Attitude of Italian dental practitioners toward bruxism assessment and management: A survey-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Bruxism is a spectrum of masticatory muscles activities. According to the recent evidence and international consensus, there is no indication to treat bruxism unless clinical consequences are present. The aim of the present study was to investigate the approach of Italian dentists to bruxism in their clinical practice. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was developed, composed by 26 items grouped into five sections: (1) Characteristics of the respondent (Q1-Q6); (2) Bruxism frequencies (Q7-Q11); (3) Bruxism assessment (Q12-Q15); (4) Bruxism management (Q16-Q20); (5) Occlusal splints therapy (Q21-Q26). RESULTS: A total of 384 practitioners, including specialists and non-specialists, participated in this survey. The majority of the respondents reported that 1-3 out of ten patients presented with bruxism. The diagnosis is mainly performed with non-instrumental methods, and facial pain and dental wear are the major clinical consequence associated with bruxism. Almost the entire sample of respondents report to offer occlusal splints to bruxism patients, and 41% refer to perform occlusal adjustments. Almost half of the respondents have never proposed any form of cognitive-behavioural therapy. CONCLUSION: The results of the current survey highlighted several inconsistencies in Italian dentists' approaches to bruxism, suggesting the need for better education of practitioners and for the development of a standardized protocol to assess and manage bruxism in dental practices.

Cephalometric changes of pushing splints 3 compared to rapid maxillary expansion and facemask therapy on the airway space in class III growing patients: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Early orthopaedic treatment with rapid maxillary expansion (RME) associated with facemask (FM) has been shown to be effective in correcting Class III malocclusions in children. Treatment with pushing splints 3 (PS3) has shown to correct skeletal discrepancies in Class III growing patients. However, the effects of orthopaedic treatment on the upper airways in children with Class III malocclusion is controversial. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cephalometric changes in the airways of PS3 compared to the RME/FM protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 48 patients with Class III malocclusion (age range 5.5-8.5 years old) were selected for this study, and 24 were treated with PS3 appliance and 24 with RME/FM therapy. Lateral cephalograms before (T0) and at the end of the treatment (T1) were analysed to compare pharyngeal spaces. Paired and unpaired t tests were used for data analysis (P < .05). RESULTS: A total of 41 patients (21 patients for the PS3 group, 11 males and 10 females, mean age 7.0 ± 1.2 years; 20 patients for the RME/FM group, 10 males and 10 females, mean age 7.2 ± 1.3 years) were included. The results showed a statistically significant (P < .05) increase in the nasopharyngeal space after both therapies. However, the effects were similar considering that there were no differences between groups for the assessed variables at T0-T1. CONCLUSIONS: Early treatment of Class III malocclusion with PS3 does not induce a statistically significant increase in the sagittal airway space compared to RME/FM. The absence of untreated group could not define the role of growth in the increase of space.

Prevalence of dental anomalies in a sample of growing subjects: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: dental anomalies are a group of disorders characterized by alterations in tooth number, shape, size, structure, development, and timing of eruption due to genetic and environmental factors. OBJECTIVES: to identify the prevalence of dental anomalies in a large sample of non-orthodontic subjects. DESIGN: a retrospective chart review was conducted based on digital panoramic radiographs by two examiners who assessed the presence of displacement of the maxillary canines (DMC), impacted teeth (IT), tooth agenesis (TA), supernumerary/supplementary teeth (ST), and tooth transpositions (TT). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: radiographs of subjects aged between 8 and 18 years were analysed. A chi2 test was employed to assess possible associations between the number and type of dental anomalies and patients' gender. When an association was present, a binary logistic regression was conducted to calculate the odds ratio between the variables. The significance level was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: a total of 1,124 subjects (25.7%) showed at least one dental anomaly. DMC (12.1%) and IT (12%) were the most frequent dental anomalies. The most represented impacted teeth were the upper canine (9.2%) and the upper central incisor (1.3%). TA was detected in 296 radiographs (6.8%), with 134 showing two or more TA. The prevalence of ST and TT in the total sample was 2.2% and 0.7%, respectively. Associations were found between ST and IT, between TA and DMC, and between TA and IT. CONCLUSIONS: the results obtained encourage the radiographic investigation of dental anomalies at an early stage.

