This article reviews the orthodontic alternatives for treating pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a multifactorial disease that impairs craniofacial growth and the general health of a developing child and negatively worsens their quality of life. Therefore, it is important to timely diagnose and treat OSA to avoid the progress of the disease, which could otherwise lead to systemic, neurocognitive and social consequences in the patients. In the transverse direction, compression of the maxilla could decrease the diameter of the upper airways and reduce airflow. In the sagittal direction, a retrognathic mandible positioned more posteriorly to the tongue could reduce the available upper airway space and decrease airflow during sleep. Orthopedic treatments for mild to moderate OSA include maxillary expansion using rapid maxillary expansion devices and mandibular advancement using mandibular advancement appliances, which are treatment options only when skeletal discrepancies exist and should be applied after appropriate individual diagnosis for each orthodontic patient. Currently, limited evidence suggests that these therapies could reduce the signs and symptoms and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of OSA.

Introduction: There are several oral diseases caused by various microorganisms. In this work, we discuss periodontal pathogens, which cause chronic degenerative damage in the supporting tissues of teeth. This is why several treatments have been developed for their eradication, including phytocomponents and essential oils as an option in antimicrobial therapy. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the inhibitory effect of the essential oil of the plant species Schinus molle L. native to Ecuador on strain of Porphyromonas gingivalis at different concentrations. Methodology: This was a laboratory and longitudinal study in which the Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 strain was cultured in 20 Petri dishes, working with several exposure subgroups, including Group 1 - 50% essential oil of Schinus molle leaves; Group 2 - 100% essential oil of Schinus molle L.; Group 3 - 0.12% chlorhexidine (positive control); Group 4 - saline solution (negative control) with different incubation periods of 24 and 72 hours. Results: The Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 sample exposed to 100% plant species Schinus molle L. for 24 hours had an inhibition zone of 15 mm, demonstrating high sensitivity, and exposure for 72 hours produced a zone of 14 mm, also suggesting sensitivity. Exposure to S. molle L. at 50% for 24 hours produced a zone of inhibition of 9.65 mm, showing sensitivity; however, it is worthwhile to continue developing and evaluating this area of study. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that phytotherapy using the essential oil of the plant species Schinus molle L. represents a therapeutic option in cases of infections caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis.

La mordida abierta anterior es una maloclusión caracterizada por la ausencia de contacto de los dientes anteriores superiores con los inferiores cuando los dientes posteriores están en contacto. Esta patología es complicada de tratar en pacientes adultos debido a que produce alteraciones funcionales y estéticas. El tratamiento ortodóntico implica el uso de elásticos con técnica multi-loop edwegise (MEAW), arcos de curva inversa, bloques posteriores de resina y el uso de dispositivos de anclaje esquelético temporal como miniimplantes y miniplacas. El objetivo de esta revisión fue comparar los diferentes tratamientos de ortodoncia en la mordida abierta anterior en pacientes adolescentes y adultos. Se realizó la búsqueda de artículos científicos en bases de datos digitales, fueron incluidos 25 estudios que cumplieron los criterios de inclusión. La corrección de la mordida abierta anterior con técnica multi-loop edgewise archwire (MEAW) se dió principalmente por la extrusión y retrusión de los dientes anteriores. El uso de elásticos intermaxilares anteriores y arcos de curva inversa de níquel-titanio y los bloques posteriores de resina ha demostrado ser efectivo en casos leves de mordida abierta anterior. La intrusión del sector posterior con miniimplantes es efectiva en el tratamiento de mordida abierta anterior moderada, en mordida abierta anterior grave se recomienda el uso de dispositivos de anclaje esquelético temporal o cirugía ortognática.

Las acciones del departamento de vinculación con la sociedad de la carrera de odontología coordinadas con el Consejo Cantonal de Salud de Cuenca permitieron ejecutar y analizar las condiciones de salud bucal en los beneficiarios atendidos en el proyecto Sonríe. La atención odontológica fue realizada en 4 instituciones educativas y 6 centros de desarrollo infantil públicos del área urbana de Cuenca durante el periodo 2019 hasta el 2023. Participaron 214 estudiantes y siete docentes durante el periodo antes mencionado. Los beneficiarios fueron 551 niños, con actividades tales como: educación en salud bucal realizada a 965 niños; actividades de prevención a través de la identificación de biopelícula y control de técnica de cepillado dental a 571 niños, y finalmente culminar con acciones odontológicas mínimamente invasivas (profilaxis, sellantes, fluorización, restauraciones dentales). La ejecución de la brigada contribuye al mejoramiento del estado de salud bucodental, y a su vez influye en las condiciones generales de salud de los niños, sin embargo, es imperativo, la educación en salud bucal a tempranas edades en los niños, pero es fundamental la educación en la población adulta incluso antes de que lleguen a ser padres, para que sean ellos, los que reafirmen los conocimientos para obtener óptimas condiciones de salud bucal.

Aim: In patients with fixed orthodontic appliances, the effectiveness of mechanical cleaning is compromised due to difficulties in accessing all areas of the mouth. Purpose: Aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness and periodontal actions of sugar-free chewing gums in patients with fixed orthodontics through a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Materials and Methods: A bibliographic search was conducted in digital databases for articles published up to 2024 in accordance with the PICO question. This review followed the PRISMA methodology and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023444472), while the Cochrane RoB 2 tool used to assess the risk of bias and GRADE employed to evaluate the certainty of evidence for each outcome. Results: Five studies were included. A significant reduction Streptococcus mutans in saliva was observed in two studies (− 17%-33% saliva, − 20%-29% dental plaque, p< 0.05), with xylitol gum and it’s mixture with sorbitol exerting the best effect after one month of consumption (GRADE high). An effective decrease in the plaque index was observed in two studies of xylitol gum (− 43% − 47%, p< 0.05) after one month of consumption, as well as studies of essential oil gum (10 days) and sorbitol gum (three months) (GRADE low). Chlorhexidine, sorbitol, and essential oil gums effectively reduce gingival bleeding, and xylitol gum increases the salivary pH, more than 50% presented a high risk of bias, and less than 25% were at low risk of bias (GRADE low). Conclusion: The different types of chewing gum significantly improved the oral health of patients with fixed orthodontics, the quality of evidence suggests that chewing gums could decrease the level of SM in saliva (4:1 xylitol and sorbitol mix or xylitol). However, the heterogeneity of the studies limits the generalization to other outcomes which highlights the need for larger and longer clinical trials to confirm their efficacy.

Cleft lip and palate is a congenital malformation that is generally associated with Class III skeletal malocclusion. This is due to the lack of union of the nasopalatine processes that generate craniofacial and dentoalveolar anomalies. However, the management of this Class III malocclusion is through early orthopedic treatment. The purpose of this case report was to describe the orthopedic changes of rapid maxillary expansion using a facemask in a patient with non-syndromic unilateral cleft lip and palate. This is a case report of an 8-year-old boy with Class III malocclusion due to maxillary retrusion and left posterior crossbite. A Hyrax intraoral rapid maxillary expansion appliance was used to correct the transverse deficiency of the anterior sector, and after that, the Petit facial mask was placed, correcting at the sagittal level, which could be used for 11 months, thus achieving significant dental-skeletal changes in a short time due to the collaboration of the parents and the age of the patient. Early treatment of patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate had optimal dentoskeletal outcomes. This improved the posterior transverse relationship as well as in the sagittal plane, due to the advancement of the upper jaw, this was successful thanks to the collaboration of the patient, family members and the young age of the patient.