A case series of wind instrument players with cleft lip and/or palate.

It might be more difficult for patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) to generate sufficient muscle tension of the upper lip and intraoral air pressure to play a wind instrument. We aimed to explore and describe the key aspects of wind instrument playing with a repaired cleft. An in-depth interview was conducted among ten patients with CL/P and one with a functionally comparable problem and we found that: individuals with CL/P can achieve a professional level on a wind instrument; the oboe and trumpet may be less suitable for patients with CL/P because of the high lip muscle tension and intraoral air pressure that must be generated; air leakage through a fistula, unrepaired alveolus or velopharyngeal insufficiency can be troublesome; and for people with CL/P, a brass instrument with a large mouthpiece is easier than a small mouthpiece.

Corrosion of orthodontic brackets: qualitative and quantitative surface analysis.

Objectives: To determine and compare surface characteristics and presence of corrosion in new and used brackets with optical light microscopy (OLM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and with elemental chemical analysis with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).

Materials And Methods: OLM and SEM were used to analyze 24 new and 24 used conventional premolar brackets. EDS analysis was performed in six used brackets and four new brackets with corrosion-suspected spots.

Development of a clinical practice guideline for orthodontically induced external apical root resorption.

Objectives: To develop a clinical practice guideline on orthodontically induced external apical root resorption (EARR), with evidence-based and, when needed, consensus-based recommendations concerning diagnosis, risk factors, management during treatment, and after-treatment care.

Materials And Methods: The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument and the Dutch Method for Evidence-Based Guideline Development were used to develop the guideline. Based on a survey of all Dutch orthodontists, we formulated four clinical questions regarding EARR.

Overjet reduction in relation to wear time with the van Beek activator combined with a microsensor.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to use a microsensor to investigate the association among overjet reduction, treatment duration, and wear time of the van Beek activator.

Methods: The study sample comprised patients (n = 28) with a mean age of 11.60 (±1.

Effect of long-term repeated deflections on fatigue of preloaded superelastic nickel-titanium archwires.

Introduction: The aim of this in-vitro study was to investigate the changes in force delivery of superelastic nickel-titanium archwires used in combination with a self-ligating bracket system after dynamic fatigue-loading in a 3-bracket model under controlled temperature.

Methods: Samples of 2 superelastic nickel-titanium (active austenitic) wires, a conventional nickel-titanium wire, and a stainless steel wire, all 0.014-in round, were divided into 2 groups: static deflection and dynamic deflection.