Validity and reliability of the orthodontic experience questionnaire in Malayalam, an Indian language.

AIM: To translate the orthodontic experience questionnaire into Malayalam, an Indian language, and assess its validity and reliability in the Kerala population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The original questionnaire, which was developed in English, was translated into Malayalam. Face validity was assessed, and minor changes were made, followed by a content validity assessment by an expert panel. The final version was given to 324 patients who marked their responses on a Likert scale. Internal consistency reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability was tested using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Principal component factor analysis was performed to regroup the valid items. RESULTS: The principal component factor analysis revealed three domains. Reliability assessed by Cronbach's alpha of the whole questionnaire was 0.799, and that of the three domains was 0.73, 0.71, and 0.71, respectively. The test-retest reliability was found to be good (0.798). CONCLUSION: The Malayalam version of the orthodontic experience questionnaire was found to be content valid with good reliability. To obtain a successful treatment result, an orthodontist must be aware of these and this questionnaire, with adequate validity and reliability, has been designed to achieve this in the Malayalam-speaking population.

Orthodontic urgencies and their management during COVID-19 pandemic-A web-based survey.

OBJECTIVES: This investigation aimed to evaluate the most common orthodontic urgencies, their management, and changes in routine biosafety measures and the total income of the dental office in South India during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A questionnaire was drafted using Google Forms with questions in four domains pertaining to orthodontic urgencies, biosafety measures, treatment duration, and income. After validation, this questionnairewas sent to 750 orthodontists via WhatsApp messenger (WhatsApp Inc, Menlo Park, Calif) over a period of 14 days.Descriptive statistics and comparisons were performed using independent t- and Chi-square tests. RESULTS: Majority of the orthodontists (62.3%) had closed their clinics only during the first lockdown. Many (63%) had scheduled urgent appointments along with routine limited patients per day. The most frequent urgencies were related to the breakage of brackets, archwires, molar tubes, bands, and temporary anchorage devices. Aligners were the least problematic. The treatment time was also prolonged. Telephonic advice and virtual assistance via WhatsApp messages/videos were found to be successful in the management of urgencies.Most orthodontists had strengthened their routine biosafety measures.The financial impact of this pandemic was considerable, with nearly 50% reduction in total income. CONCLUSIONS: Urgencies linked to preadjusted edgewise appliances, such as breakage of brackets and tubes, and archwire-related injuries were the most common. Prolongation of treatment time and negative financial impact were the other problems encountered during this pandemic. Drastic changes had occurred in routine biosafety measures, which prevented the spread of infection among orthodontists and patients.

Influence of Primer Pre-curing and Co-curing on Shear Bond Strength of Orthodontic Brackets Using Three Light-cure Adhesive Systems: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the shear bond strength (SBS) of orthodontic brackets with primer pre-curing and co-curing using three light cure adhesive systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this in vitro study, 102 extracted premolar teeth mounted on self-cure acrylic resin blocks were separated into six groups based on primer pre-curing and co-curing with each group receiving stainless steel orthodontic premolar brackets bonded to the buccal surfaces. The following adhesives were used: Transbond XT (3M Unitek, CA, USA), Orthofix (Anabond Stedman, India), and Enlight (Ormco, India). In the groups with pre-curing, the primer was pre-cured for 20 seconds while in the groups with co-curing, the primer and adhesive were cured together. Shear bond strength tests and Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI) were assessed followed by an scanning electron microscope (SEM) view (×3000) of the enamel surface after debonding. Statistical analysis was done using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. RESULTS: The descriptive statistics in the pre-cured groups showed a statistically significant difference. The highest mean SBS was observed for group I, i.e., Transbond XT with primer pre-curing (20.56 ± 3.22 MPa). The lowest mean SBS was for group IV, i.e., Orthofix with primer co-curing (7.57 + 0.49 MPa). The results of ANOVA revealed a significant difference among the groups. The ARI scoring and the SEM analysis also confirmed this finding. CONCLUSION: Shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets with primer pre-curing showed a better bond strength than brackets with co-curing. The ARI data suggested that the majority of bracket failure happened at the resin-bracket interface. Scanning electron microscope analysis also confirmed the ARI and SBS findings. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: During the bonding of orthodontic brackets, the primer can be co-cured where the primer and adhesive resin are cured simultaneously or pre-cured where the primer is cured separately. Most orthodontic clinicians to save time co-cure primer. Both these methods affect the SBS of brackets.

Effect of Different Light-tip Distances on Shear Bond Strength of Orthodontic Brackets Cured with Light-emitting Diode and High-intensity Light-emitting Diode.