Cephalometric effects of Pushing Splints 3 compared with rapid maxillary expansion and facemask therapy in Class III malocclusion children: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Pushing Splints 3 (PS3) device was recently introduced for the treatment of Class III malocclusion in children. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect on the sagittal maxillary position (SNA, primary outcome) of PS3 therapy compared with rapid maxillary expansion and facemask therapy (RME/FM) and to compare skeletal and dento-alveolar effects in growing Class III patients. TRIAL DESIGN: This trial was a single-centre randomized controlled trial with two groups randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio of equal size by sealed-envelope randomization, conducted at the Dentistry Unit of Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS (Rome, Italy). METHODS: A total of 48 patients with Class III malocclusion were included in the study and randomly allocated to the two groups: PS3 therapy and RME/FM therapy. Only the RME/FM group underwent palatal expansion, and both groups were instructed to wear the appliances 14 hours/day. Pre- (T0) and post-treatment (T1) cephalograms were taken. An independent sample t-test and regression analysis were used to analyse the data (P value <0.05). Researchers involved in statistics and tracings were blinded to the treatment allocation. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients (21 for each group) completed the study. The maxillary sagittal position improved similarly in both groups (SNA = 0.4°; P = 0.547). A statistically significant decrease of SNPg angle (-1.6°; P < 0.001) and increase of ANPg angle (1.4°; P = 0.018) were found in the RME/FM group compared with PS3 group. CoGoMe angle significantly decreased in RME/FM group compared with PS3 group (-1.7°; P = 0.042). The regression analysis showed an association between SN/MP angle at T0 and the differences between T1 and T0 of SNPg (B = 0.13; P = 0.005) and SN/MP (B = -0.19; P = 0.034). Only three patients (PS3 = 2; RME/FM = 1) had breakages of the devices. LIMITATIONS: Results are limited to short-term effects. CONCLUSION: RME/FM therapy and PS3 are both effective therapies for the early correction of Class III malocclusion. The PS3 controlled better mandibular divergency reducing the clockwise rotation in patients with higher mandibular inclination. REGISTRATION: This study was not registered in a clinical trial registry.

Adverse reaction to local anaesthetics: Is it always allergy?

OBJECTIVE: Local anaesthetics are very commonly used drugs in dentistry, and people who undergo procedures with local anaesthetics often refer adverse reactions that are not of allergic origin. Considering that in dentistry contact with allergens is very frequent, it is essential to assess the real incidence of allergy to local anaesthetics. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We evaluated a group of 159 patients in whom adverse reaction occurred after procedures with local anaesthetics. RESULTS: The reactions between allergy to local anaesthetic (immediate and delayed) and certain symptoms presented by patients were investigated. Allergy to latex and chlorexidine were investigated in all patients. Only one patient, who previously presented a constant erythema at the wrist after procedure with local anaesthetics, was positive to Mepivacaine patch test. Two patients were positive to latex and one to chlorexidine. CONCLUSIONS: The main finding of this study was that a reaction registered in the medical history and reported by a patient is rarely allergic but the use of vasoconstrictors or emotional factors may account for it. However, a complete allergological investigation is necessary for a correct diagnosis and future management.

Short-term effects of the Sander bite-jumping appliance on the pharyngeal airways in subjects with skeletal Class II malocclusion: A retrospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal Class II subjects present often a retruded mandible that might increase the probability of breathing disorders. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of functional treatment by means of the Sander bite-jumping appliance (BJA) on the upper airways of growing subjects. METHODS: Thirty-four subjects (21 males, 13 females; mean age 11.1 ± 1.2 years) with skeletal Class II malocclusion due to mandibular retrusion were treated with the Sander BJA (BJA group). The control group consisted of thirty-four untreated subjects with skeletal Class II malocclusion (25 males, 9 females; 10.4 ± 1.2 years; CTR group). The effect of the Sander BJA appliance on the airway dimensions was evaluated by comparing lateral cephalograms recorded before (T0) and after (T1) the period of observation/treatment. Within- and between-group comparisons were statistically evaluated according to the distribution of the data (P < .05). RESULTS: The oropharyngeal region (ph_pph) increased in the BJA group (1.8 ± 3.2; P = .001) but the difference respect to the CTR group was not statistically significant (0.73 ± 4.0; P = .314; P = .077). The tongue height (th) increased in the BJA group (2.8 ± 3.7; P < .001), and this increase was statistically significant respect to the CTR group (0.6 ± 4.7; P = .461; P = .038). In the BJA, the Ans_Pns_P angle showed a statistically significant decrease (-3.8 ± 7.8; P = .007) compared to the CTR group (-0.1 ± 5.4; P = .705; P = .026). CONCLUSIONS: The airway dimensions increased for both control subjects and Class II patients treated with Sander BJA due to physiological growth. The Sander BJA induced a statistically significant change in the tongue and soft palate position, but the clinically relevant of these changes is questionable.

