Association of Clinical, Biomechanical, and Psychosocial Factors with Smile Dynamics in Unilateral Cleft Lip: A Multicenter Observational Study.

Objective: To investigate the association between clinical, biomechanical, and psychosocial factors and smiling behavior in individuals with treated unilateral cleft lip with or without cleft palate (UCL ± P) compared to non-cleft controls.

Design: Multicenter observational study in New Zealand.

Participants: Individuals aged ≥15 ( = 42) comprised 2 study groups: a UCL ± P group ( = 21) and a non-cleft control group ( = 21).

Smile dynamics: A comparative study of Fijians and NZ Europeans.

Background: The Fijian 'Bula Smile' is often described as the world's friendliest; however, its description remains anecdotal.

Objective: This study aimed to describe and compare the dynamics of Fijians' smiles with those of New Zealand Europeans.

Methods: An observational study was conducted on two ethnic groups, Fijians (FJ; N = 23) and New Zealand Europeans (NZ; N = 23), age- and gender-matched.

The effect of passive clear aligners on masticatory muscle activity in adults with different levels of oral parafunction.

Background: There is limited knowledge of the possible side-effects of clear aligners on jaw function.

Objectives: To determine the short-term effect of passive clear aligners (PCAs) on masticatory muscle activity (MMA), occlusal discomfort (OD) and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms in adults with different levels of self-reported oral parafunction.

Materials And Methods: Participants were screened for oral parafunctional behaviours using the oral behavioural checklist.

Immediate effect of clear aligners and fixed appliances on perioral soft tissues and speech.

Objectives: To compare the immediate three-dimensional (3D) perioral soft-tissue changes and impact on speech induced by clear aligners and fixed appliances.

Materials And Methods: In this repeated-measure experimental study, stereophotogrammetric 3D photographs of 40 participants were recorded before and immediately after the introduction of clear aligners and fixed appliances. The 3D surface meshes were registered to quantify changes in the direction and magnitude of nine soft tissue landmarks located on the upper and lower lips.

Three-dimensional digital assessment of typodont activations.

Objectives: Wax typodonts are widely used as pre-clinical teaching tools to test and research the complex force systems created by archwire activations, however, a limitation is the inability to quantify the resultant statically indeterminate tooth movements. The aim of this study was to develop an analogue-to-digital typodont system to quantify the effects of archwire activations on individual typodont teeth in three dimensions.

Methods: The typodont system was developed using CAD/CAM technology.

Regulatory compliance of online vendor selling dental whitening products in New Zealand.

In recent years, numerous over-the-counter (OTC) tooth whitening products have become available online to meet the demand of consumers wanting a convenient way to whiten their smile. This study investigated whether websites selling OTC whitening products containing hydrogen peroxide to New Zealanders are complying with hazardous substance laws set by the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The search engine 'Google' was used to identify websites selling and shipping OTC whitening products to New Zealand.

Retention: taking a more active role.

Retention may be particularly challenging after the correction of specific malocclusion features, such as tooth rotations, open bite and expansion, which are all inherently unstable. In this article, some indications for active retention are reviewed by highlighting a variety of clinical techniques and appliances. Active retention is discussed in relation to preservation of tooth alignment and in the three planes of space: sagittal, vertical and transverse.

An in-vitro mechanical strain three-dimensional culture model: periodontal ligament cell viability, apoptosis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress response.

To develop a model to investigate a potential relationship between mechanical strain, cell responses, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in periodontal ligament (PDL) cells, primary PDL cell cultures were obtained from extracted premolars. Cells were cultured in hydrogel and subjected to 24 h of static mechanical strain, resulting in 18% dimensional substrate elongation. Cell viability, caspase-3/7 activity, and mRNA levels for 28 genes, including unfolded protein response (UPR)-related and mechanically responsive genes, serving as positive controls for stress induction, were examined.

Evaluation of objective and subjective treatment outcomes in orthodontic cases treated with extraction of a mandibular incisor.

Objectives: To analyze changes in occlusal characteristics following mandibular incisor extractions (MIE), to determine the usefulness of wax setups in treatment planning MIE cases and to compare the pre- and posttreatment dental attractiveness between MIE cases and nonextraction (NE) controls.

Materials And Methods: The Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) Index was used to score pre- and posttreatment dental casts of MIE cases (n = 14) and matched NE controls (n = 14). Occlusal characteristics were evaluated on diagnostic wax setups and posttreatment casts.

Effect of incisor retraction on facial aesthetics.

Incisor retraction may result in lip retraction, interlabial gap closure and increase of the nasolabial angle but a clear consensus on the effect of incisor retraction on facial aesthetics has not yet been achieved. Despite current evidence being weak, it seems to indicate that in a well-managed orthodontic case, with or without extractions, the soft-tissue and facial aesthetic changes are generally favourable or clinically insignificant.

Sclerostin injection enhances orthodontic tooth movement in rats.

Objective: It was aimed to investigate the in vivo effects of local injection of sclerostin protein on orthodontic tooth movement.

Design: A total of 48 rats underwent orthodontic mesialization of the maxillary first molars on both sides. Local injection was given at the compression side in the alveolar bone on both maxillary sides, with sclerostin protein carried by hydrogel on one side, and the same volume of normal saline carried by hydrogel on the other side serving as the control.

Downregulation of toll-like receptor-mediated signalling pathways in oral lichen planus.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLR) and TLR-associated signalling pathway genes in oral lichen planus (OLP).

Methods: Initially, immunohistochemistry was used to determine TLR expression in 12 formalin-fixed archival OLP tissues with 12 non-specifically inflamed oral tissues as controls. RNA was isolated from further fresh samples of OLP and non-specifically inflamed oral tissue controls (n = 6 for both groups) and used in qRT(2)-PCR focused arrays to determine the expression of TLRs and associated signalling pathway genes.