Background/Objectives: Anterior open bite (AOB) is a complex malocclusion characterized by the lack of vertical overlap between the upper and lower teeth during maximum intercuspation. It often results in functional impairments and aesthetic concerns. Traditional treatments for adult patients, including orthognathic surgery, are effective but invasive. Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) have emerged as a minimally invasive alternative. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of TADs for molar intrusion in the correction of AOB. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. An electronic search was performed in PubMed and Scopus until March 2025. The inclusion criteria comprised clinical studies in humans published in English or Spanish in the last 10 years. The risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2, ROBINS-I, and the Joanna Briggs Institute tools. A random-effects meta-analysis was carried out to estimate pooled intrusion values, and heterogeneity was evaluated using Cochran’s Q test and the I² statistic. Results: Twelve studies were included. Molar intrusion using TADs achieved significant overbite improvements, with a pooled mean intrusion of 1.70 mm (95% CI: 0.53–2.87 mm). The heterogeneity among studies was high (I² = 88.5%). Despite variability in force magnitude and TAD type, lighter forces were generally associated with similar outcomes and fewer adverse effects. Conclusions: TADs offer a predictable and less invasive alternative to orthognathic surgery for AOB correction. When appropriately indicated and biomechanically managed, they provide effective vertical control and short- to medium-term stability in adult patients.

Background: Breakfast habits in Mediterranean countries often include processed products with hidden sugars, which may compromise children’s oral and general health. Objectives: This study assessed the sugar content of breakfast foods commonly consumed by children using °Brix refractometry and examined its implications for dental caries and obesity. Methods: Forty-nine breakfast food samples (processed products, homemade alternatives, and fresh fruits) were analysed using a digital °Brix refractometer to quantify soluble sugar concentrations. Comparative statistical analyses were performed to evaluate differences among food categories. Results: Processed foods consistently exhibited significantly higher °Brix values (mean ± SD: 14.1 ± 4.9), reflecting greater levels of extrinsic sugars, compared with homemade preparations (10.9 ± 1.1) and fresh fruits (10.7 ± 5.2) (p < 0.01). Processed items contained on average 25% more sugar than the other categories. Fresh fruits and homemade options demonstrated moderate °Brix levels, with no added sugars, whereas processed products—despite some being marketed as “no added sugars”—frequently contained substantial sugar content. Conclusions: The findings highlight the urgent need for educational strategies and clearer labelling to reduce sugar intake during childhood breakfasts. Promoting natural and homemade alternatives could be a key preventive approach to lowering the risk of dental caries, obesity, and other diet-related conditions.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether hyoid bone position differs across vertical skeletal growth patterns through a systematic review and meta-analysis using cephalometric and CBCT measurements. Methods: Four electronic databases were searched up to June 4, 2026. Twenty-three reports were included in the qualitative synthesis (22 comparative studies and one normative reference report; 3404 participants), and 22 comparative studies underwent NIH quality assessment. Six studies contributed to the H-MP meta-analysis. For H-C3, four studies reporting vertical-pattern contrasts formed the primary pool, although residual sagittal confounding remained; two sagittal-proxy studies were added only in the sensitivity analysis. Results: For H-MP, pooled SMD was 0.185 (95% CI: −0.231 to 0.601; p = 0.383; I² = 87.2%; k = 6). For H-C3, the primary pooled MD was −1.30 mm (95% CI: −2.32 to −0.28; p = 0.013; I² = 48.6%; k = 4); the sensitivity pool yielded −1.45 mm (95% CI: −2.51 to −0.38; p = 0.008; k = 6). Conclusions: H-MP did not differ significantly between patterns. The pooled H-C3 estimate indicated a more posterior hyoid position in groups classified as hyperdivergent; however, residual sagittal confounding prevents its attribution to vertical divergence alone. Cranial-base or coordinate-based measurements independent of mandibular-plane inclination should be prioritised.

Background: Early feeding practices are among the most influential determinants of the infant oral microbiota during the first years of life. Breastfeeding provides bioactive components—immunoglobulins, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and commensal bacteria—that may shape microbial colonisation patterns with long-term implications for oral health. However, the nature, magnitude, and clinical relevance of these effects remain poorly characterised, particularly with regard to early childhood caries (ECC) risk. Objectives: The primary objective was to evaluate the association between early feeding practices and oral microbiota composition during infancy. A secondary exploratory objective was to assess whether feeding-associated microbiota differences had been linked to subsequent dental caries outcomes. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched from January 2010 to June 2026. Eligible studies compared at least two feeding groups and measured oral microbiota directly using culture-independent methods (16S rRNA gene sequencing, metagenomics, or quantitative PCR targeting multiple taxa). Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using the ROBINS-E tool were performed independently. Qualitative synthesis was conducted given clinical and methodological heterogeneity. Results: Of 8582 records identified, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria (sample size range: 12–448 participants; age range at microbiota assessment: 2 days–14 years, although eligibility was based on feeding exposure during infancy; six countries). Most included studies reported differences in oral microbiota composition associated with feeding type. During the first months of life, breastfed infants generally showed lower oral microbial diversity and higher abundance of Lactobacillus, the Streptococcus mitis group and Bifidobacterium compared with formula-fed infants, who exhibited greater alpha diversity, higher transmission of maternal oral bacteria, and higher abundance of Prevotella and Actinomyces. Effects were most pronounced in the first three months of life and attenuated by 12 months in most cohorts. Only one study reported subsequent dental caries outcomes after early-life microbiota assessment, finding that Streptococcus cristatus abundance at three months was associated with dental caries at nine years of age, and that longer breastfeeding duration (≥12 months) was associated with a distinct microbiota profile and lower caries rates in this single available longitudinal study. Risk of bias was low in two studies, moderate in six, and high in four. Publication bias could not be formally evaluated. Conclusions: Early feeding practices are associated with measurable differences in oral microbiota composition during infancy, particularly during the first months of life. However, evidence linking these microbiota differences to subsequent dental caries outcomes remains extremely limited, with only one included study assessing later caries development. Therefore, the clinical significance of feeding-associated microbiota profiles remains uncertain and should be investigated through well-designed prospective longitudinal studies.