Oral and throat microbiological changes after orthodontic debonding.

As already known, orthodontic treatment presents a factor of plaque retention, promoting an increase of bacterial growth in the oral cavity. Nevertheless, after orthodontic debonding an alteration of the previous microbiological status may occur. The present study was designed to assess variations among six bacterial species in the oral cavity and the status of oral health after orthodontic debonding. At the end of the fixed orthodontic treatment, 30 patients were divided into three groups based on the type of retention: I - 10 patients were treated with upper and lower fixed retention devices, II - 10 with upper and lower removable retention devices, and III - 10 with lower fixed and upper removable retention devices. To assess the alterations of oral microbiota after orthodontic debonding, two salivary swabs were collected for each individual: the first immediately after debonding (T0) and the other one 6 weeks later (T1). Six species, the ones most correlated with the development of caries and periodontal disease, were selected for microbiological analysis with Real-time PCR: Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Furthermore, in order to correlate the microbiological outcomes with the clinical condition, oral health indexes at T0 and T1 were assessed for all patients. Six weeks after debonding, the salivary levels of the bacteria investigated tend to decrease and the values of the oral health indexes tend to improve with all types of treatment considered (p<.05). Salivary bacteria levels and oral health are similarly influenced by fixed and/or removable orthodontic retentions.

Treatment of Severe Maxillary Hypoplasia With Combined Orthodontics and Distraction Osteogenesis.

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is a technique that allows the generation of new bone in a gap between 2 vascularized bone surfaces in response to the application of graduated tensile stress across the bone gap.Distraction osteogenesis has become a routine treatment of choice to correct skeletal deformities and severe bone defects in the craniofacial complex over the past decade. Distraction osteogenesis has been successfully chosen in lengthening the maxilla and the mandible; in the maxilla and recently in the mandible, the jawbones have been distracted and widened transversely to relieve severe anterior dental crowding and transverse discrepancies between the dental arches.Distraction osteogenesis for maxillary advancement started in 1993 and is now widely used, especially in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion caused by maxillary hypoplasia.The aim of this study was to present the efficiency of combined orthodontic and DO in the severe maxillary hypoplasia.A 35-year-old Italian man presented to our clinical practice with the chief complaint of esthetic and functionally problems because of skeletal Class III malocclusion with anterior crossbite.Considering that the severity of the skeletal discrepancy is remarkable but compensated by the DO potential, the combined orthodontic and DO treatment was considered adequate, like less invasive and equally effective.It was obtained a good alignment with the upper and lower arch dental alveolar maxillary advancement that allowed to correct the sagittal relationships.The patient was satisfied for the treatment results and had considerable improvement in his self-esteem.

The distraction osteogenesis in midfacial hypoplasia.

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) can generate new bone in a gap between 2 vascularized bone surfaces in response to application of graduated tensile stress across the bone gap. The authors present the clinical result in a cleft patient with severe maxillary deficiency treated by a rigid external distraction (RED) device. A boy complained of both masticatory and psychological problems because of cleft with severe midfacial retrusion. The treatment aimed to create a well-balanced facial profile, increase maxillary incisal display, create proper overjet and overbite, and align his dentition. By the RED system, the traction is applied to the maxilla through the dentition by an intraoral splint. A complete Le Fort I osteotomy was performed, including pterygomaxillary and septal disjunction, with mobilization. Once osteotomy was completed, the halo portion of the RED device was adjusted for the width of the neurocranium and was rigidly fixed around the head with 2 scalp screws on each side. A well-balanced facial profile and a good alignment of the dentition were obtained. The patients had considerable improvement in his self-esteem. Clinical reports have suggested that maxillary advancements achieved by distraction are more stable than those achieved with orthognathic surgery with a minimal influence on velopharyngeal competence.