Association between sex of the individual with untreated cleft lip and social judgement made by lay persons: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether there is an association between an individual's sex and social judgements made by lay persons regarding untreated cleft lip. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lay individuals over 18 years old were recruited through an application to respond online to two questionnaires: a sociodemographic survey and the Brazilian Version of Lay Persons' Social Judgements about Cleft-lip Scale (B-LSojCleft-S). B-LSojCleft-S comprises 14 items evaluating social judgements made by laypersons concerning different types of untreated cleft lips in teenagers. The 14 items are linked to 8 images featuring untreated cleft lips and 1 image without a cleft (control). Higher scores represented more favourable social judgements. Independent samples t-test, paired, and multiple linear regression were conducted (P < 0.05). The study assessed judgements of untreated cleft lips in male and female adolescents using the B-LSojCleft-S. RESULTS: The mean age of the 217 participants was 37.78 ± 12.39 years, predominantly women (72.7%), married (47.7%), with a monthly income below three minimum wages (35.6%) in the majority of cases. Significantly higher social judgement scores were observed in the control group (no cleft) compared to any type of cleft (P < 0.001), with similar scores obtained for the same types of clefts with female or male images (P > 0.05). The participant's sex is associated with social judgement scores (F [1, 214] = 6.318, P = 0.013; adjusted R2 = 0.024), with females making more favourable judgements than males (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with cleft lips receive more negative social judgement scores, regardless of their own sex. Women make better social judgements than men.

Evaluation of the impact of orthodontists' smile with malocclusions on social media and professional credibility.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed laypeople's perceptions of orthodontist credibility based on malocclusions and whether these views affect their choice to seek treatment. Eye-tracking technology and questionnaires were utilized. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-five lay raters, through eye tracking and a questionnaire, assessed 12 images of orthodontists with malocclusions. Malocclusions were categorized by the Index Of Treatment Need (IOTN) as grade 1 (near ideal), 3 (anterior crowding), and 5 (with diastemas). Fixation points were recorded, and credibility was gauged via questionnaires. A Mentimeter word cloud was generated. RESULTS: IOTN 1 orthodontists were viewed as more credible than IOTN 3 (p < 0.001) and 5 (p < 0.001). Raters were more willing to receive treatment from IOTN 1 orthodontists. The focus for IOTN 1 was between eyes and mouth, while IOTN 3 and 5 were on the mouth. "Crooked teeth" and "spacing" were predominant in word clouds for IOTN 3 and 5. CONCLUSION: Orthodontists with an IOTN grade 1 rating were perceived as more competent, reliable, and professional, thus making it more likely for laypeople to choose them as their preferred providers. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The smiles of professionals play a significant role in laypeople's decision to choose them as their orthodontist, and strategic utilization of social media can effectively deliver health information to a larger audience in a faster and more direct manner.

Assessment of awake bruxism and oral mucosa indentation in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Oral mucosa indentations can be signs of awake bruxism (AB) in adults, but this association has not yet been verified in adolescents. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the frequency of AB in adolescents and determine whether there is an association between AB and oral mucosa indentation. METHODS: This study enrolled 66 high school students, mean age of 16.9 (±0.54) years. Clinical inspection was performed to assess the presence or absence of tongue, cheek and lip mucosa indentation. AB was assessed by the Ecological Momentary Assessment method using the WhatsApp mobile app. Messages were sent 15 times a day, 7 days, between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM at random times to choose one of the five oral behaviours: teeth contact, teeth clenching, teeth grinding, mandible bracing and relaxed jaw muscles. The non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test for independent samples, Friedman test for paired samples, Friedman pairwise multiple comparisons non-parametric test, Pearson's chi-squared tests, and z-test of comparisons between two proportions were performed (p < .05). RESULTS: During the week the frequency of AB behaviours was 56.20%, teeth contact was the most frequent (37.68% ± 22.26%), significantly more frequent than other AB behaviours; there was a greater frequency of cheek indentation (27.27%) and no difference between genders in oral behaviours and indentations (p > .05). A higher frequency of AB behaviours was observed in individuals with a greater frequency of cheek indentation (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Teeth contact and cheek indentation were the most frequent conditions among adolescents and AB behaviours are associated with this indentation.

