Evaluation of WALA ridge in different facial patterns: A cone-beam computed tomography study.

INTRODUCTION: This retrospective study evaluated the buccal bone thickness in mandibular canine, premolar, and molar areas, using as a reference the WALA ridge in patients with various facial patterns. METHODS: The sample comprised 51 cone-beam computerized tomography scans of subjects divided into 3 groups according to the facial pattern, determined by the Ricketts' VERT index, brachyfacial (group 1), mesofacial (group 2), and dolichofacial (group 3). A quantitative analysis of the buccal bone thickness was made in cone-beam computerized tomography scans in the region of the mandibular dental arch corresponding to the WALA ridge. The intergroup comparison of buccal bone thickness was performed with a 1-way analysis of variance and Tukey tests. RESULTS: Buccal bone thickness was similar among the groups, and it increased progressively from the mandibular first to the second molars. In the canine and premolar regions, the thickness was less and often not visible on tomography. There was no difference in the buccal bone thickness in the mandibular dental arch region corresponding to the WALA ridge reference among facial patterns, except for the mesial roots of the second molars, which were thicker in brachyfacial subjects than in dolichofacial subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the WALA ridge as a clinical reference for individualized orthodontic arch diagramming should be made with caution and independent of the facial pattern.

Effectiveness of the Distance Learning Strategy Applied to Orthodontics Education: A Systematic Literature Review.

Introduction: Tele-education refers to the use of interactive distance learning technologies. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of tele-education in the field of orthodontics.Methods: This systematic review has been registered in PROSPERO and followed PRISMA guidelines. Two independent researchers reviewed the literature available in the databases of PubMed/MEDLINE, Bireme, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, TRIP, SCIELO, LILAS, SCIENCEDIRECT, and Google Scholar using the following descriptors: "Education, Distance" OR "e-learning" AND "Orthodontics," including only interventional studies. The descriptive synthesis was conducted according to the Center for Reviews and Dissemination. The analysis of the biases was conducted using the MINORS protocol, and the analysis of the interventions using Kirkpatrick's method was evaluated.Results: Of the 15 remaining articles for complete reading, 4 were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria, leaving 11 articles for evaluation in the systematic review. Eight articles emphasized the evaluation of the distance education materials available, achieving a high percentage of acceptability among students, two cited only satisfaction, and one article evaluated the practical performance of the students.Conclusion: The results showed that orthodontic distance learning is an effective but complementary element, with no significant differences, to the traditional method of teaching.