Moara De Rossi

Electromyographic evaluation in children having rapid maxillary expansion

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to analyze the electromyographic activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles of children having rapid maxillary expansion (RME) with a bonded rapid maxillary expansion appliance. METHODS The sample consisted of 27 children (mean age, 8.6 years) with posterior crossbite who required RME treatment. Electromyographic activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles was analyzed before treatment and after the appliance was removed. The mean interval between the 2 analyses was 5 months. Muscular activity was electromyographically analyzed in rest position, and with maximum voluntary dental clenching and chewing. Differences in the 2 measurements were evaluated by using paired t tests. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Electromyographic analysis showed that activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles increased significantly after the expansion appliance was removed during rest, dental clenching, and habitual chewing.

Characteristics of masticatory muscles in children with unilateral posterior crossbite

The aim of this study was to detect possible differences in the EMG (electromyography) activity, chewing rate (CR), cycle duration (CD) and preferred chewing side (PCS) between children with and without unilateral posterior crossbite. Thirty-seven children aged from 7 to 10 years were selected from the clinic of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Piracicaba Dental School, Brazil, and divided into two groups: unilateral posterior crossbite (UPCB group, n = 17), and normal occlusion (NOccl group, n = 20). The PCS was determined using a visual spot-checking method. The EMG activity was recorded during mastication, and two chewing sequences of 20 s were evaluated to establish each subjects CR (cycles/sec) and CD. UPCB and NOccl groups did not have a PCS. The EMG activity and the cycle characteristics did not differ between the groups. The correlations between CD, CR and EMG activity were statistically significant for the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles only in the NOccl group, in which there was also a significant correlation between the EMG activity of masseter and anterior temporalis. In conclusion, these findings suggest that although children with and without UPCB presented a bilateral masticatory pattern with similar CR and CD, balanced EMG activity of masseter and anterior temporalis muscles was observed only in the NOccl group. These results indicate that in children, UPCB can alter the coordination of masticatory muscles during mastication.

Skeletal alterations associated with the use of bonded rapid maxillary expansion appliance

Bonded maxillary expansion appliances have been suggested to control increases in the vertical dimension of the face after rapid maxillary expansion (RME). However, there is still no consensus in the literature about its real skeletal effects. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate, longitudinally, the vertical and sagittal cephalometric alterations after RME performed with bonded maxillary expansion appliance. The sample consisted of 26 children, with a mean age of 8.7 years (range: 6.9-10.9 years), with posterior skeletal crossbite and indication for RME. After maxillary expansion, the bonded appliance was used as a fixed retention for 3.4 months, being replaced by a removable retention subsequently. The cephalometric study was performed onto lateral radiographs, taken before treatment was started, and again 6.3 months after removing the bonded appliance. Intra-group comparison was made using paired t test. The results showed that there were no significant sagittal skeletal changes at the end of treatment. There was a small vertical skeletal increase in five of the eleven evaluated cephalometric measures. The maxilla displaced downward, but it did not modify the facial growth patterns or the direction of the mandible growth. Under the specific conditions of this research, it may be concluded that RME with acrylic bonded maxillary expansion appliance did promote signifciant vertical or sagittal cephalometric alterations. The vertical changes found with the use of the bonded appliance were small and probably transitory, similar to those occurred with the use of banded expansion appliances.

Management of a complex dentoalveolar trauma: a case report

This paper describes the case of a 12-year-old male patient who presented a severe lateral luxation of the maxillary central incisors due to a bicycle fall. Treatment involved suture of the soft tissues lacerations, and repositioning and splinting of the injured teeth, followed by endodontic treatment and periodontal surgery. After a 2-year follow-up, clinical and radiographic evaluation revealed that the incisors presented satisfactory esthetic and functional demands.

Mecanismos Celulares e Moleculares Envolvidos na Reabsorção Radicular Fisiológica de Dentes Decíduos

Resumen pt: Introducao: A reabsorcao fi siologica dos dentes deciduos consti tui um fenomeno fi siologico complexo nao completamente conhecido; assunto de grande int...

Avaliação do dimorfismo sexual e da relação entre as características craniofaciais, dos arcos dentários e do músculo masseter na fase de dentição mista

Purpose to evaluate sexual dimorphism and the relationship between craniofacial characteristics, dental arch morphology and masseter muscle thickness in children in the mixed dentition stage. Methods the study sample comprised 32 children, aged 6-10 years (14♀/18♂) with normal occlusion. Craniofacial characteristics, dental morphology and masseter muscle thickness were evaluated by means of posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs, dental cast evaluation and ultrasound exam, respectively. The results were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk test, Mann-Whitney/t-test and stepwise linear regression to assess the relation between face width and age, gender, body mass index, masseter thickness, distances between first molars and canines on dental casts (between cusps/cervical points), nasal, maxillary, mandibular and intermolar widths. Results masseter thickness showed no significant difference between the sides left/right. The comparison between genders showed significant difference only in face width, being larger in boys. The regression model showed that face width was positively related with body mass index, masseter thickness, mandibular first molar distances (cusps), mandibular canine distances (cervical points), and maxillary intermolar width; and negatively with maxillary (cusps) and mandibular molar distances (cervical points) and mandibular canine distances (cusps). That is, when the other studied variables were considered, the explanatory variable gender did not reach a significant value. Conclusion in the studied sample, the dimensions of the dental arches and masseter thickness did not differ between boys and girls; moreover, face width showed significant relationship with body mass index, masseter thickness, and dimensions of dental arches; but gender did not contribute significantly to face width variation.