Kelton T. Stewart

Three-dimensional computed tomography analysis of airway volume changes after rapid maxillary expansion

INTRODUCTION In this retrospective study with 3-dimensional computed tomography, we evaluated airway volume, soft-palate area, and soft-tissue thickness changes before and after rapid maxillary expansion in adolescents. Another purpose was to determine whether rapid maxillary expansion caused changes in the palatal and mandibular planes and facial height. METHODS The sample comprised 20 patients who were treated with rapid maxillary expansion. Spiral tomographs were taken before and 3 months after treatment. Reliability studies were performed, and then volumetric, soft-palate area, soft-tissue thickness, and cephalometric parameters were compared on the tomographs. Intraclass correlations were performed on the reliability measurements. Before and after rapid maxillary expansion measurements were compared by using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the associations among the airway volume, soft-palate area, soft-tissue thickness, and cephalometric measurements. Significance was accepted at P ≤0.05 for all tests. RESULTS Intraclass correlation coefficients were ≥0.90 for all reliability measures. Significant increases from before to after rapid maxillary expansion were found in nasal cavity and nasopharynx volumes, and for the measurements of MP-SN, S-PNS, N-ANS, ANS-Me, and N-Me. Significant positive correlations existed between changes in PP-SN and N-ANS, and ANS-Me and N-Me. CONCLUSIONS Rapid maxillary expansion causes significant increases in nasal cavity volume, nasopharynx volume, anterior and posterior facial heights, and palatal and mandibular planes.

Comparison of stainless steel and titanium alloy orthodontic miniscrew implants: A mechanical and histologic analysis

INTRODUCTION The detailed mechanical and histologic properties of stainless steel miniscrew implants used for temporary orthodontic anchorage have not been assessed. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare them with identically sized titanium alloy miniscrew implants. METHODS Forty-eight stainless steel and 48 titanium alloy miniscrew implants were inserted into the tibias of 12 rabbits. Insertion torque and primary stability were recorded. One hundred grams of tensile force was applied between half of the implants in each group, resulting in 4 subgroups of 24 specimens each. Fluorochrome labeling was administered at weeks 4 and 5. When the rabbits were euthanized at 6 weeks, stability and removal torque were measured in half (ie, 12 specimens) of each of the 4 subgroups. Microdamage burden and bone-to-implant contact ratio were quantified in the other 12 specimens in each subgroup. Mixed model analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS All implants were stable at insertion and after 6 weeks. The only significant difference was the higher (9%) insertion torque for stainless steel. No significant differences were found between stainless steel and titanium alloy miniscrew implants in microdamage burden and bone-to-implant contact regardless of loading status. CONCLUSIONS Stainless steel and titanium alloy miniscrew implants provide the same mechanical stability and similar histologic responses, suggesting that both are suitable for immediate orthodontic clinical loads.

The effects of varying alcohol concentrations commonly found in mouth rinses on the force decay of elastomeric chain

OBJECTIVE To test the effect of alcohol on force decay of elastomeric chains in vitro in order to determine if increasing alcohol concentrations results in an increased amount of elastomeric chain force decay. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective laboratory study was completed to test the effect of alcohol exposure on orthodontic elastomeric chain. A total of 450 specimens were divided into five test groups. Two test groups were each exposed to different alcohol concentrations (14% and 26.9%) and the other two test groups were exposed to different commercially available mouth rinses (Cēpacol -14% alcohol and Listerine - 26.9% alcohol) for 60 seconds twice a day. The control group followed all of the same procedures but was only exposed to deionized (DI) water. Force measurements were taken at six time points (initial, 1 day, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, and 28 days). RESULTS There were no significant differences among groups at the initial time point (P  =  .52). Statistically significant effects of time on force decay were seen in all groups. All test groups showed significantly more force decay than the control group. Only a few statistically significant differences were observed when comparing force decay among the test groups. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol causes an increase in force decay of elastomeric chain over time. A concentration dependence of alcohol on force decay of elastomeric chain was not observed.