Two-dimensional versus three-dimensional Frӓnkel Manoeuvre: a reproducibility study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To assess intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of the evaluation of the Frӓnkel Manoeuvre (FM) on three-dimensional (3D) scans and to compare it to the assessment on two-dimensional (2D) pictures. MATERIALS/METHODS: This study included 44 individuals with a skeletal Class II malocclusion [9-16-years old mean age ± standard deviation: 13.5 ± 2.01 years]. All patients had a full Class II molar relationship, overjet ≥6 mm and point A, Nasion, point B angle (ANB) ≥5 degrees. During the FM, each patient was invited to bite in centric occlusion and then to posture the mandible forward to reach a Class I molar relationship. The FM was recorded both by a normal camera and a 3D scanner (3dMD system). Six examiners divided into two groups according to their orthodontic clinical experience (<5 and >10 years), and one gold standard in the evaluation of FM, commented twice (every 15 days) on both 2D photographs (T0 and T2) and 3D scans (T1 and T3). The intra-observer agreement and the inter-observer agreement compared to the gold standard were evaluated by computing the Cohen's K. RESULTS: The agreement between observations for each examiner ranged from 0.36 to 1 on 2D pictures (T0 versus T2), and from 0.22 to 0.69 on 3D scans (T1 versus T3). The overall agreement was 0.63 (95 per cent CI = 0.35-0.91) in 2D analysis and 0.5 (95 per cent CI = 0.35-0.64) in 3D analysis. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: The FM was less reproducible when performed on 3D records than on 2D pictures.

Differences in craniofacial growth of Class II individuals from different decades: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To detect changes in mandibular growth between a historical group (HG) from the American Association of Orthodontics Foundation Craniofacial Growth Legacy Collection (AAOF Legacy) and a contemporary group (CG) of normodivergent or hypodivergent Class II untreated subjects. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: The sample included radiographs from the AAOF Legacy and from the University of Naples 'Federico II' collected during a previous RCT. MATERIALS & METHODS: The HG was composed of 26 individuals (around 1960) from the AAOF Legacy (15 from the Burlington Growth Study, nine from the Oregon Growth Study and two from the Michigan Growth Study) who were matched by sex, age and race with the 26 individuals of the CG (around 2010). Two lateral cephalograms obtained at T0 and T1 (12 months) were selected, and one examiner performed the cephalometric measurements according to Pancherz's method. The normal distribution of data was confirmed by the Shapiro-Wilk test, MANOVA analysis and t test for paired and unpaired data were performed. The level of significance was set according to Bonferroni's correction. RESULTS: At T0 and T1, the between-group comparisons revealed greater linear dimensions for Maxillary base, Maxillary incisor and Mandibular incisor in the CG than in the HG (P ≤ 0.002). No significant difference was found in the growth rate for linear skeletal measurement between the HG and the CG. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the cephalometric analysis showed larger maxillary dimensions for the CG than the HG, while no differences were shown between the growth rate and direction of the two groups.

