The Efficacy of a New AMCOP® Elastodontic Protocol for Orthodontic Interceptive Treatment: A Case Series and Literature Overview

Background: Elastodontics is a specific interceptive orthodontic treatment that uses removable elastomeric appliances. They are functional appliances that produce neuromuscular, orthopedic and dental effects. Thus, these devices are useful in the developmental age, when skeletal structures are characterized by important plasticity and adaptation capacity, allowing to remove factors responsible for malocclusions. Elastomeric devices are generally well tolerated by patients requiring simple collaboration and management. This work can be useful to update all orthodontists already adopting these appliances or for those who want to approach them for the first time. This study aimed to describe four cases treated with new elastomeric devices called AMCOP Bio-Activators and to provide an overview of elastodontics, its evolution, indications and limits. Methods: A total of four clinical cases were presented after a treatment period of 16–20 months to evaluate the clinical and radiological effects of the elastodontic therapy. Results: The effectiveness of Bio-Activators on clinical cases was evidenced with a significant improvement in skeletal and dentoalveolar relationship, and malocclusion correction in a limited treatment period (16–20 months). Conclusions: The Bio-Activators showed clinical effectiveness to achieve therapeutic targets according to a low impact on the patient’s compliance

White spot lesions in orthodontics: prevention and treatment. A descriptive review

White spot lesions (WSL) are demineralizations of the enamel found on the tooth surfaces. WSL are considered incipient non-cavitated caries caused by bacterial plaque activity. Subjects with malocclusion such as dental crowding and fixed orthodontic appliances have a greater number of retention sites and consequently difficulty in cleaning and greater predisposition to caries. In fact, WSL are a frequent side effect of orthodontic fixed treatments. The prevention and resolution of this problem is the goal of any orthodontist because untreated WSL can lead to the formation of deeper dental caries and restorative treatment with consequent compromise of patient satisfaction with the aesthetic result obtained at the end of the orthodontic treatment. This review is intended not only for orthodontists but also for general and pediatric dentists who want to learn how to correctly prevent, and treat this unsightly problem. On the market there are many products sold to achieve this goal, some of them can be managed independently by the patient at home, others require the intervention of the dentist. The purpose of this literature review is to understand how these substances work, to identify with which of the currently most widespread the best results have been obtained and then to provide useful information to guide the clinician in choosing the most suitable one for the patient

Management of anterior open-bite in the deciduous, mixed and permanent dentition stage: a descriptive review

Anterior open bite is one of the most complex malocclusions to manage. The interaction of skeletal, dental, and soft tissue effects can contribute to develop an anterior open bite. The skeletal open bite requires a more complex approach of treatment to reach function, aesthetics, and stability. The approaches vary depending on the causative factors and the age of patients. Treatment approaches for open bite patients differ when dealing with adults and growing patients. The aim of this descriptive review was to summarize the main existing treatment strategies for anterior open bite, from the noninvasive behavioural shaping to the orthodontic intrusion with skeletal anchorage

Compliance of children with removable functional appliance with microchip integrated during covid-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Treatments with removable appliances are widely used in Europe to correct dento-skeletal dysgnatia in the growth phase that is a period of poor cooperation of the patients. Adherence to the wear-time prescription is often not achieved and it represent the main argument against the use of removable devices. Suspected non-compliant behavior with the wear time prescription is often the subject of medico-legal disputes, which can deteriorate doctor-patient relationship. The use of microchips allows to document objectively and clarify the patient's behavior. To conduct a systematic review of the orthodontic literature to identify the factors associated with compliance in orthodontic treatment. We conduct a systematic review that aimed to identity the factors associate with compliance in orthodontic treatment. The main purpose was to assess the objective levels of time of use of the removable appliances and the self-reported levels. A literature search was conducted by the electronic databases PubMed and Cochrane Library. The following search terms were used: compliance functional removable orthodontic appliance. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, prospective cohort studies, case series, qualitative and mixed-methods studies objectively assessing compliance levels were included in the study. A total of 94 articles were identified by PubMed and 14 articles by Cochrane. The papers selected were included for the qualitative analysis and categorized according to the subjects age, the clinical appliance, compliance factors, wear time and monitoring. Removable appliances are an important part of orthodontic treatment, used in growth phase of the patient. Collaboration with removable functional devices determines success / failure in treatment

