Exploring the impact of oral health-related quality of life on the child's family structure

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) on the child's family structure. Methods: A representative sample of 613 children from public preschools, in a city in southeastern Brazil, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The sample was determined through probabilistic sampling in two stages (preschools and children). The outcome variable (Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale [ECOHIS]) was multi-categorized in children and family. Independent individual variables were sex, race, family income, parents'/caregivers' level of education, family income, dental caries, and malocclusion. Initially, individual analyses were performed, relating the study variables to the outcome variables, estimating the raw odds ratio with the respective confidence intervals of 95%. The variables with p < 0.20 in the individual analyses were tested in the multiple logistic regression models, and those with p < 0.10 remained in the model. Results: Impact on OHRQoL was reported by 40.9% of the children and 17% of their families. Children with low family income and caries experience had, respectively, 1.53 (95% CI: 1.00-2.32) (p = 0.0465) and 2.96 (95% CI: 1.81-4.84) (p < 0.0001) more chance of presenting negative impact on OHRQoL. Conclusions: The aspects that most affected the OHRQoL of child's family structure were low income and dental caries experience

Evaluation of degradation of force of esthetic elastomeric chains / Avaliação da degradação de força de correntes elastoméricas estéticas

Abstract Introduction Elastomers are considered important allies to orthodontic treatment and due to the aesthetic demand, aesthetic elastomers are increasingly used in adult patients. Objective The aim of this experimental in vitro study was to evaluate the degradation of force of esthetic elastomeric chains, of three different sizes: short, medium and long. Material and method For evaluating the degradation of force, 90 elastomeric chain segments were used, divided into 9 Groups (n=10), as follows: Morelli short elastomer, Morelli medium, Morelli long, Orthometric short, Orthometric medium, Orthometric long, American Orthodontic short, American Orthodontic medium and American Orthodontic long. Acrylic plates with pins were used to provide stretching of the elastomeric chains. The initial stretching force of the elastomeric chain was 150 grams, measured by a tensiometer. After this, they were prestretched to 50% of their original length, measured in an Instron 4411 Universal test machine, and placed on the seating pin on the plate. The plate was immersed in artificial saliva at 37 °C in a plastic receptacle, and removed for measurement after a time interval of 21 days. For statistical analysis, the methodology of mixed models for repeated measures in time and Tukey-Kramer test were used. Degradation of the forces was analyzed by 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey test. Result All the elastomeric chains showed statistically significant reduction in force (p<0.05). The American Orthodontic elastomeric chains showed higher reduction in force values, irrespective of the elastic size (p<0.05). Conclusion The three commercial brands studied underwent significant reduction in the quantity of force released; the American Orthodontic brand of elastomer showed the highest value of degradation in force.

Resumo Introdução Os elastômeros são considerados aliados importantes do tratamento ortodôntico e, devido à demanda estética, os elastômeros estéticos são cada vez mais utilizados em pacientes adultos. Objetivo O objetivo desse estudo experimental in vitro foi avaliar a degradação de forças geradas pelas cadeias elastoméricas estéticas, em três diferentes tamanhos curto, médio e longo. Material e método Para a avaliação da degradação da força foram utilizados 90 segmentos de cadeias elastoméricas, divididos em 9 grupos (n=10), sendo: elastômero Morelli curto, Morelli médio, Morelli longo, Orthometric curto, Orthometric médio, Orthometric longo, American Orthodontic curto, American Orthodontic médio e American Orthodontic longo. Foram utilizadas placas de acrílico com pinos que proporcionaram o estiramento das cadeias elastoméricas. A força inicial de estiramento da cadeia elastomérica foi de 150 gramas, medidas por um tensiômetro. Em seguida foram pré-estiradas em 50% do seu comprimento original, medidas em uma máquina Universal Instron 4411 e levadas ao pino de assentamento na placa. A placa foi imersa em um recipiente plástico com saliva artificial a 37 °C e removida após 21 dias para aferição. Foi aplicada metodologia de modelos mistos para medidas repetidas no tempo e teste de Tukey-Kramer. A degradação das forças foi analisada por análise de variância (ANOVA) "2 fatores" e teste de Tukey. Resultado Todas as correntes elastoméricas apresentaram redução estatisticamente significativa da força (p<0,05). As correntes elastoméricas da American Orthodontic apresentaram maior redução de força, independentemente do tamanho do elástico (p<0,05). Conclusão As três marcas comerciais estudadas sofreram uma redução significativa na quantidade de força liberada, sendo o elastômero da marca American Orthodontic o que apresentou maior degradação de força.