Prevalence of malocclusion, oral parafunctions and temporomandibular disorder-pain in Italian schoolchildren: An epidemiological study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of malocclusion, temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and oral parafunctions is highly debated in children population. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of malocclusion, self-reported oral parafunctions and TMD-pain in Italian schoolchildren and to assess the association between the examined factors. METHODS: A total of 700 children aged 9-11 years were selected among six public schools in Campania region (Italy). Molar relationship, overjet, overbite and cross-bite were assessed through a clinical examination. Furthermore, the subjects were demanded to fill in a validated questionnaire for TMD-pain screening and the short form of the Oral Behaviours Checklist. Descriptive statistics were used to report the frequencies. The associations between occlusal traits, oral parafunctions and TMD-pain were analysed with a Pearson chi-square test, as expressed by odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Molar Class I was the most frequently encountered molar relationship, followed by molar Class II, subdivision and molar Class III. Increased overjet was more common than negative overjet. Posterior cross-bite was observed in 12% of children. TMD-pain was recorded in 14.7% of subjects. High frequency of oral parafunctions was reported in 21.3% of subjects. A significant association was found between TMD-pain and negative overbite. Cross-bite and high frequency of oral parafunctions were associated with TMD-pain. CONCLUSION: The current results show that malocclusion, self-reported oral parafunctions and TMD-pain are frequent findings among Italian schoolchildren and that some occlusal factors and high frequency of oral parafunctions might be associated with TMD-pain.

Dental and skeletal long-term side effects of mandibular advancement devices in obstructive sleep apnea patients: a systematic review with meta-regression analysis.

Background: Mandibular advancement devices (MAD) are effective in reducing apnea episodes and they are frequently used as first-line therapy in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Objectives: The MAD must be used every night for a lifetime and since it performs its function discharging the forces on dental elements the aim of this systematic review was to identify the dental and skeletal long-term side effects of MAD therapy and to evaluate the influence of time on them in OSA or snoring patients. Search Methods: An electronic search was performed in MEDLINE, Cochrane Database, Google Scholar Beta, Scopus, and LILACS. Studies until 4 April 2018 were analysed, without language restrictions. Selection Criteria: Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies investigating dental and/or skeletal side effects on adult patients wearing MAD for OSA or snoring treatment with at least 2 years follow-up were included and independently evaluated by two investigators. Data Collection and Analysis: The quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) and the risk of bias by means of Cochrane's tools. For each study included and for each dental and/or skeletal parameter, the difference in means and 95% CI was calculated between baseline and follow-up. Results: Twenty-one studies with follow-up between 2 and 11 years were included. The side effects reported were a reduction in overjet, overbite, and in the upper incisor inclination, and an increase in lower incisor inclination, A point-Nasion-B point, and anterior facial height. The meta-regression analysis showed that the side effects were influenced by the therapy duration for all parameters (P < 0.05). The quality of evidence was low/moderate. Conclusions: MAD therapy produces time-related dental and skeletal side effects. After a long period of treatment, the dental side effects are clinically relevant and therefore the clinician should inform the patients about this issue. Since the side effects are progressive, patients need to be continuously monitored over time. Registration: The study protocol was not registered.

Predictability of tooth rotations in patients treated with clear aligners.

Clear aligners are employed daily for the treatment of several malocclusions. Previous clinical studies indicated low accuracy for the correction of tooth rotations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictability of tooth rotations with clear aligners. The sample comprised 390 teeth (190 mandibular; 200 maxillary), measured from the virtual models of 45 participants (21 men, 24 women; mean age: 29.2 ± 6.6 years old). For each patient, pre-treatment (T0) digital dental models (STL files), virtual plan (T1) and post-treatment digital dental models (T2) of both the mandibular and maxillary arches were imported onto Geomagic Control X, a 3D metrology software which allows angular measurements. Rotations were calculated by defining reproducible vectors for all teeth in each STL file and superimposing both T0 with T1 to determine the prescribed rotation, and T0 with T2 to determine the achieved rotation. Prescribed and achieved rotations were compared to assess movement's accuracy. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and paired t-test were used to assess differences between the prescribed and achieved movements (P < 0.05). The overall predictability of rotational movement was 78.6% for the mandibular arch and 75.0% for the maxillary arch. Second molar accuracy was the lowest in both arches. Clear aligners were not able to achieve 100% of the planned movements.

Perceived Orthodontic Needs and Attitudes towards Early Evaluation and Interventions: A Survey-Based Study among Parents of Italian School-Aged Children.