Predictors of perceived stress and quality of life amongst dental master and doctoral students.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify predictors of perceived stress and quality of life (QoL) amongst dental master and doctoral students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with Brazilian students as participants (n = 707). The following instruments were administered: Perceived stress scale (PSS), the WHOQOL-BREF and a socio-demographic questionnaire. A linear regression model was estimated. RESULTS: The results showed that female was associated with higher scores of PSS and lower scores of QoL. A negative correlation was observed between PSS and all four domains of QoL. Multivariate analysis revealed that the set of selected variables partially explained the variability of PSS score (28%) and the four QoL domains: physical (52%), psychological (62%), social relationships (25%) and environment (37%). The variable number of children, hours of sleep, concurrent work and study, leisure time and physical activity practice were associated with positive changes on QoL, whilst PSS and medication intake with negative. Lower PSS score was associated with the variables age, hours of sleep, leisure time and physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that perceived stress and medication intake due to study are important predictors of lower QoL in dental master and doctoral students, especially in the psychological domain. More hours of sleep, leisure time and physical activity improved both QoL and perceived stress scores and might be feasible coping strategies for these outcomes in this population.

Distalization of maxillary molars with Invisalign aligners in nonextraction patients with Class II malocclusion.

INTRODUCTION: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate whether the treatment of Class II malocclusion with Invisalign aligners with sequential distalization of posterior teeth in adult patients would meet the criteria of American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) standards for the treatment and assess the predictive value of ClinCheck Pro software with the final results comparing the initial time, predictive planning using ClinCheck Pro software, and the final time without any require refinement. METHODS: The sample consisted of 32 adult patients with Class II malocclusion (n = 32 [7 men and 25 women]; mean age 35.47 ± 9.61 years). All of them used a set of Invisalign aligners; no refinement set was evaluated. The 7 measurements of the ABO Model Grading System, the millimeter measurements for the anteroposterior ratios of maxillary first molars and the overbite were used in the evaluations and were compared in phases initial time, predictive planning using ClinCheck Pro software, and the final time. For the intraexaminer reliability test, the intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated to analyze the reliability of the measures. The Shapiro-Wilk normality test was used to examine whether the variables were normally distributed. The Wilcoxon nonparametric test for paired samples was applied for variables that did not show normal distribution. The parametric Student t test for paired samples was used for variables that presented normal distribution. The significance level adopted for this study was 0.05. RESULTS: In comparison between final ClinCheck and posttreatment results, the ABO index showed a statistically significant difference between the predictions and results for alignment and rotation, buccolingual inclination, overjet, occlusal contact, occlusal relationship, molar relationship, and overbite. The final score of the ABO scores did not meet the standards for Class II correction, contrary to what the ClinCheck Pro software predicted. CONCLUSIONS: The null hypothesis that distalization of the posterior teeth occurs in adult patients using Invisalign aligners was rejected. The treatment of Class II malocclusion with Invisalign aligners did not occur as estimated by the virtual planning prepared by ClinCheck according to the standards for evaluating occlusal results established by the ABO at the end of the use of a set of aligners with sequential distalization.

