Influence of facial type on attractiveness of vertical canine position from the perspective of orthodontists and laypeople.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the attractiveness of changes in vertical position of maxillary canines in frontal smiles of different facial types, and to evaluate the esthetic perceptions of orthodontists and laypeople, and the influence of facial type on these perceptions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three adult female volunteers were selected as individuals with normal, vertical, and horizontal growth patterns. Frontal posed smile photographs were digitally altered by adjusting vertical positions of the maxillary canines above, below, or coincident with the incisal line in increments of 0.5 mm within a range of 1 mm of extrusion and intrusion. For assessment, a web-based survey was formed with 18 images (six images for each model). A scale was present underneath each image, graded from 0 to 10 (0: unattractive; 10: the most attractive). Images were rated by 233 participants (105 orthodontists; 128 laypeople). RESULTS: Orthodontists scored 0-mm images significantly as the highest in all groups. Laypeople scored significantly higher for -0.5 mm images regardless of facial type. The lowest scored images were -1 mm (except for horizontal pattern) and +1 mm images. Mean values of scores given by men were higher (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontists favored ideal dental alignment and preferred the incisal edges of central and canine teeth to be at the same level. Laypeople preferred a smoother smile arc than orthodontists and found harmony with the soft tissue more attractive. Facial type affected perceptions of the vertical changes of maxillary canines.

Evaluation of the Relationship Between Midpalatal Suture Maturation Indicators as Predictors for Surgically-Assisted and Conventional Rapid Maxillary Expansion.

ABSTRACT: Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is an effective orthopedic procedure to correct maxillary transversal deficiency in young patients. In cases of sutural closure, surgically assisted RME is used to reduce the resistance to sutural disjunction. Foundation of a diagnostic relationship between maturation indices and the expected skeletal response to expansion can enable clinicians to identify the need for surgically assisted RME prospectively. The primary aim of this study was to assess the correlation between the amount of achieved skeletal expansion with midpalatal suture density on computed tomography images, and the secondary aim was to assess the correlation between the amount of achieved skeletal expansion with the recently suggested midpalatal suture maturation indicators: cervical vertebral maturation (CVS), midpalatal suture maturation stage (MPSM) and midpalatal suture density ratio. Forty Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine data from the archived computed tomography scans of 20 patients (mean age: 15.55 years) before RME (T1) and after 3-month retention period (T2) were analyzed. The tested maturity indicators did not show statistically significant correlation between the skeletal effect proportions. However, clinically and radiologically effective RME was seen in MPSMs A, B, and C and also cervical vertebra stages CVS5 and CVS6. More research is needed to determine a diagnostic predictor for the skeletal effects of maxillary expansion treatment modalities.

Maternal and paternal anxiety levels through primary lip surgery.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the anxiety levels of the parents of infants with cleft lip and palate (CLP) before and after primary lip surgery. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Forty mothers (mean ages: 31.9 ± 6.16 years) and 40 fathers (mean ages: 34.6 ± 5.91 years) of infants with CLP were included in this study. They were asked to answer the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) just 1 h before the primary lip surgery (T0) and 1 month after (T1) surgery. Student t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for inter-group comparison, the paired-sample t was used for the intra-group comparisons (p < 0.05). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences for the comparisons of state (STAI-S) and trait (STAI-T) anxiety or APAIS scores between the parents. While state anxiety scores of the mothers increased significantly post-surgically, APAIS scores showed significant decreases in both parents (p < 0.05). APAIS scores of the fathers with bilateral CLP infants were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the fathers of unilateral ones. The parents with local anesthesia experience showed significantly lower APAIS scores (p < 0.05). A negative correlation was present between maternal age and STAI-T, whereas a positive correlation was present between paternal age and the anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The anxiety levels of the parents were similar. Parents asked for more information about the anesthesia than the surgery, therefore communication with the anesthesiologist in the preoperative period is important. Routine assessment of parents' stress and psychosocial support should be provided by the cleft team.