Functional breastfeeding: From nutritive sucking to oral health

Functional breastfeeding plays a key role in the correct psychophysical and neuromotor development of a child, and it has repercussions on craniofacial complex growth and functioning. The consequences of not breastfeeding seem to have not only aesthetic complications but can cause significant functional orthodontic repercussions. Each study on breastfeeding has shown how breast milk protects against acute otitis media, pneumonia, syncytial virus, bronchitis, asthma, gastroenteritis, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), leukaemia, obesity, allergies and even constitutes a protective factor against habitual infant snoring and in reduction of the risk of obstructive apnea. By exercising his muscles, the child strengthens his zygomatic processes so that nasal airways have good drainage capacity and consequently a low predisposition to sinus and respiratory infections. Dentists have a fundamental role in the prevention of maternal-infant oral health, and by assisting its management, they can even implement the best development of a child’s immune system. The “primary” function of the dentist which is concretized in encouraging the planning of the first early visits of the interception of spoiled habits and incorrect lifestyles, together with the “internal” one of the intestinal and oral microbiota of the child together with breastfeeding have an indirect yet significant consequence of favoring the harmonic growth of the orofacial complex

Functional breastfeeding: from nutritive sucking to oral health

Functional breastfeeding plays a key role in the correct psychophysical and neuromotor development ofa child, and it has repercussions on craniofacial complex growth and functioning. The consequences of notbreastfeeding seem to have not only aesthetic complications but can cause significant functional orthodonticrepercussions. Each study on breastfeeding has shown how breast milk protects against acute otitis media,pneumonia, syncytial virus, bronchitis, asthma, gastroenteritis, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),leukaemia, obesity, allergies and even constitutes a protective factor against habitual infant snoring and inreduction of the risk of obstructive apnea. By exercising his muscles, the child strengthens his zygomaticprocesses so that nasal airways have good drainage capacity and consequently a low predisposition tosinus and respiratory infections. Dentists have a fundamental role in the prevention of maternal-infantoral health, and by assisting its management, they can even implement the best development of a child’simmune system. The “primary” function of the dentist which is concretized in encouraging the planning ofthe first early visits of the interception of spoiled habits and incorrect lifestyles, together with the “internal”one of the intestinal and oral microbiota of the child together with breastfeeding have an indirect yetsignificant consequence of favoring the harmonic growth of the orofacial complex

Effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines for Short- and Long-Term Immunity: A General Overview for the Pandemic Contrast

Background: The recent COVID-19 pandemic produced a significant increase in cases and an emergency state was induced worldwide. The current knowledge about the COVID-19 disease concerning diagnoses, patient tracking, the treatment protocol, and vaccines provides a consistent contribution for the primary prevention of the viral infection and decreasing the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 disease. The aim of the present investigation was to produce a general overview about the current findings for the COVID-19 disease, SARS-CoV-2 interaction mechanisms with the host, therapies and vaccines’ immunization findings. Methods: A literature overview was produced in order to evaluate the state-of-art in SARS-CoV-2 diagnoses, prognoses, therapies, and prevention. Results: Concerning to the interaction mechanisms with the host, the virus binds to target with its Spike proteins on its surface and uses it as an anchor. The Spike protein targets the ACE2 cell receptor and enters into the cells by using a special enzyme (TMPRSS2). Once the virion is quietly accommodated, it releases its RNA. Proteins and RNA are used in the Golgi apparatus to produce more viruses that are released. Concerning the therapies, different protocols have been developed in observance of the disease severity and comorbidity with a consistent reduction in the mortality rate. Currently, different vaccines are currently in phase IV but a remarkable difference in efficiency has been detected concerning the more recent SARS-CoV-2 variants. Conclusions: Among the many questions in this pandemic state, the one that recurs most is knowing why some people become more seriously ill than others who instead contract the infection as if it was a trivial flu. More studies are necessary to investigate the efficiency of the treatment protocols and vaccines for the more recent detected SARS-CoV-2 variant