Effect of treatment of transverse maxillary deficiency using rapid palatal expansion on oral health-related quality of life in children: A randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: This trial aimed to longitudinally evaluate the effect of the treatment of transverse maxillary deficiency using rapid palatal expansion (RPE) on self-perceived oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in children. METHODS: Eighty participants aged 8-10 years with transverse maxillary deficiency and bilateral posterior crossbite were randomly assigned to 2 groups (n = 40 each): a group treated with RPE using hyrax-type appliances and a nontreated control group. OHRQOL was assessed by using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire for 8-10-year-olds at 4 times: before RPE, during RPE (T1), at the end of RPE (T2), and 1 month after the appliance removal (T3). Generalized mixed models were used for data analysis (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Both groups exhibited similar demographic characteristics and OHRQOL scores at baseline. All participants completed the study. RPE had a time-dependent effect on OHRQOL. At T1 and T2, this therapy is expected to increase the overall OHRQOL scores by 1.17 times (ie, ∼17% increase; T1 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.26; T2 95% CI, 1.09-1.27; P = 0.001). In contrast, the overall OHRQOL scores at T3 are expected to be 0.28 times the baseline scores (ie, ∼72% reduction; T3 95% CI, 0.26-0.31; P = 0.001). All individual domains of the OHRQOL evidenced a positive impact of treatment at T3 (P = 0.001). Only the oral symptoms and social well-being domains showed a significantly negative impact of the treatment at T1 and T2. CONCLUSIONS: Correction of the transverse maxillary deficiency by RPE in children aged 8-10 years improves OHRQOL. There is a temporary worsening of OHRQOL during the treatment of this condition using RPE. REGISTRATION: This trial was not registered. PROTOCOL: The protocol was not published before trial commencement. FUNDING: This study was financed by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brazil, Financing Code 001.

Orthodontic treatment after intrusive dislocation and fracture of the maxillary central incisors.

The treatment for intrusive dislocation is a clinical challenge and must be started soon after the intrusion injury. The affected tooth or teeth must be extruded by using light forces. This case report of traumatic intrusion of permanent central incisors aims to describe and discuss the process of repositioning the teeth in the dental arch. After a domestic accident, a 10-year-2-month-old boy suffered 11-mm intrusion of the maxillary central incisors along with enamel-dentin fracture and subluxation of the maxillary lateral incisors. Treatment started 2 days after the incident with an orthodontic extrusion of the maxillary central incisors with a fixed edgewise standard appliance. Orthodontic arches were used, and the force vectors were directed to the desired locations for the repositioning of the teeth. The treatment for extrusion and stabilization of the maxillary central incisors lasted 5 months and 22 days. Orthodontic traction with a fixed appliance is an effective procedure for the extrusion of both permanent maxillary central incisors intruded after trauma. Correct diagnosis, a short period between the trauma and the beginning of treatment, and appropriate mechanics were determining factors for a successful treatment.

Effect of isotretinoin on induced tooth movement in rats.

INTRODUCTION: This study was performed to evaluate the effect of isotretinoin on tooth displacement and tissues related to induced tooth movement (ITM) in rats. METHODS: Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: vegetable oil (O; n = 40), 7.5 mg/kg isotretinoin (I; n = 40), vegetable oil + ITM (OM; n = 44), and 7.5 mg/kg isotretinoin and ITM (IM; n = 39). After the daily application of the solutions for 30 days, an orthodontic appliance was installed to mesially displace the maxillary first right molar (30 cN) of rats in the OM and IM groups. The animals were killed 2, 7, 14, or 21 days after placement of the devices. The animals in the O and I groups did not undergo ITM but were killed simultaneously. The animals were examined for tooth displacement, the neoformation of mature collagen, bone and root resorption, the presence of hyalinized areas, and trabecular bone modeling by microcomputed tomography. RESULTS: There was no difference in tooth displacement, the number of osteoclasts, the presence of hyalinized areas, or trabecular bone among the O, I, OM, and IM groups across the periods tested (P >0.05). A lower percentage of mature collagen was found in the IM group than in the OM group on day 7 (P <0.05). A lower frequency of root resorption was found in the IM group than in the OM group on days 2 and 21 (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Isotretinoin at 7.5 mg/kg decreased root resorption in rats subjected to ITM.

