Perceptions of pain levels and chewing impairment among adolescents undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances

Aim: the aim of this cohort study was to evaluate the perceptions of adolescents regarding pain levels and chewing impairment throughout the first 12 months of orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances. methods: a total of 120 adolescents aged 11 and 12 years undergoing orthodontic treatment at the faculty of dentistry of the Federal University of Minas Gerais participated in this study. malocclusion was evaluated by means of the dental aesthetic index. pain level and degree of chewing impairment were evaluated by means of two questions selected from the short form of the child perceptions questionnaire (CPQ11-14). each question had five response options with the following scoring system: never (0), once or twice (1), sometimes (2), often (3) and every day/almost every day (4). both questions were answered by the adolescents at four different times: before fixed appliances' placement (T1), one month after banding and fixed appliances' bonding (T2), four months after banding and fixed appliances' bonding (T3), and 12 months after banding and fixed appliances' bonding (T4). results: the mean age of adolescents was 11.39 (±0.68). significant differences were observed for pain levels (p=0.038) and chewing impairment (p=0.020) over the study period. pain levels at T1 were significantly lower than at T2 (p=0.038) and T4 (p=0.020). chewing impairment at T1 was significant lower than at T2 (p<0.001), T3 (p=0.014) and T4 (p=0.005). conclusion: adolescents undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances present an increase in pain levels and in chewing impairment.

Impact of malocclusion on adolescents' oral health-related quality of life.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of malocclusion on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of 120 Brazilian adolescents with the Child Perceptions Questionnaire for 11 to 14 year olds (CPQ11-14). Malocclusion was evaluated by 2 calibrated dentists using the Dental Aesthetic Index. Adolescents' sex and age and the families' monthly income were recorded and considered as confounding variables. A total of 117 adolescents completed the CPQ11-14, for a response rate of 97.5%. The multivariate model demonstrated that adolescents diagnosed with malocclusion (n=77) were significantly more likely to report a negative impact on the overall CPQ11-14 score (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20-1.51; P < 0.05), as well as on the emotional (PR = 1.74; CI = 1.35-2.24; P < 0.01) and social well-being (PR = 1.62; CI = 1.24-2.12; P < 0.05) subscales, than were those adolescents with no malocclusion (n = 40).

An oral clinical approach to Gorlin-Goltz syndrome.

Gorlin-Goltz syndrome is a rare hereditary disease that can have negative effects on one's quality of life. The main clinical features are multiple nevoid basal cell carcinomas, odontogenic keratocysts, congenital skeletal abnormalities, calcification of the falx cerebri, facial dysmorphism, and skin depressions (pits) on the palms and soles. Diagnosis is based on major and minor clinical and radiological criteria and can be confirmed by DNA analysis. This article describes the case of a child with Gorlin-Goltz syndrome and outlines the clinical manifestations of the disease.

Evaluation of self-reported measures for prediction of periodontitis in a sample of Brazilians.

BACKGROUND: Questionnaires including self-reported measures have become effective as a means of accessing many diseases. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the performance of a set of self-reported periodontal measures on estimating the prevalence of periodontitis. METHODS: The sample comprised 284 individuals, aged 18 to 60 years, from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Full-mouth periodontal examinations were performed and periodontal parameters were recorded. Periodontitis was categorized as no or mild, moderate, and severe. Each participant answered 18 questions covering sociodemographic variables, known risk factors, and self-reported periodontal measures. Questions were globally tested through logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The complete final model for moderate periodontitis included age, dental flossing, and gum disease (sensitivity = 23.1%; specificity = 98%; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 75.4%). The complete final model for severe periodontitis included all previously cited variables in addition to the number of teeth (sensitivity = 36.4%; specificity = 96.9%; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 85.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported periodontal measures showed a moderate predictive value for periodontitis prevalence. The use of these measures could be a good strategy in investigating prevalence of periodontal disease.

Association of functional gene polymorphism IL-1beta in patients with external apical root resorption.

INTRODUCTION: External apical root resorption (EARR) is a frequent complication of orthodontic treatment. Interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) is a potent stimulus for bone resorption and osteoclastic cell recruitment during orthodontic tooth movement. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between a polymorphism in the IL-1beta genes and EARR during orthodontic treatment. METHODS: The sample included 61 Brazilian orthodontic patients, divided into 2 groups according to the presence (affected group, n = 23) or absence (control group, n = 38) of EARR in the central and lateral maxillary incisors in the posttreatment period. DNA was obtained from buccal swab cells. The polymorphism was analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction followed by digestion with restriction enzyme. The polymerase chain reaction products were analyzed in 10% polyacrylamide gel and stained with silver. RESULTS: There were significant statistical differences (P <0.05) among the frequencies of the alleles and genotypes of the IL-1beta gene polymorphism between the affected and unaffected groups, suggesting that allele 1 predisposed the subjects to EARR (odds ratio = 4.0). CONCLUSIONS: The polymorphism of the IL-1beta gene is associated with root resorption in the studied population.