Adapting to the Evolving Digital Landscape: Development and Validation of the VirtHuLab Self Efficacy Scale.

Measuring people's self-efficacy in navigating the digital world has become essential in an age where the Internet permeates every aspect of life. This paper describes the creation and validation of the VISES (Virthulab Internet Self-Efficacy Scale), an instrument designed for the modern Internet environment. The way we work, communicate, and access information is changing as a result of the digital revolution, and VISES encapsulates the abilities and self-assurance needed to succeed in this Web 4.

Abdominal Acupuncture for Non-Responding TMD Patients: a Retrospective Observational Study in General Practice.

Background: Pain related to Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) is severe, negatively affecting patients' quality of life, and often resistant to conventional treatments. Abdominal Acupuncture (AA) is known to be particularly effective for pain, especially chronic and musculoskeletal pain, but it is still poorly studied and never investigated in TMD patients.

Objectives: To analyze the efficacy of AA for the treatment of patients with subacute and chronic pain related to TMD and non-responding to previous conventional therapies (occlusal splint, medications, physical therapy).

Development and Validation of the Digital Life Balance (DLB) Scale: A Brand-New Measure for Both Harmonic and Disharmonic Use of ICTs.

The use of new technologies and information communication technology services (ICTs) has greatly increased, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an irrevocable change in people's work-life balance (WLB). Despite the thriving literature on the dysfunctional use of new technologies, a functional use of ICTs also seems to be possible. Inspired by the theory of psychology of harmony and referring to behavioral addiction models and substance use models, we defined the construct of digital life balance to indicate a harmonic balance between digital life and real life.

The Long-COVID Experience Changed People's Vaccine Hesitancy but Not Their Vaccination Fear.

Starting in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been responsible, worldwide, for millions of deaths and patients with long-COVID syndrome. In an attempt to stop the spread of the virus, the blanket administration of COVID-19 vaccines proved to be the most effective measure, yet the existence and availability of functional vaccines did not and, still, do not ensure the willingness and intent of people to be vaccinated. This study assessed the similarities and differences in vaccine fears and vaccine hesitancy through between clusters of subjects: people that were not infected with COVID-19, people that had COVID but did not develop long-lasting symptoms, and people that were infected with COVID and developed long-COVID syndrome.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Types and Social Media: Are Social Media Important and Impactful for OCD People?

Social media (SM) are the new standard for social interaction and people with OCD use such platforms like everyone else. However, the research on these individuals provides limited, sporadic, and difficult-to-generalize data outside of social-media evidence for one specific context concerning how SM is experienced by people with OCD. Our cross-sectional study involved 660 participants (71.

Cranio-cervical posture and rapid palatal expansion therapy.

Objective: Connections between craniocervical posture (CCP) and changes in teeth position have already been demonstrated; however, the defined pathway of relationship is still not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate CCP modifications after rapid maxillary expansion therapy using rapid palatal expansion therapy (REP)/McNamara appliances.

Materials And Methods: A consecutive series of 35 subjects, aged between 6 and 14 years, with no prior history of orthodontic treatment, and requiring skeletal expansion of the upper arch, were selected and analyzed.

The cornea as a reference point in orthodontic diagnosing, a retrospective study.

Background: The aim of the study is to provide scientific evidence on the possibility of using the Corneal point a skin point for measu-rements that can be made on both standard and three-dimensional photographs. Also, we want to demonstrate the stability of corneal point during the growth, to use it as a reference point.

Methods: A sample of 105 radiographs was reached.

Auriculotherapy used to manage orthodontic pain: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Introduction: Several methods are commonly used to decrease orthodontic pain, but versatile tools and standardized protocols are still lacking.

Objective: In response to the need for alternatives to conventional analgesic methods, this study evaluates the analgesic effects of auriculotherapy (AT) during the first three months of fixed orthodontic treatment.

Methods: A sample of 36 subjects was selected, with patients randomly allocated into two homogeneous groups, Study Group (SG) and Control Group (CG), depending on the application/non-application of AT.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Three Different Acupuncture Methods for TMD-Related Pain: A Randomized Clinical Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of three acupuncture methods for temporomandibular disorders- (TMDs-) related pain.

Materials And Methods: Different locations of pain, according to DC/TMD clinical assessment, were considered: temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory muscles, head, and neck. Sixty patients were assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups (20 patients in each): group BA received body acupuncture, group EA received electroacupuncture, and group CA received acupuncture + cupping.

Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on TMD subjects.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on subjects with temporomandibular disorders (TMD), as for symptomatology and presence of parafunctions and sleep disorders.