Impact of oral-health-related quality of life and self-esteem on patients with missing maxillary lateral incisor after orthodontic space closure: a single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The maxillary lateral incisor is one of the teeth most likely to suffer agenesis, resulting in spacing between the central incisor and the canine. OBJECTIVE: To compare maxillary lateral incisor agenesis with space closure treatment versus non-treatment based on measurements of the self-perceived oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and self-esteem of the participants. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 44 people, aged 17-49 years, with missing lateral incisors were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 22 in each)-a treated group in which the space was orthodontically closed (TG) and a control group that remained untreated (CG). Randomization was performed by a researcher who was not involved in the clinical part of the study. The outcomes were assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, which were applied before (phase 1) and after (phase 2) the orthodontic treatment in the TG, and at baseline (phase 1) and 12 months after (phase 2) in the CG. All the data were blindly evaluated, supporting the single-blinded design of the study. RESULTS: All participants finished the randomized controlled trial, and the demographic characteristics were similar between the groups. In phase 1, the levels of self-esteem and OHRQoL at baseline were similar (P = 0.079, P = 0.693, respectively). In phase 2, the self-esteem scores of the CG decreased and the OHRQoL increased (P = 0.005, P < 0.001, respectively), while self-esteem increased in the TG and the OHRQoL decreased (P < 0.001). The CG had lower scores than the TG for self-esteem, but the opposite was observed for OHRQoL (P < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: Information bias may have occurred. Since the questionnaires could not have been applied at the same time in both groups, the time difference between the two assessments may have led to random and systematic error. CONCLUSIONS: The spacing resulting from missing maxillary lateral incisors had a negative impact on the OHRQoL and self-esteem of the participants, while orthodontically closing those spaces had a positive impact on those aspects. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was not registered. PROTOCOL: The protocol was not published before trial commencement.

Long-term stability of a Class III malocclusion with severe anterior open bite and bilateral posterior crossbite in a hyperdivergent patient.

Anterior open bite malocclusion is generally associated with several causes. This case report describes the 2-phase treatment of a 13-year-old boy with a Class III malocclusion, severe anterior open bite, and bilateral posterior crossbite treated without surgical intervention. An orthopedic approach was performed in phase 1 with a hyrax-type palatal expander, followed by maxillary protraction with a facemask for a 10-month period to promote the correction of transverse and sagittal deviations. In phase 2, a comprehensive orthodontic approach using fixed preadjusted appliances associated with intermaxillary elastics was performed. These approaches, combined with good patient compliance, established a functional and esthetic occlusal relationship, normal overjet and overbite, and a well-balanced facial appearance. The 4.5-year follow-up indicated that treatment results were stable.

Nonsurgical treatment of skeletal maxillary protrusion with gummy smile using headgear for growth control, mini-implants as anchorage for maxillary incisor intrusion, and premolar extractions for incisor retraction.

INTRODUCTION: An adolescent girl, aged 12 years 11 months, was evaluated for orthodontic treatment. Her chief complaints included a difficulty with keeping her lips passively closed and excessive gingival exposure upon smiling. Her treatment plan included (1) restriction of maxillary growth with cervical headgear, (2) extraction of the maxillary first premolars to reduce the maxillary protrusion and the mandibular second premolars to facilitate Class II dental correction, and (3) management of maxillary incisor intrusion via anchoring with mini-implants. When indicated, even in the absence of large space discrepancies, extractions can be beneficial to the patient. The final results showed an attractive smile, passive lip seal, and a more esthetic and balanced facial profile. Retention records confirmed the stability of the treatment. The 5-year follow-up visit revealed that the treatment results were quite stable.

