Etsuko Motegi

An orthodontic study of temporomandibular joint disorders Part 1: Epidemiological research in Japanese 6–18 year olds

Malocclusion is considered one of the etiological factors of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of TMD and the relationship between TMD and the type of occlusion. The sample consisted of 7337 Japanese children, 6-18 years old, 3219 boys and 4118 girls. TMD symptoms were recorded as well as the type of occlusion in children with TMD. The prevalence of TMD overall was 12.2%. The prevalence increased with age and was slightly higher in girls (13%) than in boys 11.1%. This difference was not statistically significant. Joint sound as the only symptom was more common in younger subjects. TMD symptoms seemed more complicated with age when pain and abnormal jaw movement combined with sound. Joint sound was the most common symptom (89.3%), followed by the combination of sound and pain (2.2%). The incidence of other symptoms was under 1%. In subjects with TMD, 24.9% exhibited crowding, 20.1% had excessive overjet, 6.8% deep bite, 6.3% edge-to-edge bite, 5.6% anterior crossbite, 5.4% open bite, and 3.8% posterior crossbite. Morphologically normal occlusion was observed in 27.1%. In this study, many subjects with TMD had malocclusions. Early treatment may be important in the prevention of severe TMD. Although those with morphologically normal occlusions were included, a more detailed study concerning other causes of TMD is needed also.

Occlusal stability after extraction orthodontic therapy in adult and adolescent patients

In this study we compared the posttreatment stability of occlusion in adults and adolescents treated for crowding or maxillary protrusion with four-premolar extractions and edgewise mechanics at an average of more than 4 years out of treatment. The adolescent sample showed a significantly greater posttreatment increase in mandibular anterior crowding than the adult sample. Posttreatment overjet and overbite remained more stable in the adolescents. We noted a correlation between in-treatment expansion and posttreatment narrowing of mandibular intercanine width in the adults. Differences in postorthodontic occlusal changes were noted between the adult and adolescent samples.

Change in dentition over 20 years from third decade of life

Abstract Purpose Previous studies have documented long-term, age-related change in the teeth, dental arches and occlusion. However, very few studies have investigated longitudinal age-related change in the dentition using 3-dimensional (3-D) measurement. The purpose of this study was to clarify age-related change in the dentition using a laser scanner. Materials and methods We used dental casts obtained from the same subjects in their twenties and forties. Subjects were selected based on near-normal occlusion. We investigated age-related variation in the dentition using 3-D measurement. Results Age-related change in the dentition was characterized by a decrease in maxillary and mandibular width, an increase in maxillary length, and a decrease in mandibular length. Measurement of angulation revealed that the maxillary canines and molars were mesially inclined. We observed labial inclination of the maxillary incisors, and lingual inclination of the mandibular incisors, as well as the maxillary and mandibular canines and molars. Overjet, overbite, and the irregularity index all showed an increase, while occlusal vertical dimension showed a decrease. Multiple regression analysis indicated that lingual inclination of the lower central incisors was related to an increase in the irregularity index, and that lingual inclination of the upper canines and decrease in occlusal vertical dimension of the anterior teeth were related to increased overbite. Conclusion The present findings showed that age-related changes in angulation and inclination of each tooth should be taken into account when providing occlusal rehabilitation or post-orthodontic retention.

Velocity of Canine Retraction in Angle Class I Treated with First Premolar Extraction: Effect of Facial Pattern.

Recently, new methods have been applied to increase velocity of tooth movement. A standard mean of tooth movement velocity remains to be established, however. Moreover, to our knowledge, no studies have investigated the effect of factors affecting this velocity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of facial pattern on the mean velocity of canine retraction in selected cases of orthodontic treatment carried out at this hospital. A total of 112 patients with Angle Class I crowding treated with extraction of the bilateral maxillary and mandibular first premolars and a conventional edgewise bracket were selected at random. The canine retraction period was defined as that between the end of leveling and the beginning of anterior retraction, and was obtained from medical records. Calipers were used to measure how far the canine cusps moved between pre- and post-surgically on superimposed cephalometric tracings. The velocity of canine retraction was significantly slower in the maxilla of male patients with a brachyofacial pattern (p<0.01). Canine retraction is the longest stage of orthodontic treatment. Here, movement was slowest in the maxilla of male patients with a brachyofacial pattern. This indicates that treatment may take longer than average in male patients with a brachyofacial pattern, and that this should be explained prior to commencing such work.

Management of bilateral impacted upper canines by single tooth dento-osseous osteotomy

Abstract When it is difficult to treat impacted teeth with orthodontic traction, surgical techniques including intentional luxation, autografts and distraction osteogenesis may be performed. However, these techniques are associated with problems such as root resorption, gingival recession and pulp circulatory disorders after extrusion. Single tooth dento-osseous osteotomy is considered to be a surgical technique with minimal effect on the pulp and periodontium. We used this method to treat a patient with impacted permanent canine teeth. After concomitant single tooth dento-osseous osteotomy and orthodontic treatment, root resorption of the bilateral canines was kept to a minimum and pulp vitality was confirmed. This method may be effective in patients in whom ordinary traction is difficult.