Menopause: Changes in the Mouth Cavity and Preventive Strategies

Aim: Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries. Menopause typically occurs in women in midlife and signals the end of the fertile phase of a woman\u2019s life. The transition from reproductive to non-reproductive is the result of a major reduction in female hormonal production by the ovaries. During the menopause remarkable changes happen in the mouth cavity as osteoporosis, periodontal disease, Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) and xerostomia. The aim of this work is to describe the changes that occur during the menopause in the mouth cavity and the preventive protocols used in the Preventive Dental Department of the University of Milan. Material and Methods: A systematic literature review about the menopause and its modifications in the mouth cavity have been made using the data base Medline and key words as \u201coral health\u201d and \u201cmenopause\u201d have been searched. Discussion and Conclusions: Different changes in women oral condition can be observed during menopause. These pathological conditions are typical of the hormonal phase and they must be known by clinicians in order to make a correct intervention. Problems as osteoporosis, periodontal disease, Burning mouth syndrome and xerostomia could be prevented using specific protocols

Physician's mistakes in the interpretation of spirometry

Background. The most recent ATS/ERS recommendations on lung function testing include a definition of airflow obstruction based on lower limit of normal (LLN) of FEV1/FVC and suggest to measure total lung capacity (TLC) in suspected cases of \u201cpseudo-restriction\u201d (normal FEV1/FVC ratio because of concomitant reductions in FEV1 and FVC), that can conceal airflow obstruction if the subject does not exhale long enough. Aims. To evaluate the skill of physicians in the interpretation of spirometry. Methods. A questionnaire focusing on the interpretation of five spirograms was administered to 127 physicians (aged 25-67yrs; 39% pulmonologists, 20% geriatrics). Correlates of spirometric misinterpretation were assessed by logistic regression. Results. Overall, 31% of physicians made at least one mistake in the interpretation of the spirograms administered. The percentage decreases to 15% among pulmonologists (OR=3.7; p=0.005). One quarter of physicians wrongly diagnosed airflow obstruction in a 75yrs old subject with FEV1/FVCLLN. About 1 out of 5 physicians did not recognize a mixed ventilatory defect (obstruction + restriction), while less than 15% (45% of pulmonologists) highlighted the need to measure TLC in suspected pseudo-restriction. Factors significantly associated with a lower amount of mistakes included higher n\ub0 of test performed, scientific articles read, respiratory congress attended, COPD and asthma patients visited in the last year. Conclusions. Inappropriate spirometric interpretation is not rare among physicians and airway obstruction is still frequently overdiagnosed among elderly. Diagnosis by pulmonologists and scientific update of physicians allow to reduce spirometric interpretative errors

Rapid Maxillary Expander and Eruption Guidance Appliance therapy in skeletal Class II: cephalometric considerations

AIM: The use of rapid maxillary expander (RME) combined with eruption guidance appliances (EGA) represents a valid method in the treatment of skeletal Class II deep bite patients. In this paper a retrospective cephalometric study of the effects of RME and EGA therapy in Class II deep bite patients is described and compared with the treatment effects of patients with the same malocclusion treated only by RME. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre and post treatment cephalometric radiographs of 47 Class II division 1 deep bite growing patients treated with RME followed by EGA (mean age 9.65 years) (Group 1) were compared with those obtained from a control group (Group 2) of 44 patients (mean age 9.34 years) treated with RME only. The following cephalometric values were analized: SNA; SNB; ANB; SN-PNS.ANS; SN-Go.GN; N-Me; S-Go. RESULTS: Improvement in maxillo-mandibular relationship was observed in both groups with significantly higher decrease of SNA and ANB in group 1. The cranio-maxillary relation shows a tendency to grow downward and backward in both groups. Both anterior and posterior total facial heights showed a significant increase in group 1. CONCLUSIONS: RME followed by EGA therapy in Class II skeletal deep bite patients has shown better results compared with RME therapy without functional appliance

Neuromuscular evaluation in young patients with unilateral posterior crossbite before and after rapid maxillary expansion

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to analyze the electromyographic and electrognatographic exams of 55 patients before and after rapid palatal expansion, and to find out a relationship between the results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample consisted of 55 children (28 females and 27 males; age ranging between 6 and10 years) with unilateral posterior crossbite, and subjected to an electromyographic and electrognatographic examination before and after a rapid palatal expansion. RESULTS: By analyzing the results, it is possible to observe an increased electrical activity of the masticatory muscles (right and left masseters and anterior temporalis) both in rest position and during activities after rapid palatal expansion. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid palatal expansion produces important changes in the muscular tone and it increases the muscular activity of the masticatory muscles

Assessing mandibular body changes in growing subjects: a comparison of CBCT and reconstructed lateral cephalogram measurements

The aim of this study is to compare cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and bi-dimensional reconstructed lateral cephalograms (RLCs) in assessing mandibular body length and growth and to evaluate how mandibular reshaping influences the error in measuring mandibular body growth in bi-dimensional radiographs. Twenty-five patients with two CBCT scans taken at a mean distance of 2.21\u2009\ub1\u20090.5 years were selected. The following measurements were performed: right and left mandibular body length at each point in time, mandibular growth, inter-gonial distance and mandibular symphyseal angle. From each CBCT, an RLC was obtained, and mandibular body length and growth were measured. Data analysis revealed a statistically and clinically significant difference in CBCT and RLC regarding the mandibular length of each patient at each point in time. However, mandibular growth was almost identical. A linear regression was performed to predict growth distortion between RLCs and CBCT depending on the ratio between transverse and sagittal mandibular growth. The expected maximum and minimum distortion, however, appeared not to be significant. In fact, a second linear regression model and a Bland-Altman test revealed a strong correlation between measurements of average mandibular body growth by CBCT and RLCs. As the same distortion occurs in the first and second RLCs, bi-dimensional radiographs remain the method of choice in evaluating mandibular body growth