Distalization rate of maxillary canines in an alveolus filled with leukocyte-platelet-rich fibrin in adults: A randomized controlled clinical split-mouth trial.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the distalization rate and changes in inclination of the maxillary canines in alveoli preserved with leukocyte-platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) membranes in adult patients. The null hypothesis was that there are no differences in the canine distalization movement rate between the treated and the control sides. METHODS: A total of 21 healthy adult patients with a minimum age of 20 years (mean age, 33 ± 5.9 years) and Angle Class I or Class II Division 1 malocclusion, who had an indication of extraction of the maxillary first premolars and orthodontic distalization of the maxillary canines were included in this study. A randomized controlled clinical split-mouth trial was conducted; the experimental maxillary side was treated with L-PRF membranes, and the other side served as the control. A randomization sequence of the experimental sides among patients was generated using the random number generation function of Microsoft Excel. Neither the patients nor the operators were blinded. Fifteen days after the extractions, distalization was initiated using an elastic chain applying 150 g of force to the canines on a 0.020-in stainless steel archwire. The distalization rate was the main outcome of the study, and it was assessed monthly for 5 months through the intraoral use of a flexible ruler. The degree of inclination of the canines was the secondary outcome, and it was evaluated through cone-beam computed tomography. A Shapiro-Wilk test was performed, and a Wilcoxon signed rank test was subsequently used to compare the experimental and the control group. Spearman rank correlation coefficient was calculated to evaluate the correlation between distalization and inclination for each side. RESULTS: Four of the subjects dropped out of the study, leaving a total of 17 patients (n = 17). The distalization rate and inclination of the canines were greater on the control side than on the side treated with L-PRF (P <0.05). A weak correlation was found between the distalization rate and inclination of the canines for both sides (control side, ρ = 0.17; experimental, ρ = 0.11). No harm was observed during the study. CONCLUSIONS: The null hypothesis was rejected. The use of L-PRF in young adult patients decreased the rate of distalization and changes in inclination of the maxillary canines compared with the control group. REGISTRATION: This trial was not registered. PROTOCOL: The protocol was not published before trial commencement.

Comparative study between different groups of esthetic component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and eye tracking.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to determine how different people perceive distinct malocclusions with the use of eye tracking and to compare the results with scores from the subjective visual attractiveness scale (VAS) following 3 grades obtained from the Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (AC-IOTN) scale. METHODS: Ninety participants were equally distributed into 3 groups-dentists, orthodontists, and laypeople-and underwent 1 eye-tracking session. After being positioned and calibrated, they were shown 3 dental images. The images reflected the AC-IOTN grades of 1 (close to ideal), 5 (borderline need for treatment), and 8 (definite need for treatment). During the viewing, eye-tracker data were collected for fixation points, duration, and attractiveness (according to the VAS) for each image. The variables were statistically tested with the use of 2-way analysis of variance and complete factorial model (between groups, grades, and for the interactions between them). RESULTS: Grade 1 received the highest subjective score independently from the participant group. This was in contrast to grades 5 and 8, which received similar scores, although the means of fixation points and duration were not significantly different among the grades (P > 0.05). The scores obtained from the dentist group were significantly higher than those from the other groups when the comparison was independent from the grade. In terms of fixation points, there were differences between dentists and orthodontists and between orthodontists and laypeople. The fixation point mean was higher for orthodontists than for dentists and was similar to that for laypeople. CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontists were able to closely analyze the occlusal problems presenting with more severe malocclusions, and the specialists noticed more fixation points. Duration times, however, were not significantly different, because the orthodontists had greater interest, even in situations of unfavorable esthetics.

Oral health-related quality of life of children before, during, and after anterior open bite correction: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: One of the goals of malocclusion treatment is to improve the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients. The aim of this trial was to assess the OHRQoL of children before, during, and after anterior open bite (AOB) correction, compared with nontreated children, in a 2-arm parallel single-blind randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Eighty children with AOB aged 8-10 years were randomly assigned to 2 groups (n = 40 each): a group treated with the use of fixed palatal crib (FPC; TG) and a control group (nontreated; CG). Randomization was performed with the use of BioEstat software. The outcome (OHRQoL) was assessed with the use of the validated Brazilian Portuguese version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8-10) applied before (baseline, phase 1), 3 months after FPC placement (phase 2), and 1 month after FPC removal (phase 3) in the TG. In the CG, CPQ8-10 was applied at baseline (phase 1), 3 months (phase 2), and 12 months (phase 3). Data were analyzed by means of a blinded statistic with the use of Friedman, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS: All participants finished the RCT, and demographic characteristics were similar between groups. In phase 1, the TG had lower scores for the "social well-being" domain (P = 0.02). In phase 2, the CG had higher scores than the TG for the "emotional well-being" and "social well-being" domains, but the opposite was observed for "oral symptoms" and "functional limitations" (P < 0.001). In phase 3, the TG showed a lower impact on OHRQoL than the CG in all domains and in the overall score (P < 0.001). In the 3 phases, the CG showed progressive increase (mean scores 70.37, 74.70, and 84.22, respectively; P < 0.001) and the TG a decrease (mean scores 70.20, 70.80, and 6.05, respectively; P < 0.001) in overall scores. The increase of scores in the CG was considered to represent a serious harm. CONCLUSIONS: Correction of AOB had a positive impact and failure to correct it had a negative impact on the OHRQoL of children. REGISTRATION: This trial was not registered. PROTOCOL: The protocol was not published before trial commencement.

