ABSTRACT

Objectives:

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effect of piezocision as an adjunctive procedure to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement.

Materials and Methods:

Randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials that investigated the effectiveness of piezocision on accelerating orthodontic tooth movement were identified through electronic and manual searches. The literature search, study inclusion, risk of bias assessment, and data extraction were performed by two reviewers independently.

Results:

Four eligible studies were included in this review. All studies reported accelerated tooth movement after piezocision, and three reported a significant reduction of treatment duration in the piezocision group. No deleterious effects on periodontal status, pain perception, satisfaction, root resorption, or anchorage control were reported in any studies.

Conclusion:

Based on currently available information, weak evidence supports that piezocision is a safe adjunct to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement, at least in the short term. More high-quality clinical trials to determine the long-term effects and optimal protocol for piezocision are needed to draw more reliable conclusions.

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in accelerating orthodontic tooth movement of crowded maxillary incisors.

Materials and Methods:

This two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial involved 26 patients with severe to extreme maxillary incisors irregularity according to Little's irregularity index, indicating two first premolars extraction. Patients were randomly assigned to either the laser group or the control group (13 each). Following premolars extraction, orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances was initiated for both groups. Immediately after insertion of the first archwire, patients in the laser group received a LLL dose from an 830-nm wavelength Ga-Al-As semiconductor laser device with energy of 2 J/point. The laser was applied to each maxillary incisor's root at four points (two buccal, two palatal). Application was repeated on days 3, 7, 14, and then every 15 days starting from the second month until the end of the leveling and alignment stage. Alignment progress was evaluated on the study casts taken before inserting the first archwire (T0), after 1 month of treatment commencement (T1), after 2 months (T2), and at the end of the leveling and alignment stage (T3). The outcome measures were the overall time needed for leveling and alignment and the leveling and alignment improvement percentage.

Results:

A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in the overall treatment time (P < .001) and the leveling and alignment improvement percentage at T1 (P = .004) and T2; (P = .001).

Conclusion:

LLLT is an effective method for accelerating orthodontic tooth movement.

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To evaluate the skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue effects of skeletally anchored Class II elastics and compare them with a matched control group treated by a monobloc appliance for the correction of skeletal Class II malocclusion due to mandibular retrusion.

Materials and Methods:

Twelve patients (6 girls, 6 boys) were randomly divided into two groups. In the elastics group, six patients (12.9 ± 1.5 years of age; 3 boys, 3 girls) were treated with skeletally anchored Class II elastics. Two miniplates were placed bilaterally at the ramus of the mandible and the other two miniplates were placed at the aperture piriformis area of the maxilla. In the monobloc group (3 boys and 3 girls; mean age, 12.3 ± 1.6 years), patients used the monobloc appliance. The changes observed in each phase of treatment were evaluated using the Wilcoxon matched-pair sign test. Intergroup comparisons at the initial phase of treatment were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results:

There were statistically significant group differences in Co-Gn, B-VRL, U1-PP, U1-VRL, Ls-VRL, with significant increases in these parameters in the elastics group (P < .05). The mandibular incisors were protruded in the monobloc group (5.45 ± 1.23°), whereas they were retruded in the elastics group (−3.01 ± 1.66°; P < .01).

Conclusions:

The undesirable dentoalveolar effects of the monobloc appliance were eliminated by using miniplate anchorage. Favorable skeletal outcomes can be achieved by skeletal anchorage therapies which could be an alternative to treat skeletal Class II patients with mandibular deficiency.

This listing of academic opportunities is provided as a free service to the profession and the community.

FLORIDA

Nova Southeastern University

College of Dental Medicine/Orthodontics

3200 South Diversity Drive, Ft Lauderdale, FL 3328-2018

Apply: www.nsujobs.com, job #992943

Contact: Dr. Abraham B. Lifshitz,

e-mail: al674@nova.edu

Rank: Post Graduate Director/Faculty rank commensurate with training & experience.

Require: DDS/DMD or equivalent. ABO certification; experience in academic and clinical supervision and teaching. MS Dent or PhD preferred.

University of Florida

College of Dentistry

Department of Orthodontics

Apply: www.jobs.ufl.edu, job #497108

Rank: Assistant/Associate Professor, Full-time, tenure or clinical track.