Effect of Sleeping Disorders on the Growth Parameters of Lebanese Children.

Background: Sleep is a vital physiological function for the maintenance of health and quality of life by ensuring body rest and restoring its energy levels. Remarkably, some children have sleep disordered breathing (SDB) that can disturb their normal sleep and affect the quality of their lives. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between SDB and growth impairments and wether the growth parameters vary among genders. Methods: This study was conducted in two steps: 1500 questionnaires were distributed to children aged 3 to 12 years. The questionnaire covered personal information, medical history, and the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire. The latter was used to evaluate the incidence of sleep-disordered breathing and was completed by parents of the involved children. Growth assessment was then determined for the population to find the correlation between sleep disorders and growth impairments. Results: A total of 931 completed questionnaires were returned (70.7% response rate). Among the respondents, 56.3% were females whereas 43.3% were males. The mean age was 8 years. The result showed that 16.11% of children were at high risk of sleep-disordered breathing. A significant effect of SDB syndrome on growth parameters (weight-for-age parameter z-score and BMI for age z-score) was observed among males. Concerning the weight for age z-score, a significant difference was found between the means of control and SDB individuals (P = 0.0302). In male groups, the difference was significant (P=0.043), while non-significant difference was found in female groups (P = 0.69). Conclusion: This study highlights a significant effect of SDB on growth parameters among males aged between 3 and 12 years.

Alveolar Bone and Epithelial Attachment Status following Two Different Closed-eruption Surgical Techniques for Impacted Maxillary Central Incisors.

AIM: Two eruption surgical techniques are commonly described for the treatment of upper impacted central incisors (ICIs): Open and closed. Currently, the closed-eruption surgical technique (CEST) is the most commonly used, as it allows for the best esthetic and periodontal results.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of traction discontinuation on maxillary central incisor sulcal depth and alveolar bone ridge levels compared with contralateral incisors, when CEST is used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study involved 28 unilateral impacted maxillary central incisors treated by CEST. Thirteen teeth were subjected to traction interruption for a month at the time of emergence of the crown, while 15 teeth underwent continuous traction. One year after treatment, periapical digital X-rays, anterosuperior cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) scanning, and periodontal probing of the ICIs and contralateral central incisors (CCIs) were performed. Student's t-test was used to study whether a statistically significant difference between continuous and interrupted tractions takes place while using the CCI measurements as reference. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the two techniques only for the following measurements: Mesial probing (p-value 0.039352), labial bone level (p-value 2.58E-08), and palatal bone level (p-value 2.56E-06). LIMITATIONS: A larger sample size and longer term follow-up are needed to draw more robust conclusions. CONCLUSION: A temporary discontinuation during traction of the tooth appears to positively impact treatment outcome on ICIs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: • The CEST leads to the best periodontal status for ICIs.• The discontinuation of traction at the emergence of the tooth allows the supracrestal fibers to insert into the cement in a proper way.How to cite this article: Sfeir E, Gholmieh M, Skaf Z, Mourad A. Alveolar Bone and Epithelial Attachment Status following Two Different Closed-eruption Surgical Techniques for Impacted Maxillary Central Incisors. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2018;11(4):317-322.

In vitro Macro-qualitative Comparison of Three Enamel Stripping Procedures: What is the Best Shape We can get?

AIM: Interdental stripping is a common clinical procedure in orthodontic therapy, by reshaping the proximal contacts. Handheld abrasive strips have been criticized as time-consuming process. Metallic strip system, diamond disk, or segment disks have become increasingly popular. The aim of this study is to evaluate the morphological aspects of remodeled dental surfaces so as to conclude which of the different techniques (disk, bur, or strip) used to reduce the mesiodistal diameter is the best to reproduce the initial contour of the proximal surface of the tooth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-nine pieces ("teeth") were prepared from permanent healthy teeth (premolars and molars) extracted for orthodontic reasons. They were mounted on a stand resembling the position of the natural teeth in a mild crowded dentition. The "teeth" are divided into three groups as follows: group S (strip): 26 "teeth," group D (disk): 25 "teeth," group B (bur): 28 "teeth." In order to study the changes, these prepared "teeth" are macro-photographed in groups of 5 before and after proximal grinding. RESULTS: The "teeth" contours have been identified using piecewise cubic Hermit polynomials. The change in the contour has been traduced in terms of the change of curvature in the "teeth" contours. We used the z-test in order to find the confidence interval for the proportion of the class "+" for each of the techniques B, S, and D. With confidence level of 95%, we obtained the following confidence intervals:B = (0.6943; 0.9057); S = (0.9093; 1.0138); D = (0.6184; 0.8616)These results can be interpreted, as the technique S is significantly much better than the other two techniques if we aim at conserving the shape of the teeth before and after treatment. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the use of a strip for remodeling the proximal surface of a tooth is an optimal technique to preserve the proximal shape of the tooth although it requires more time. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The use of abrasive strip preserves the best shape of the proximal side. Abrasive strip could be the last step of any proximal reshaping technique.How to cite this article: Nassif N, Gholmieh MN, Sfeir E, Mourad A. In vitro Macro-qualitative Comparison of Three Enamel Stripping Procedures: What is the Best Shape We can get? Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(4):358-362.