Background: The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess oral and functional conditions, the prevalence of malocclusions, and oral habits in a population of schoolchildren in Rome (Italy). Methods: The study sample included n. 1033 subjects, between 6 and 14 years of age, attending public schools in Rome. Oral health condition, occlusal relationship, and functional analysis were charted for all subjects. The rate of prevalence for the dental health element was calculated. To evaluate the relationship between the variables examined, Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to assess the significative findings of this association. Results: More than half of the students had a low level of oral hygiene (654 subjects). Class I malocclusion was the most common occlusal condition (573 subjects). Oral habits were present in most of the subjects and more than one habit was observed. Conclusions: The results of the current investigation highlight the necessity of improving public health programs for orthodontic prevention, and future screenings need to be planned to organize resources in Rome.

Background: The aim of this systematic review was to critically evaluate the clinical indications, the techniques, and the effects of interproximal enamel reduction (IPR). Methods: A systematic review of the existing literature was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines in the following databases: PubMed-Medline, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane. The search was conducted according to the established inclusion and exclusion criteria until March 2025. Results: A total of 420 articles were identified. Only 23 were selected for the analysis. The efficiency and validity of IPR as a non-extraction protocol adopted in several orthodontic cases was reported in all selected studies. No negative effects in terms of enamel demineralization, residual irregularities, caries incidence, and periodontal damages were reported. Using oscillating mechanical techniques was more efficient than using manual ones in terms of efficiency, predictability, and respect of enamel surfaces. Overall, the quality of the selected articles was low. More randomized controlled clinical trials with in vivo tests, research with longer follow-up times, and high-quality studies are needed to assess more valid statements. Conclusions: Higher accuracy of enamel reduction is achieved by means of oscillating mechanical techniques, which allows for more effective and predictable IPR procedures, as well as more preserved residual enamel surfaces.

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to evaluate changes in olfactory sensitivity with Sniffin’ Sticks^® (Burghart Messtechnik, Germany) in patients undergoing palatal expansion. Methods: The study sample consisted of 20 patients enrolled from the Department of Paediatric Dentistry (0–14 years old) at the Policlinico of Rome “Tor Vergata”, according to the following inclusion criteria: negative posterior transverse interarch discrepancy ≥ 4 mm, mixed dentition phase with first permanent molars erupted and prepubertal skeletal maturation stage (CS1-2), evaluated on a lateral radiograph through the Cervical Vertebral Maturation (CVM) method. Each patient underwent a dental examination, orthopantomography and lateral cephalometric X-rays were requested, and dental impressions were taken using digital scanner. Every patient was treated with maxillary rapid expander and underwent ear, nose, and throat (ENT) assessment before and after treatment. Moreover, questionnaires before and after treatment to obtain a subjective assessment of their olfactory perception were given to all participants. Results: About odor identification, the analyses revealed an increase in mean scores of 1.28; however, this change, although slight, did not reach statistical significance (Z = −1.85; p = 0.064). In contrast, about odor discrimination, the test results indicated a statistically significant increase in the children’s scores of 3.41 (Z = −2.87; p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study supports the hypothesis that rapid maxillary expansion (RME) can improve olfactory function by enhancing nasal airway dimensions and airflow. Further studies are required to confirm these results.

Objectives: To describe BMI-for-age and transverse dental arch measurements in growing children with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and a non-Marfan pediatric comparison group. Materials and Methods: A retrospective case–control observational study included 41 children aged 6–11 years: 15 patients with MFS (7 males, 8 females; mean age 8.8 ± 1.5 years) and 26 non-Marfan controls (10 males, 16 females; mean age 8.9 ± 1.6 years). Anthropometric parameters and BMI-for-age z-scores were assessed using the WHO 2007 Growth Reference. Digital dental models were used to measure intermolar width (IMW), intercanine width (ICW), and the IMW/ICW ratio. Descriptive statistics, exploratory between-group comparisons, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. Results: Children with MFS showed significantly lower BMI and BMI-for-age z-scores than controls, although BMI-for-age values generally remained within the normal range. Height values were consistently elevated, reflecting the characteristic growth pattern of MFS. The MFS group showed a significantly smaller mean ICW than controls, whereas the difference in IMW was not statistically significant. The IMW/ICW ratio was also evaluated to characterize transverse dental arch proportions. Pearson correlation analyses showed no significant associations between BMI-for-age z-score and IMW or ICW in either group. In controls, age was positively correlated with BMI-for-age z-score and IMW was positively correlated with ICW; these associations were not observed between BMI-for-age z-score and dental measurements in the MFS group. Conclusions: Children with MFS showed a leaner anthropometric profile and a significantly smaller mean ICW, whereas the difference in IMW was not statistically significant. These preliminary findings should be interpreted cautiously given the small sample size and exploratory nature of the study. Further longitudinal studies with larger cohorts are warranted.