elevator muscles. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A prospective study was conducted between April 2016 and May 2017. Twenty two adult patients aged 18-38 years with gummy smile ranging from 4 to 6 mm because of soft tissue disorders were included in the study. All patients were treated in the oral and maxillofacial department at Damascus University. The sample was divided into two groups of 11 patients. The first group was treated by the conventional standard technique, and the second group treated by a modified study technique. The amount of gingival display in full smile was evaluated in both groups following each intervention. RESULTS: Both groups exhibited a statistically significant reduction in the measurement of gummy smile at month 1 and 6 postoperatively (P < .05), but there was no significant difference in gingival display at 3 months in either group postoperatively (P > .05). The recent study showed a significant difference in gingival display between 3 and 6 months postoperatively in group 1, but no significant difference in group 2. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the modified technique utilized in treating gummy smile has less relapse after surgery, shows excellent cosmesis and compared to the conventional technique, greater sustainability. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The recent increase in demand for an esthetic smile has led to the development a modification of conventional lip repositioning for correcting gummy smile by myotomy of lip elevator muscles. This modified technique offers less relapse and greater stability post-operatively than the conventional technique.

Lip repositioning with a myotomy of the elevator muscles for the management of a gummy smile.

BACKGROUND: Excessive gingival display ≥4 mm is commonly referred to as a "gummy smile", which is caused by several different etiologies and can be corrected using various techniques. Therefore, the etiology of a gummy smile dictates the most appropriate treatment approach. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical lip repositioning technique (a full-thickness flap with a myotomy of the elevator muscles) in the management of a gummy smile in the range of 4-6 mm, caused by soft tissue disorders (short upper lip, hyperactive lip elevator muscles). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted between April 2016 and May 2017. Fourteen adult patients, aged 18-38 years, with a gummy smile of 4-6 mm, caused by soft tissue disorders were included in the study. All patients were treated by the surgical lip repositioning technique (a full-thickness flap with a myotomy of the elevator muscles) in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Damascus University, Syria. The amount of gingival display in a full smile and complications after surgery were evaluated in the current study. RESULTS: The results were as follows: the mean amount of gingival display in a full smile was 6.36 mm preoperatively, after 1 month postoperatively - 0.91 mm, after 3 months - 2.27 mm, after 6 months - 2.45 mm. The post-surgery complications were as follows: the infection did not appear in any patient, flap dehiscence appeared in 2 patients (14.2%), numbness appeared in 9 patients (64.2%). Pain recurrences varied between mild pain in 5 patients (35.7%) and moderate pain in 3 patients (21.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed surgical lip repositioning technique showed effectiveness in reducing the amount of gingival display in a full smile through postoperative follow-up periods. All the postoperative complications are temporary and fade within a short period after the surgical procedure, making lip repositioning a safe surgical technique.

Evaluation of Treatment Outcomes of En masse Retraction with Temporary Skeletal Anchorage Devices in Comparison with Two-step Retraction with Conventional Anchorage in Patients with Dentoalveolar Protrusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of en masse retraction with temporary skeletal anchorage devices (TSADs) versus two-step retraction with conventional anchorage (CA) in terms of the skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue variables, as well as the duration of retraction or overall orthodontic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search of PubMed and nine other major databases for prospective, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials (CCTs) was carried out between January 1990 and April 2018. The bibliography in each identified article was checked out. In addition, manual searching was performed in the same time frame in five major orthodontic journals. Adult patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment with extraction of maxillary premolars followed by an en masse retraction in the experimental group and two-step retraction of upper anterior teeth in the control group. Methodological index for nonrandomized studies for CCTs and Cochrane's risk of bias tool for RCTs were applied. RESULTS: Four articles (two RCTs and two CCTs) were included in this review and all articles were appropriate for the quantitative synthesis. There was no significant difference between the en masse retraction and two-step retraction groups in terms of SNA, SNB, ANB, and MP-SN angles. Using TSADs gave significantly better results in terms of posterior anchorage and incisors inclination, and greater anterior teeth retraction in comparison with CA (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -3.03 mm, P < 0.001; SMD = 0.74°, P = 0.003; SMD = -0.46 mm, P = 0.03, respectively). En masse/TSAD combination caused a significantly greater increase in nasolabial angle, higher decrease in facial convexity angle, and greater lower lip retraction in comparison with two-step/CA combination (weighted mean difference = 4.73°, P = 0.007; P = 0.0435; SMD = -0.95 mm, P = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: There is weak-to-moderate evidence that using either en masse/TSAD combination or two-step/CA combination would lead to similar skeletal improvement. There is a very weak-to-moderate evidence that using TSADs with en masse retraction would cause better posterior anchorage and incisors inclination, and greater anterior teeth retraction than using CA with two-step retraction. There is weak-to-moderate evidence that using en masse/TSAD combination would lead to a better improvement in the facial profile. According to the quality of evidence, we confirm the need for more well-conducted RCTs in the en masse retraction field.