Rwk Wong

Genes, genetics, and Class III malocclusion

To present current views that are pertinent to the investigation of the genetic etiology of Class III malocclusion. Class III malocclusion is thought to be a polygenic disorder that results from an interaction between susceptibility genes and environmental factors. However, research on family pedigrees has indicated that Class III malocclusion might also be a monogenic dominant phenotype. Recent studies have reported that genes that encode specific growth factors or other signaling molecules are involved in condylar growth under mechanical strain. These genes, which include Indian hedgehog homolog (IHH), parathyroid-hormone like hormone (PTHLH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and variations in their levels of expression play an important role in the etiology of Class III malocclusion. In addition, genome-wide scans have revealed chromosomal loci that are associated with Class III malocclusion. It is likely that chromosomal loci 1p36, 12q23, and 12q13 harbor genes that confer susceptibility to Class III malocclusion. In a case-control association study, we identified erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.1 (EPB41) to be a new positional candidate gene that might be involved in susceptibility to mandibular prognathism. Most of the earlier studies on the genetic etiology of Class III malocclusion have focused on the patterns of inheritance of this phenotype. Recent investigations have focused on understanding the genetic variables that affect Class III malocclusion and might provide new approaches to uncovering the genetic etiology of this phenotype.

Correlation between chronological age, cervical vertebral maturation and Fishman's skeletal maturity indicators in southern Chinese.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation between chronological age, cervical vertebral maturation (CVM), and Fishmans hand-wrist skeletal maturity indicators in southern Chinese. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four hundred contemporary hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs of southern Chinese subjects were randomly selected and analyzed. The female subjects were between 10 and 15 years of age, and the male subjects were between 12 and 17 years of age; all subjects were within the circumpubertal period. The CVM was assessed using the method developed by Baccetti and coworkers, but the hand-wrist maturation was assessed using the method developed by Fishman. These two methods and the chronological age were correlated using the Spearman rank correlation analysis. RESULTS The CVM was significantly correlated with the hand-wrist skeletal age (Spearman r male = 0.9206, female = 0.9363). All patients in the cervical maturation stage (CS3) of CVM were discovered to be in the skeletal maturational indicator (SMI2 or SMI3) stages of hand-wrist maturation (HWM), which was around the peak of the growth spurt. Low correlations were found between the CVM and chronological age (male r = 0.7577; female r = 0.7877) and between the HWM and chronological age (male r = 0.7492; female r = 0.7758). CONCLUSIONS CVM is a valid indicator of skeletal growth during the circumpubertal and has a high correlation with the HWM for the southern Chinese population. However, the low correlations found between the chronological age and both CVM and HWM showed that the chronological age was not suitable to measure skeletal maturity.

Effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on MC3T3-E1

UNLABELLED Osteogenesis and angiogenesis are closely correlated. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is believed to play a critical role in skeletal development. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether VEGF has direct effects on bone cells activities and to better understand how VEGF promotes bone remodeling. MATERIALS AND METHODS MC3T3-E1 cell line was cultured with and without VEGF in vitro. The cells in both control and test groups were collected at different culture time points of 24, 48 and 72 h. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was carried out to quantify the mRNA expression of VEGF receptor (VEGFR2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa β ligand (RANKL). RESULTS The expression of VEGFR2 significantly increased by 53% at 24 h and remained increased by 8% at 72 h compared to control (p < 0.05). ALP showed an early increase by 73% at 24 h (p < 0.001), but dropped by 14 and 41% at 48 and 72 h, respectively (p < 0.05). OCN was down-regulated by 41% at 24 h but then up-regulated by 149% at 72 h (p < 0.001). The expression of OPG significantly decreased by 7% at 24 h (p < 0.001) while dramatically increased by 133% at 72 h (p < 0.001). RANKL remained unchanged at all three time points (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION VEGF promotes bone remodeling by direct effects on osteoblastic cells via regulating gene expression of ALP, OCN, and OPG through VEGFR2 signaling pathway.