AIM: The aim was to find out whether the light-tip distance affected the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets when cured with light-emitting diode (LED) and high-intensity LED at four different light-tip distances. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Extracted human premolars were divided into eight groups. Each tooth was embedded in the self-cure acrylic resin block, and brackets were bonded and cured with different lights and different distances. Shear bond strength tests were performed in vitro using the universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA test. RESULTS: The descriptive statistics for shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets cured with LED light at 0 mm was 8.49 ± 1.08 MPa, at 3 mm was 8.13 ± 0.85 MPa, 6 mm was 6.42 ± 0.42 MPa, and at 9 mm was 5.24 ± 0.92 MPa, and those cured with high-intensity light at 0 mm was 19.23 ± 4.83 MPa, at 3 mm was 17.65 ± 3.28 MPa, at 6 mm was 13.04 ± 2.36 MPa, and at 9 mm was 11.74 ± 1.4 MPa. Mean shear bond strength was found to decrease as the light-tip distance increased with both light sources. CONCLUSION: Shear bond strength is higher when the light source is close to the surface to be cured, and it decreases as the distance increases. The highest shear bond strength was achieved with high-intensity light. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Light-emitting diode or high-intensity units can be used for bonding orthodontic brackets without compromising the shear bond strength of the brackets, and that shear bond strength is stronger when the light source is close to the surface to be cured, and it decreases as the distance increases between the light source and the surface.

Midline Mini-Implant-Assisted True Intrusion of Maxillary Anterior Teeth for Improved Smile Esthetics in Gummy Smile.

A 15-year-old female patient reported with a chief complaint of reduced facial esthetics due to proclination of incisors and excess visibility of teeth during smile. On clinical and radiographic examination, she had convex facial profile, Angle's Class I malocclusion, proclination of incisors with deep bite and excessive gingival display on smile. Comprehensive orthodontic therapy using fixed appliances, with four first premolar extraction and simultaneous intrusion and retraction of the anteriors with the help of midline mini-implant resulted in achieving all the treatment objectives without any adverse effects on the periodontium or the dentition.

A Retrospective Evaluation of Conventional Rapid Maxillary Expansion versus Alternate Rapid Maxillary Expansion and Constriction Protocol Combined with Protraction Headgear in the Management of Developing Skeletal Class III Malocclusion.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The reverse pull headgear has been widely used to intercept a developing skeletal Class III malocclusion with maxillary deficiency. Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is recommended along with the reverse pull headgear because there is disruption of the circummaxillary and intermaxillary sutures. This, in turn, expedites the orthopedic effect of the reverse pull headgear. However, studies have shown that the circummaxillary sutures may not be fully disrupted by the use of RME alone. The protocol of alternate RME and constriction (Alt-RAMEC) has been found to produce much more beneficial effects. Hence, this retrospective study was conducted to compare and assess the results obtained in the two methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised pre- and post-treatment lateral cephalograms of two groups of nine patients each (total 18 patients - 10 females and 8 males) having skeletal Class III malocclusion (ANB<0°) due to a retrognathic maxilla with or without associated mandibular prognathism treated at the Department of Orthodontics of a teaching institute in Kerala. The patients were treated with either Alt-RAMEC/protraction or RME/protraction. The statistical analysis of the data was done using statistical package SPSS Version 16 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: Skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue parameters in Group 2 (Alt-RAMEC group) showed very significant changes with the maxilla moving forward, mandible rotating backward and downward, and proclination of the maxillary incisors when compared to Group 1. CONCLUSIONS: It may be concluded from the results of our study that the Alt-RAMEC protocol and reverse pull headgear might be more effective than conventional RME and the reverse pull headgear to correct a retruded maxilla in a developing skeletal Class III patient.

Platelets and Their Pathways in Dentistry: Systematic Review.

Advancing research in medicine and technology has benefitted the mankind immensely with its contribution toward an improved life quality and increased life expectancy. The inability of a human body to autoregenerate has resulted in an increased demand for newer and healthier tissues and organs. Therefore, the restoration of naturally replicated tissue components has become a subject of interest for the scientific community lately. There was felt an intense quest for promoting strategies that could restore tissue regeneration and fuel the field of regenerative medicine. It was then the role of platelets was accounted for its wound healing and regenerative effects. Consequently, the use of platelet concentrates to improve wound healing, and bone formation was explored, which was considered to be possible because platelets contain high quantities of growth factors which would be able to stimulate cell proliferation, matrix remodeling, and angiogenesis, thereby establishing a new era of research with the successful application of innovative medical therapies focused on healing damaged tissues or regenerate the affected organs.