Most popular Dental Elf Blogs Apr – Jun 2023

Cherry Blossom

Between April and July our most popular blogs looked at chewing gum for orthodontic pain, mouthwashes to promote gingival healing and the impact of malocclusion on quality of life.

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Chewing gum for pain during and after orthodontic appliance installation

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This review of the efficacy of chewing gum in reducing pain intensity in patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment included 16 RCTs. The findings suggest , chewing gum was significantly more effective than both pharmacologic agents and placebo in reducing orthodontic pain 24 hours. However the evidence is of very low certainty.

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Orthodontic management and orofacial muscle training protocols in the developing dentition

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15 studies were included in this review of early orthodontic management and orofacial muscle training protocols in the developing dentition. All the included studies were at high risk of bias so high-quality evidence for early orthodontic management and myofunctional treatment in the developing dentition is lacking.

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Titanium or resorbable plates for orthognathic surgery

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This Cochrane review compared titanium & bioresorbable fixation systems for orthognathic surgery. Only 2 RCTS were identified providing insufficient evidence to determine if titanium plates or resorbable plates are superior.

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Intrusive luxation in permanent teeth

PDS scores at follow up showed gains were maintained

This review of treatments for teeth with intrusive luxation included 8 studies. The studies were all considered to be at high risk of bias and suggested that spontaneous re-eruption should be the treatment of choice. However the small number of studies and limited quality means these findings should be interpreted with caution.

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Post-orthodontic white spot lesions – lack of reliable evidence for management strategies

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Only 8 studies at high risk of bias were available for this review of treatments for post orthodontic white spot lesions (WSLs) . They provide little reliable evidence to support remineralising or camouflaging strategies to manage WSLs.

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Satisfaction with orthodontic treatment

iStock_000002551343XSmall colourful braces on teeth

This review of satisfaction with orthodontic treatment included 18 questionnaire-based studies, involving 2891 patients and 464 parents. Based on the available limited evidence, satisfaction was associated with perceived aesthetic outcomes, psychological benefits, and the quality of care.

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Passive smoking: linked with non-syndromic orofacial clefts

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This review included 15 retrospective case-controlled studies and found that Maternal passive smoking was associated with an increased risk in non-syndromic orofacial clefts OR= 2.11, (95% CI: 1.54-2.89)

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Review suggests that surgical anchorage is more effective than conventional anchorage for orthodontic treatment

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This recent update of a Cochrane review considers the question as to whether surgical or conventional anchorage is more effective. Surgical anchorage was more effective but there is limited information on patient reported outcomes such as pain.

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