Temporal Expression of SOX9 and Type II Collagen in Spheno-Occipital Synchondrosis of Mice after Mechanical Tension Stimuli

OBJECTIVE To associate the expressions of SOX9 and type II collagen during growth in the synchondrosis with and without tensile stress in order to understand the role of these factors in the growth of cartilage in spheno-occipital synchondrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty 1-day-old male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Each group was subdivided again into five different time points which were 6, 24, 48, 72, and 168 hours. Each subgroup consisted of five mice. Each mouse was sacrificed using an overdose of pentobarbitone sodium. The synchondroses were aseptically removed and incubated in a 24-well plate with or without tensile stress in tissue culture. Tissue sections were stained immunohistochemically to quantitatively analyze the expression of SOX9 and type II collagen. RESULTS There was a statistically significant increase of 57% (P < .001) in the expression of SOX9 between the experimental and control groups at 24 hours, followed by a significant increase of 44.4% (P < .001) in the expression of type II collagen at 72 hours. CONCLUSIONS SOX9 may play an important role for early differentiation of chondrocytes and increase the expression of type II collagen, a major component of the extracellular matrix, during the growth of cartilage in the spheno-occipital synchondrosis.

The adjunct effectiveness of diode laser gingivectomy in maintaining periodontal health during orthodontic treatment.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of diode laser gingivectomy as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal treatment in the management of periodontal health among patients receiving fixed orthodontic appliance therapy (FOAT). MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty patients undergoing FOAT with gingival enlargement were block randomized into two treatment groups. The test group received diode laser gingivectomy (940-nm diode laser, ezlase, Biolase Technology Inc) as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal treatment. The control group received nonsurgical periodontal treatment only. For both groups, five periodontal parameters were assessed at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months: Plaque Index, Gingival Index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and Gingival Overgrowth Index. Intra- and intergroup variations in the periodontal parameters were determined over time. RESULTS Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in periodontal health over the study period (P < .05). However, significant improvements in periodontal health were evident earlier among the test group subjects (P < .05). The magnitude of improvement in periodontal health compared to baseline was greater in the test group than in the control group for Gingival Overgrowth Index at 1 month (P < .001) and 3 months (P < .05), Gingival Index at 3 months (P < .05) and 6 months (P < .05), and probing pocket depth at 1 month (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Nonsurgical periodontal management with or without the adjunct use of lasers can be effective in the management of gingival health problems among patients receiving FOAT. The adjunctive use of lasers can produce an earlier and greater improvement in gingival health.

Does orthodontic tooth movement cause an elevation in systemic inflammatory markers

SUMMARY The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of orthodontic treatment on systemic levels of the inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The study group comprised 11 girls and 6 boys (mean age 13.1 years) treated with fixed appliances and distalizing headgear. Venous blood samples were taken from the cubital vein of each subject before treatment (T0) and then at three further time points during treatment (T1-T3), 2 months apart. The sera from these blood samples were analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay technology for CRP, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 concentration levels. Data were compared between baseline and subsequent sequential time points using a Mann-Whitney test for non-normally distributed variables. The results showed that there was no significant elevation of any of the three inflammatory markers at any of the time points. This research provides evidence that conventional orthodontic treatment is not associated with a systemic immune response in the factors investigated.

The impact of orthodontic treatment on the quality of life of adults

This journal suppl. is the Special Issue: Abstracts of the 2012 FDI Annual World Dental Congress

The effect of naringin on early spheno-occipital growth as measured by the width of the hypertrophic zone during endochondral ossification

This journal suppl. entitled: Special Issue: Abstracts of the 2012 FDI Annual World Dental CongressThis journal supplement is the Special Issue: Abstracts of the 2012 FDI Annual World Dental Congress, September 2012This journal supplement is the Special Issue: Abstracts of the 2012 FDI Annual World Dental Congress