The effect of pH levels on nonlatex vs latex interarch elastics

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the force decay characteristics of nonlatex vs latex interarch elastics within the normal range of salivary pH levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two nonlatex groups and one latex quasi-control group were tested. Elastics were stretched to 15 mm and were held for 10 seconds (baseline), 4 hours, 8 hours, and 12 hours in artificial saliva solutions with pH levels of 5.0, 6.0, and 7.5. Force magnitudes were measured at 25 mm of activation. Each specimen was used once. Measurements were assessed using three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS The three-way interaction between group, pH, and time was not significant (P = .13); the group-by-pH interaction also was not significant (P = .70). However, pH-by-time (P = .0179) and group-by-time (P = .0001) interactions were significant. American Orthodontics nonlatex generated significantly higher loads than Auradonics nonlatex. American Orthodontics nonlatex produced significantly higher forces than American Orthodontics latex at 4, 8, and 12 hours, but not at 10 seconds. American Orthodontics latex was significantly stronger than Auradonics nonlatex at 10 seconds, but not at 4, 8, and 12 hours. CONCLUSIONS No clinically significant correlation between pH and force decay was observed.

Three-dimensional quantification of pretorqued nickel-titanium wires in edgewise and prescription brackets

OBJECTIVE To quantify the three-dimensional moments and forces produced by pretorqued nickel-titanium (NiTi) rectangular archwires fully engaged in 0.018- and 0.022-inch slots of central incisor and molar edgewise and prescription brackets. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten identical acrylic dental models with retroclined maxillary incisors were fabricated for bonding with various bracket-wire combinations. Edgewise, Roth, and MBT brackets with 0.018- and 0.022-inch slots were bonded in a simulated 2 × 4 clinical scenario. The left central incisor and molar were sectioned and attached to load cells. Correspondingly sized straight and pretorqued NiTi archwires were ligated to the brackets using 0.010-inch ligatures. Each load cell simultaneously measured three force (Fx, Fy, Fz) and three moment (Mx, My, Mz) components. The faciolingual, mesiodistal, and inciso-occluso/apical axes of the teeth corresponded to the x, y, and z axes of the load cells, respectively. Each wire was removed and retested seven times. Three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) examined the effects of wire type, wire size, and bracket type on the measured orthodontic load systems. Interactions among the three effects were examined and pair-wise comparisons between significant combinations were performed. RESULTS The force and moment components on each tooth were quantified according to their local coordinate axes. The three-way ANOVA interaction terms were significant for all force and moment measurements (P < .05), except for Fy (P > .05). CONCLUSION The pretorqued wire generates a significantly larger incisor facial crown torquing moment in the MBT prescription compared to Roth, edgewise, and the straight NiTi wire.

The relationship between the ABO discrepancy index and treatment duration in a graduate orthodontic clinic

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that there is no relationship between the components of the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) discrepancy index (DI) and duration of orthodontic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective review of 732 patient records with permanent dentition was performed. Pretreatment radiographs and casts were used to determine the DI score. Other data collected were total treatment duration, age, sex, ethnicity, and the date fixed appliances were removed. Reliability tests showed substantial agreement between examiners (Cohens kappa 0.68-0.94). Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to assess the association between the DI scores and length of treatment. A multiple variable regression analysis was used to determine which variables predict treatment duration (P < .05 significant). RESULTS There was a significant association between the DI and treatment duration. There was a significant multivariate association for DI components (occlusions, crowding, overjet, cephalometrics, overbite, lateral open bite, and tooth transposition) and treatment duration. CONCLUSIONS The hypothesis was rejected. This retrospective study of university clinical records showed that the average increase in treatment duration was about 11 days for each point increase in total DI score. Treatment duration was differentially increased by various components of the DI: approximately 6.5 months for tooth transposition; approximately 1 month for crowding, overjet, or overbite; approximately 3 weeks for occlusion discrepancies; approximately 2 weeks for lateral open bite; and approximately 5 days for cephalometric discrepancies.

Orthodontic mini-implant diameter does not affect in-situ linear microcrack generation in the mandible or the maxilla

INTRODUCTION Microdamage reduces bone mechanical properties and thus could contribute to implant failure. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the diameter of mini-implants affects linear microcrack generation and whether this differs between the mandible and the maxilla because of their contrasting cortical thicknesses. METHODS Maxillary and mandibular quadrants of 5 dogs were randomly assigned to receive, in situ, no pilot drilling or mini-implant insertion (control), pilot drilling only without mini-implants, or pilot drilling plus a mini-implant of 1 of 3 diameters: 1.4 mm (n = 18), 1.6 mm (n = 18), and 2.0 mm (n = 18). Linear microcracks were assessed on basic fuchsin-stained sections by using epifluorescence microscopy. RESULTS Pilot drilling without mini-implant insertion produced significantly higher linear microcrack burdens in the mandible compared with the maxilla. In the both the mandible and the maxilla, all implants produced higher linear microcrack burdens than did the controls, yet there were no differences between the 3 implant diameters. CONCLUSIONS Neither the diameter of the mini-implant nor the site of insertion (mandible vs maxilla) had a significant effect on the amount of linear microdamage adjacent to the implant when the implants were inserted after pilot drilling in situ.

