The aim of this pilot study was to describe the advantages of telemedicine (TM) in dental practice during the current national emergency condition due to the Covid-19 dissemination. At Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology—Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, regional reference center for Covid-19—two groups of patients were determined: patients with urgent conditions (group U) and patients in follow-up (group F). Both groups were instructed to implement remote consultations using a messaging service (WhatsApp Messenger, WhatsApp Inc., Mountain View, California, USA) to send photos. A total of 418 photos were collected by 57 patients. Thirty-four photos were obtained by five patients in the U group after surgical procedures. All patients sent photos on the established evening, except for two patients who sent two photos outside the set days. In the F group, 384 photos were collected by 52 patients. None of them sent more photos than the number that was established by the protocol. Telemedicine allowed a monitoring of all patients, reducing costs and limiting human contact, decreasing the risk of Covid-19 dissemination.

Lower third molars (M3M) are the most frequent impacted teeth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between M3M position and gonial angle. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. The study population included patients with unilateral or bilateral M3M and underwent Cone Beam Computed Tomography. A morphometric analysis of the mandible was performed after three-dimensional reconstruction, recording gonial angle (GA), ramus high, ramus width, ramus divergency, and retromolar space. GA was the primary predictor variable. The primary outcome variable was the position of M3M analyzed in sagittal, axial, and coronal planes. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression statistics were performed (p < 0.05). Study sample included 172 patients (mean age: 26.3 ± 4.6 years); 266 M3Ms were analyzed. The average GA was 122.6° ± 4.8°. A reduced GA value was significantly associated with a deeply impacted M3M in the ramus. With a progressive decrease of GA, M3M assumed a more horizontal position closer to the mandibular canal (p < 0.05). A lower GA showed a reduced retromolar space with more complex impacted M3M (p < 0.05). The results confirm a statistically significant correlation between GA and the position of M3M. Higher incidence of impacted M3M was related to a reduction of the GA value.

Background: To investigate the short-term dentoalveolar effects on the mandibular arch of a modified, aesthetic lip bumper (ALBAa). The study sample comprised 23 patients (13 boys and 10 girls, with a mean age of 9.5 ± 1.8 years) in mixed dentition, with no previous orthodontic treatment. For each patient, a scan of the mandibular arch was digitally acquired pre-treatment (T0), and at 3 months (T1), 6 months (T2) and 9 months (T3) post-treatment. Linear intra-arch measurements, Little’s irregularity index of the amount of mandibular anterior crowding, and the crown tipping values on all mandibular teeth were measured and compared statistically between time points. ANOVA and subsequent post-hoc tests were performed, considering a p-value of < 0.05 as significant. Results: Linear intra-arch distances and crown tipping values on the mandibular teeth increased between the following time points: T0vsT1, T1vsT2, T0vsT2 and T0vsT3 (p < 0.05), although in the last three months of observation (T2vsT3) they only reached statistical significance at the lower incisors and lower left premolar concerning crown tipping values. There was a statistically significant decrease in anterior crowding throughout the observational period (p < 0.05), and this effect was equally distributed across the different time points investigated. Conclusions: ALBAa therapy led to an increase in both linear intra-arch distances and crown tipping values, with a reduction in Little's index. The distribution of the effects reported across the observational period depended on the mechanism of action (mechanical vs. functional).

Plasma cell mucositis (PCM) is an unusual plasma cell proliferative disorder of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Background: The perception of facial aesthetics is a complex topic due to its subjective nature and it can be influenced by several factors. The purpose of this study was to compare the perception of general dentists, orthodontists, maxillofacial surgeons, and lay people by evaluating facial aesthetics in skeletal class III patients, especially for maxillary sagittal position. Methods: A survey consisting of three sets of pre-treatment photographs of four dysmorphic patients was used. The questionnaire was submitted to a total of 200 participants divided into the following four subgroups: general dentists, orthodontists, maxillofacial surgeons, and lay people. Their opinion on facial disharmony, sagittal position of the jaws, asymmetry of the chin, projection of the cheekbone area, and lip aesthetics was recorded. Results: Significant differences were found between experts and non-experts in the perception of the maxillary position, asymmetry of the chin and zygomatic area (p < 0.01). No statistically significant differences were found among the groups in the perception of mandibular position and lip aesthetics. Conclusion: The respondents with a medical or dental background perceived the presence of maxillary retrusion more than others. Only orthodontists and maxillofacial surgeons have recognized an alteration of the middle facial third as a greater component of skeletal class III malocclusion.