Ioulia Ioannidou-Marathiotou

Presence of third molars in orthodontic patients from northern Greece

Objective The purpose of the present study was to investigate the frequency of presence of third molar teeth and their distribution in each jaw and each side, according to sex, in a group of orthodontic patients with permanent dentition from northern Greece. Methods The sample included panoramic radiographs from 220 patients with permanent dentition (mean age 13.62 ± 1.81). The χ2 test was used to assess the relationships between the variables, and the Fisher’s exact test was used in cases where the expected frequencies in each cell were <5. Results The frequency of third molar presence was 79.1%, and 20.9% was the frequency of third molar agenesis. Intersexual differences in the number of third molars was not statistically significant. There was a correlation between the distribution of third molars on the right and the left side (Fisher’s exact test = 100.788; P = 0). The two sides showed the same tendency toward the presence or absence of third molars. A correlation was also found between the distribution of maxillary and mandibular third molars (Fisher’s exact test = 24.372; P = 0). In each jaw, the presence or absence of third molars was highly related to the number of third molars found in the other jaw. Conclusion The present results showed that in this orthodontic group of northern Greek patients, presence accounted for 79.1% and agenesis for 20.9%. No significant difference was found between the frequencies of third molar presence on the left and right sides in either the maxilla or mandible.

Clinical effectiveness of chin cup treatment for the management of Class III malocclusion in pre-pubertal patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundChin cup is regarded as the oldest orthodontic appliance for the management of Class III malocclusion. To assess its clinical effectiveness in pre-pubertal patients, a meta-analysis on specific cephalometric values is attempted.MethodsDetailed electronic and hand searches with no restrictions were performed up to July 2014. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies, i.e. prospective controlled trials (pCCTs) and (retrospective) observational studies (OS), were included. Analyses were performed by calculating the standard difference in means and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals, using the random effects model. Data heterogeneity and risk of bias assessment of the included studies were also performed. Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed twice. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05 for all tests, except for heterogeneity (P ≤ 0.1).ResultsSeven treated groups from five studies (no RCTs, four pCCTs, one OS) were eligible for inclusion, assessing only the short-term occipital pull chin cup effects. In total, 120 treated patients (mean age: 8.5 to 11 years) compared with 64 untreated individuals (mean age: 7.3 to 9.89 years) were assessed by means of 13 cephalometric variables. The overall quality of these studies was low to medium. In comparison to untreated individuals, the SNB and gonial angles decreased significantly following chin cup use, whereas ANB, Wits appraisal, SN-ML, N-Me and overjet increased. For the rest of the variables, no statistically significant differences were detected.ConclusionsAlthough the occipital chin cup affects significantly a number of skeletal and dentoalveolar cephalometric variables, indicating an overall positive effect for the treatment of Class III malocclusion, data heterogeneity and between-studies variance impose precaution in the interpretation of the results.

Long term chemoradiotherapy-related dental and skeletal complications in a young female with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

We describe the long-term complications six years after chemoradiotherapy in a 20-year old woman with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We wanted to know whether the radiation dose was constant throughout the oral cavity, and thus uniformly affecting the corresponding dental and skeletal structures. Clinical and radiologic findings are described six years after chemoradiotherapy based on a two-dimensional computerized treatment planning system. This revealed radiation caries limited only to posterior teeth, proximal caries in the anterior teeth, limited but continuous salivary flow, mild periodontal infection, mild xerostomia, and a regenerative capacity of bones and the developmental process. The quantitative assessment of radiation delivered to the mandible revealed a high radiation dose in the posterior area and a minimal dose in the anterior area. This explains the differences in caries manifestation between the anterior and posterior teeth. According to the present study, individualized radiation fields, using a two-dimensional treatment planning system, result in restriction of severe damage of the dental and skeletal structures, which usually follows chemoradiotherapy. Orthodontic treatment could be initiated according to individual patient needs.

Orthodontic Management of Silver-Russell Syndrome. A Case Report

This case report describes the orthodontic management of a 10-year-old female with Silver-Russell syndrome by means of gradual expansion of the mandibular dental arch using removable appliances and subsequent comprehensive treatment of malocclusion by means of fixed appliances.

Long-term radiotherapy related complications in children with head and neck cancer: Another era for pediatric oncologic pathology

Long-term radiotherapy-related complications in children with head and neck cancer have been frequently reported, especially facial growth disorders and dental abnormalities. We report on two male children (8 and 14 years old) with head and neck cancer, who were successfully treated with chemoradiotherapy and presented with growth deficiency of middle face and mandible hypoplasia, eight years and one year later, respectively. These severe growth complications attributed to chemoradiotherapy, while the patients survived primary malignancy. Patient age at irradiation was significantly correlated with the severity of disorders. We consider late sequelae in children with head and neck cancer due to chemoradiotherapy another era for pediatric oncologic pathology for prevention, if possible, or to manage them efficiently.

Evaluation of orthodontically induced external root resorption following orthodontic treatment using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT): a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Orthodontically induced external root resorption (OIRR) is a pathologic consequence of orthodontic tooth movement. However, the limitations of two-dimensional radiography suggest that cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) with its three-dimensional capabilities might be more suitable to assess OIRR. Objective The aim of this study was to assess in an evidence-based manner data on linear or volumetric OIRR measurements of permanent teeth by means of CBCT, during and/or after the end of orthodontic treatment. Search methods Unrestricted electronic and hand searches were performed up to January 2017 in 15 databases. Selection criteria methods Randomized clinical trials, prospective, and retrospective non-randomized studies assessing OIRR during and/or after orthodontic treatment using CBCT in human patients were included. Data collection and analysis After duplicate study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment according to the Cochrane guidelines, random-effects meta-analyses, followed by subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analyses were also performed in order to evaluate factors that affect OIRR. Results A total of 33 studies (30 datasets) were included in the qualitative analysis while data from 27 of them were included in the quantitative analysis. Direct comparisons from randomized trials found little to no influence of appliance-related factors on OIRR. Explorative analyses including non-randomized studies found a pooled OIRR of 0.79 mm based on all included studies and 0.86 mm when OIRR was assessed at the end of orthodontic treatment. Statistically significant differences in OIRR were found according to tooth type or jaw, inclusion of extractions, treatment duration, and diagnostic accuracy of the CBCT. Conclusions Based on the results of this study, CBCT seems to be a reliable tool to examine OIRR during or at the end of orthodontic treatment. Although the average OIRR measured with CBCT seems to lack clinical relevance, there are certain factors that may affect OIRR following orthodontic treatment. Nevertheless, due to data heterogeneity and low quality of the included studies, the corresponding results should be interpreted with some caution. Registration PROSPERO (CRD42016030131).