(1) Background: Parents' awareness of malocclusion and their attitude towards early evaluation and interventions influence children's orthodontic management. This cross-sectional study investigates factors that affect the perceived orthodontic needs and the attitude towards interceptive orthodontics among a sample of one-thousand eight-hundred and six (1806) parents of children aged between 6 and 11 years. (2) Methods: The investigation was carried out thought a 18-items online questionnaire divided as follows: characteristics of respondents; perceived child's orthodontic needs; attitude toward early orthodontic evaluation and interventions. The associations between responses were assessed with a Chi-square test. (3) Results: Two-thirds of the respondents referred to having consulted an orthodontist for their child, and more than half of them initiated the required orthodontic treatment. In 44% of cases, the orthodontic consultation occurred after the age of 7 years. Parents' higher education and history of orthodontic treatment were associated with a greater awareness of orthodontic needs. Parents' perception of the impact of teeth on their child's personality was significantly associated with the decision to start the orthodontic treatment (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: Although the parents' level of awareness of their child's orthodontic needs was generally satisfactory, the results of the present study pointed out the need for a better education regarding the importance of an early orthodontic assessment.

Preformed Elastodontic Appliances: Awareness and Attitude of Orthodontists and General Dental Practitioners.

BACKGROUND: Preformed elastodontic appliances (EAs) have been described as safe, cost-effective, and easy-to-use devices for interceptive orthodontic treatment in growing patients. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and the attitude of dentists toward the use of EAs and to compare the behaviors of orthodontists (Os) with those of general dental practitioners (GDPs). METHODS: An anonymous survey was distributed among dentists through social media. Twenty-two items were divided as follows: characteristics of respondents; general knowledge about EAs; section for EA-users; and section for EA non-users. Chi-squared tests were used to analyze differences in responses between groups. RESULTS: Participants included 226 Os and 168 GDPs. The majority in both groups reported having adequate knowledge about EAs and utilizing them in their practice. GDPs usually use EAs to treat children during the early phase of growth, while Os also use EAs to address orthodontic problems in different stages of dentition, experiencing a chair time reduction compared with traditional appliances. Regarding EA non-users, GDPs seem not to find an application among their patients, whereas Os reported not having enough patient compliance during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Although treatment with EAs is common among all dentists, differences exist between Os and GDPs in the awareness and application, as well as in the reasons provided for not using EAs.

Oral Lesions and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Adult Patients with Psoriasis: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Psoriasis is a widespread chronic inflammatory skin disease, that negatively affects physical and emotional well-being and quality of life, as shown by the generally low Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Psoriasis is burdened by associated comorbidities and some patients manifest concurrent oral lesions, although the existence of oral psoriasis remains controversial. Psoriasis-specific and nonspecific oral lesions and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL), self-assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire, were retrospectively reviewed in adult untreated psoriasis patients with ≥15 teeth, who were non-smokers and had no dental or periodontal infections. Sample (age, gender, comorbidities) and descriptive variables (Body Surface Area-BSA, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index-PASI, Dermatology Life Quality Index-DLQI, severity of psoriasis, distribution of lesions and predominant involvement, years since diagnosis) were correlated with DLQI and OHIP-14 and compared by baseline DLQI and OHRQoL classes. Charts from 90 participants were included. No oral lesions were detected, and excellent/good OHRQoL was found in 94% of the participants. DLQI scores displayed positive significant associations with PASI and BSA, while OHIP-14 with hypertension and IMID, and age. PASI and BSA were significantly higher in participants with DLQI > 10 and also differed significantly among OHQRoL ranks, as well as mucosal involvement and comorbidities. Specifically, among subjects revealing an Excellent OHQRoL, 92.6% were non-IMID, 75% non-hypertensive, 89.7% non-diabetic subjects, 86.8% of non CVD-subjects.

Clear Aligners Treatment of Class III Subdivision with an Extraction of a Lower Bicuspid.

The aim of this study was to show a case of a Class III subdivision adult patient treated with clear aligners (CA) and the extraction of a lower bicuspid. A 19-year-old male with a class III canine and molar relationship on the right side and a deviation of lower dental midline to the left asked for an aesthetic treatment. He refused orthognathic surgical procedures, so he was offered a camouflage orthodontic treatment with the extraction of lower right first premolar to achieve a canine Class I relationship and to center the lower midline. The treatment was performed with clear aligners and the use of Class III elastics to maintain distal anchorage on the right side during the canine distalization. At the end of the treatment, the occlusal objectives were achieved.

Infection Control in Dental Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic: What Is Changed?