Patients And Methods: Two hundred fourteen subjects completed an online questionnaire, including Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), a temporomandibular screening and a specific item about the impact of such event on the psycho-physical side. Non-parametric tests - Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis - were performed to compare sex and age groups, as for PSS and "COVID-19 pandemic impact score (CpIS)", and the groups Improved/stationary and Worsened in symptomatology as for the "CpIS".

Uncovering and Autonomous Eruption of Palatally Impacted Canines-A Case Report.

The impaction of permanent maxillary canine is a common clinical occurrence, and it is observed in 2% of patients who require orthodontic treatment. This case report describes a new orthodontic-surgical approach through the use of CO laser, for the exposure of the palatally impacted canines. A 13-year-old female referred to our observation to make an orthodontic examination because of the maxillary primary canines' persistence in upper arch.

Local Vibratory Stimulation for Temporomandibular Disorder Myofascial Pain Treatment: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Preliminary Study.

Several methods are currently used to manage pain related to temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Vibratory stimulation is applied as a pain treatment for several musculoskeletal disorders, but it has not yet been studied in-depth for TMD symptoms. The aim of this study is to analyse the effectiveness of at-home local vibration therapy (LVT) for the management of TMDs-related myofascial pain.

Evaluation of Vision in Gnathological and Orthodontic Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders: A Prospective Experimental Observational Cohort Study.

Objectives: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), orthodontic diseases, and vision dysfunctions seem to be strictly related. The purpose of this study was to prove the relationship, to evaluate the prevalence and the distribution of vision defects in dysfunctional and orthodontic patients, and to establish the type of the relationship.

Materials And Methods: A total of 100 patients with TMDs were selected and studied through epidemiological analyses of the following factors: gnathological parameters (temporomandibular joint pathologies according to Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders); occlusal and skeletal parameters (overjet, overbite, dental class, transversal discrepancies, and mandibular asymmetry); and orthoptic parameters (refractive defects and oculomotor diseases).

Muscular pattern in patients with temporomandibular joint disc displacement with reduction: an electromyographical assessment.

Objective: Surface Electromyography of masticatory muscles (sEMG) is used as a tool to support diagnosis and treatment of Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). The study aimed at examining jaw muscles pattern in individuals with temporomandibular joint disc displacement with reduction (TMJ/DDR). This sort of subjects was supposed to have a different muscular pattern compared to the control group.

Multiple Dental Inclusion in Monozygotic Twins with Congenital Visual Impairment.

The study presents two monozygotic twins (MZ) with multiple impacted teeth, affecting the upper canines and lower second molars, as well as congenital aniridia. The clinical aspect of the upper canines is peculiar because of the different positions-palatal in one and buccal in the other twin. Studies reporting different scenarios of impaction in monozygotic twins can contribute more data to the debate on tooth eruption aetiology and more so in this case because of the association with a genetic panocular disease.

Application of a Systematic Protocol in the Treatment of TMDs With Occlusal Appliances: Effectiveness and Efficiency in a Longitudinal Retrospective Study With Medium-Term Follow-Up.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility of a systematic protocol for the choice and management of occlusal splints (OA) in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).

Materials And Methods: A longitudinal retrospective study was conducted. Two different samples, G1 + G2 (337 patients), between January 2011 and January 2014, were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Assessment of Masticatory and Cervical Muscles' Thickness by Ultrasonography in Patients with Facial Asymmetry.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the thickness of masticatory and cervical muscles (temporalis, masseter and sternocleidomastoid) and facial asymmetries in young patients.

Methods: 21 subjects were selected, through a detailed anamnesis and clinical examination, in order to assess the normality of oral tissues, the presence of normal occlusion, the absence of alteration in tooth dimensions and of congenital or developmental anomalies of lips, mouth or face.

Results: The present investigation showed that temporalis, masseter and sternocleidomastoid muscles in untreated and growing individuals with facial asymmetries are thinner on the omolateral side when compared with controlateral normal side, but in the untreated one this value is more statistically significantly.

Headache and temporo mandibular disorders: epidemiological assessment.

Background: Temporo mandibular disorders (TMDs) and headache are closely related pathologies. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, incidence, and the intensity of headache in 3304 dysfunctional patients (G1) at the Service of Clinical Gnathology of the Head-Neck Assistance Department of Umberto I Polyclinic at Sapienza University of Rome.

Methods: G1 is composed by two subgroups of patient S1 (N.

Heavy metals and pain in the dysfunctional patient.

Aims: The aim of this research is to verify the quality and quantity of heavy metals (HM) of dental origin in TMD patients.

Methods: A population of 100 subject was studied and divided in two homogeneous groups: Study Group (SG) and Control Group (CG). Organism heavy metals were tested by a spot sampling method in which the first urine of the day, through Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), were analyzed.