Association of clinical variables and polymorphisms in RANKL, RANK, and OPG genes with external apical root resorption.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of clinical variables and polymorphisms in the RANKL, RANK, and OPG genes with external apical root resorption (EARR). METHODS: The sample was composed of 338 unrelated patients of both sexes, average age 14.9 years (range 8-21) with Class II Division 1 malocclusion, orthodontically treated. Periapical radiographs of the maxillary central incisor with the longer root (reference tooth) were taken before treatment and 6 months after starting treatment. DNA was extracted from buccal epithelial cells with the use of 10 mol/L ammonium acetate and 1 mmol/L EDTA. The analysis of 42 polymorphisms in the RANKL, RANK, and OPG genes was performed by means of real-time polymerase chain reaction. Univariate and multivariate analyzes were performed to verify the association of clinical and genetic variables with EARR (P <0.05). RESULTS: The initial root length and patient age were associated with EARR. Considering the study of polymorphisms of RANKL, no significant association was found of genetic polymorphisms with EARR. For RANK polymorphisms, only rs12455775 was associated with EARR. Regarding OPG polymorphisms, an association of rs3102724, rs2875845, rs1032128, and rs3102728 with EARR was found. After multivariate analysis, the initial root length, rapid maxillary expansion, and rs3102724 of the OPG gene were associated with EARR. CONCLUSIONS: Longer roots of upper central incisors and rapid maxillary expansion, as well as allele A of the rs3102724 polymorphism of the OPG gene, were associated with EARR in the study population.

Continuous arch and rectangular loops for the correction of consistent and inconsistent load systems in extruded and tipped maxillary second molars.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this research was to compare the load systems produced by rectangular loops and continuous arches for the correction of extruded second molars with a mesial inclination (inconsistent system) and a distal inclination (consistent system). METHODS: The maxillary first molar of an acrylic model of a patient, with passive brackets and tubes bonded, was connected to a 3-dimensional load cell of an orthodontic force tester, and the second molar was replaced by its respective tube bonded to a second load cell. The second molar tube was moved 2.5 mm occlusally and tipped 20° mesially and distally, creating an inconsistent force system and a consistent force system. For each situation, ten 0.017 × 0.025-in beta-titanium, 8 × 10-mm rectangular loops were compared with 10 0.014-in nickel-titanium continuous arches. The vertical forces-F(z)-and tipping moments-M(x)-were compared using 4 t tests, at 5%. RESULTS: In the inconsistent group, the rectangular loop produced a larger M(x) in both molars: 2.11 N.mm in the second molar compared with the -0.15 N.mm of the continuous arches. On the first molar, the rectangular loops produced -5.58 N.mm against -2.08 N.mm produced by the continuous arches. The F(z) values produced at the second molar with each system were similar, whereas on the first molar they were different; the rectangular loops produced 0.41N, and continuous arches produced 0.53N. In the consistent group, the rectangular loops produced smaller M(x) values at the second molar (-3.06 N.mm) than did the continuous arch (-4.25 N.mm) (P = 0.01), as well as a smaller F(z) value (-0.52 vs -0.92 N, respectively). At the first molar, the rectangular loops produced smaller M(x) values (-2.32 N.mm) than did the continuous arch (-4.18 N.mm), as well as a smaller F(z) value (0.59 vs 1.10 N). CONCLUSIONS: In the inconsistent group, only the rectangular loop produced a system of force that could correct the second molar. In the consistent system, both group mechanics produced a system of force compatible with the correction of the second molar, but the continuous wire produced larger moments. Both groups showed a tendency for mesial crown tipping of the first molar.