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed our lives. Since the SARS-CoV-2 was discovered, many studies have been done on the transmission mode, its replication within humans, and its survival even in the outside environment and on inanimate surfaces. Undoubtedly, health care workers have faced the greatest risks because of their close contact with potentially infected patients. Of these, dental health care professionals are certainly among the most vulnerable categories, precisely because infection occurs with the airborne virus. The treatment of patients within the dental office has changed profoundly, respecting all preventive measures towards the patient and the practitioners themselves. The aim of this paper is to understand whether the protocols changed for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection among dentists remained even after the most acute phase of the pandemic. In particular, this study analyzed habits, protocols, preventive measures, and any costs incurred in the COVID-19 era for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection among dental workers and patients.

Changes in COVID-19 Perception and in TMD Prevalence after 1 Year of Pandemic in Italy.

OBJECTIVES: The study aims to report the perception of dental practices and assess the individual's psychological stress level and related temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptoms by evaluating the changes that occurred during the year following the first lockdown (May 2020). MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online questionnaire was submitted to the Italian population between 20 March and 20 April 2021. It was sent via online platforms and included 14 questions. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data were analyzed using a chi-squared test and a comparison of the current data with the May 2020 survey data was performed using independent samples t-tests. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of subjects (872) considered the dental practice to be a place with a high risk of infection. Temporomandibular pain and joint sounds were reported by 35.7% (724) of the population; of these more frequently were women (71.8%, 520/724, p < 0.001). About 31% of the participants had moderate/severe psychological distress and, among them, it was found that 46.4% (294/634) reported TMD pain (p < 0.001) and 34.9% (221/634) complained of temporomandibular joint sounds (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Most participants did not consider dental practices as a place with a higher risk of coronavirus disease 2019 transmission and, in contrast to the data from a previous study, people were less afraid to go to dental practices. After the first year of the pandemic, the level of stress and depression increased and the prevalence of TMD pain and joint sounds increased, in association with gender, age, and level of distress.

Smear Layer and Debris Removal from Root Canals Comparing Traditional Syringe Irrigation and 3D Cleaning: An Ex Vivo Study.

Background: Endodontic treatment objectives comprise eliminating or decreasing bacterial load inside the complex endodontic space. Removing the smear layer and debris becomes mandatory to achieve good three-dimensional (3D) cleaning. Aim: This study assesses the difference in smear layer removal using the 3D cleaning technique and traditional syringe needle irrigation. The 3D cleaning technique includes the ultrasonic activation of intracanal-heated NaOCl. Materials and Methods: Our current study used single-rooted human mandibular premolar teeth to test the earlier-mentioned technique (n = 30). Initially, an endodontic access cavity was performed. Consequently, specimens were randomly distributed into three study groups according to irrigation protocol. The groups were Group 1, where the traditional syringe needle irrigation system was applied; Group 2, where the 3D cleaning technique was performed; and Group 3, in which teeth remained uncleaned as it was regarded as the control group. Once the experiment was completed, the teeth were decoronated at the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) and examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Debris and smear layers were viewed in 1000× magnification and scored. Results: Statistical analysis was performed with a standard statistical software package (SPSS, version 28.0; SPSS IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). Data were analyzed with a nonparametric analysis of variance (Kruskal−Wallis ANOVA) among the groups tested and among the thirds of the canals. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) lower mean smear layer and debris score was observed in both study groups compared to the control group. Group 2 showed better results compared to Group 1. Conclusions: The present study concluded that the 3D cleaning technique is an effective irrigation method for removing debris and smear layers. Future research, such as CLSM (Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy) and Histological study, should be employed to confirm this study's conclusion.

Maxillary Impacted Canine and Upper Lateral Incisor Agenesis Treatment with "Canine First Technique" and Clear Aligners: A Case Report.

The aim of this study was to show a case of an impacted canine in an adult patient with agenesis of the maxillary lateral incisor treated with clear aligners (CA). A 19-year-old male with a persistence of 5.3 and absence of 1.2 came to our department of the School of Orthodontics at the University of Federico II in Naples and asked for an aesthetic treatment. The Canine First approach was used to surgically expose the canine and pull it into the dental arch. In order to ensure long-term aesthetic, periodontal, and occlusal results, a treatment with CAs to close the space through the mesial placement of the canine and the enameloplasty of the tooth crown was performed. At the end of the treatment, the occlusal objectives were achieved.