Atmospheric fluctuations below 0.1 Hz during drift-scan solar diameter measurements

Measurements of the power spectrum of the seeing in the range 0.001-1 Hz have been performed in order to understand the criticity of the transits' method for solar diameter monitoring.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, proc. of the Fourth French-Chinese meeting on Solar Physics Understanding Solar Activity: Advances and Challenges, 15 - 18 November, 2011 Nice, Franc

Menopause: Changes in the Mouth Cavity and Preventive Strategies

Aim:Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries. Menopause typically occurs in women in midlife and signals the end of the fertile phase of a woman's life. The transition from reproductive to non-reproductive is the result of a major reduction in female hormonal production by the ovaries. During the menopause remarkable changes happen in the mouth cavity as osteoporosis, periodontal disease, Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) and xerostomia. The aim of this work is to describe the changes that occur during the menopause in the mouth cavity and the preventive protocols used in the Preventive Dental Department of the University of Milan. Material and Methods: A systematic literature review about the menopause and its modifications in the mouth cavity have been made using the data base Medline and key words as "oral health" and "menopause" have been searched. Discussion and Conclusions:Different changes in women oral condition can be observed during menopause.These pathological conditions are typical of the hormonal phase and they must be known by clinicians in order to make a correct intervention. Problems as osteoporosis, periodontal disease, Burning mouth syndrome and xerostomia could be prevented using specific protocols

Orthodontic-surgical treatment: electromyographic and kinesiographic evaluation in follow up period : Experimental study

Introduction. The aim of this study was to investigate muscular function and mandibular kinesiology of patients undergoing orthodontic-surgical treatment by electromyography and kinesiography. Electromyographic evaluation is essential to estimate masticatory forces in patients undergoing combined surgical-orthodontic treatment. Materials and methods. 60 patients referred for orthodontic surgical treatment were included in the study, 43 patients presented a class III while 17 presented a class II. The patients underwent electromyographic and kinesiographic examinations during all the therapeutic orthodontic-surgical phases. Results. The relationship between fundamental electromyographic values and age, weight, asymmetry and activation was weak. A strong and positive relationship was observed between the relaxation percentage after TENS (transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation), the steepness of the post-surgery rehabilitation curve, the initial POC (percentage overlapping coefficient), and for the values in microvolts of the right and left temporal and masseters at the beginning of treatment. Conclusions. Patients with dentofacial deformities corrected by surgical treatment, have a significant positive treatment outcome in respect of masticatory activity and performance electromyographic evaluation on, before, during and follow up period of the analized patients permit to underline that this examination can predict long term stability

Preventive hygiene protocol of University of Milan for women during pregnancy: A qualitative and quantitative bacterial plaque analysis prospective original study

Introduction: The aim of this article is to describe the preventive hygiene protocol of University of Milan for women during pregnancy analyzing the bacterial plaque quantitatively and qualitatively. Materials and methods: A sample of 35 pregnant women following a protocol of periodic visits starting from the first month of pregnancy until the childbirth and in follow up controls were analyzed. Several samples (n = 4) of bacterial plaque for quantitative and qualitative analysis were taken, from the lingual surface of the lower first molar, during the first visit (T0), during the first trimester (T1), during the second or third trimester of pregnancy (T2), and one month after childbirth (T3). Results: By performing a quantitative analysis, it was calculated that the average plaque index (Fig. 1) was n = 48.1% (T0), n = 14.7% (T1), n = 18.4% (T2) and n = 18.9% (T3). The plaque index score presents a downward trend, passing from 48.1% (T0) to 18.9% (T3). The number of total cocci (Fig. 2) was n = 205.39 (T0), n = 57.5(T1), n = 74.6 (T2) and n = 75.4(T3). The number of total bacilli (Fig. 3) was n = 62.7 (T0), n = 23.1 (T1), n = 25.3 (T2), n = 27.1(T3). The total values of cocci and bacilli were correlated and the average trend of the various samples was calculated. By performing a qualitative analysis, the value of G+ cocci (Fig. 5) was n = 2.7 (T0), n = 1.4 (T1), n = 1.4 (T2) and n = 1.5 (T3). The value of G 12 cocci (Fig. 5) was n = 2.3 (T0), n = 0.7 (T1), n = 1.1 (T2) and n = 1.1 (T3). The value of G+ bacilli (Fig. 6) was n = 1.6 (T0), n = 0.9 (T1), n = 1.2 (T2) and n = 1.2 (T3). The value of G 12 bacilli (Fig. 6) was n = 1.3 (T0), n = 0.3 (T1), n = 0.7 (T2) and n = 0.7 (T3). Conclusions: The preventive hygiene protocol used in the Dental Hygiene Department of the University of Milan, during the gestation period, is a suitable method for the control of the bacterial plaque. A considerably decrease of the plaque index and bacterial components between the first visit and the subsequent check-ups was calculated