The effects of application time of a self-etching primer and debonding methods on bracket bond strength

OBJECTIVE To test the manufacturers recommendation for the application rubbing time of a self-etching primer (Transbond Plus, 3M Unitek) and to compare the resulting bond strength of a resin composite (Transbond XT, 3M Unitek) in the traditional laboratory tension on all four wings with a simulation of the clinical single-wing lift-off debonding instrument (LODI; 3M Unitek). MATERIALS AND METHODS Flattened stainless-steel maxillary incisor orthodontic brackets (Victory Series, 3M Unitek) were bonded to 108 flattened bovine incisors. The enamel was rubbed with the self-etching primer for 0, 5 (the manufacturers recommendation), and 10 seconds during a 10-second application. Traditional four-wing and LODI simulated debonding forces and the adhesive remnant index (ARI) were recorded. RESULTS One-way analysis of variance testing among rubbing times and debonding methods indicated a significant difference in strength with 0 and 5 seconds of rubbing and between traditional and LODI simulated tension. The bond strengths were higher in the ARI  =  1 subset compared to the ARI  =  3-5 subsets. CONCLUSIONS The manufacturers recommendation for primer rubbing time produced the highest bond strength. Less force is required for debonding when tension is applied to one wing (LODI simulation) vs on all four wings.

Comparison of the orthodontic load systems created with elastomeric power chain to close extraction spaces on different rectangular archwires

INTRODUCTION The 3-dimensional load system (forces and moments) was quantified at the canine bracket during space closure with sliding mechanics with elastomeric chain on dry and wet stainless steel and beta-titanium 0.019 × 0.025-in archwires. METHODS A custom-made maxillary dentoform simulating first premolar extractions was attached to an orthodontic force tester. The canine was attached to a load cell through an adaptor with silicone simulating the periodontal ligament. The orthodontic force tester simultaneously measured the entire load system produced at the canine bracket by an elastomeric chain. The effects of archwire material, time (activation and 1 hour), and lubrication were analyzed by using 3-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA, α = 0.05). RESULTS Stainless steel provided a greater (P = 0.001) load system than did beta-titanium. The force was greatest on the canine in the lingual axis. The greatest moment was about the y-axis. The moment-to-force ratio, the most critical ratio, was greater for beta-titanium than stainless steel; however, both were close to the ideal 10:1. CONCLUSIONS With a stainless steel archwire for retraction sliding mechanics, a canine will experience a greater load system in all 3 dimensions than with a beta-titanium wire. Both archwires produced a moment-to-force ratio adequate for translation.

Laser-treated stainless steel mini-screw implants: 3D surface roughness, bone-implant contact, and fracture resistance analysis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES This study investigated the biomechanical properties and bone-implant intersurface response of machined and laser surface-treated stainless steel (SS) mini-screw implants (MSIs). MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty-eight 1.3mm in diameter and 6mm long SS MSIs were divided into two groups. The control (machined surface) group received no surface treatment; the laser-treated group received Nd-YAG laser surface treatment. Half in each group was used for examining surface roughness (Sa and Sq), surface texture, and facture resistance. The remaining MSIs were placed in the maxilla of six skeletally mature male beagle dogs in a randomized split-mouth design. A pair with the same surface treatment was placed on the same side and immediately loaded with 200 g nickel-titanium coil springs for 8 weeks. After killing, the bone-implant contact (BIC) for each MSI was calculated using micro computed tomography. Analysis of variance model and two-sample t test were used for statistical analysis with a significance level of P <0.05. RESULTS The mean values of Sa and Sq were significantly higher in the laser-treated group compared with the machined group (P <0.05). There were no significant differences in fracture resistance and BIC between the two groups. LIMITATION animal study CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS Laser treatment increased surface roughness without compromising fracture resistance. Despite increasing surface roughness, laser treatment did not improve BIC. Overall, it appears that medical grade SS has the potential to be substituted for titanium alloy MSIs.