To measure the effectiveness of procedural video compared to live demonstration in transferring skills for fabricating orthodontic Adam’s Clasp. Forty-nine fourth-year undergraduate male dental students were randomly assigned to two groups. The students in group A (n = 26) attended a live demonstration performed by one faculty, while students in group B (n = 23) watched a procedural video. Both the procedural video and live demonstration described identical steps involved in fabricating the Adam’s Clasp. Students in both groups were asked to fabricate an Adam’s Clasp in addition to completing a questionnaire, to measure their perceptions and satisfaction with the two teaching methods and lab exercise. Blind assessment was performed by one faculty for both groups. The mean students’ scores in the fabrication of the Adam’s clasp were 6.69 and 6.78 for the live demonstration (group A) and the procedural video (group B), respectively. No significant difference was detected between the two groups (P = 0.864). Statistically significant difference was found in the mean response between the two groups for statement 6 on the questionnaire, “The steps in the teaching method were presented in a clear fashion and were easy to understand”. A higher mean response for group B was found compared to group A (P = 0.049). No significant differences were found between the two groups for the other statements (P > 0.05). Procedural video is equally as effective as a live demonstration. Both methods should be considered in teaching undergraduate orthodontic courses in order to improve the learning experience and to match different learning preferences of students.

Aim: To evaluate the degree of enamel demineralization of teeth bonded with ceramic and metal brackets. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional experimental in vitro study, 60 extracted human premolar teeth were selected according to the experimental criteria. They were divided into three groups; 20 premolar teeth in each group. Teeth in group 1 were bonded with “ceramic brackets”, and teeth in group 2 were bonded with “metal brackets”, while teeth in group 3 served as the “control group” without any brackets. Teeth in all groups were then immersed in demineralization media, de-bonded, sectioned into three parts (proximal 1, middle, and proximal 2), and evaluated to determine the level of enamel demineralization under a Scanning Electron Microscope. Results: On tooth level, the results show that the control group has significantly less enamel demineralization compared to the other two experimental groups, with mean values of 145.3 µm and 192.7 µm, respectively (P=0.000). The mean value of enamel demineralization in the metal group is 55.93 µm, compared to 72.55 µm in the ceramic group, which is significantly less (P≤0.05), while there is no difference between the control and metal group with regard to enamel demineralization. On section level, the control group has significantly less enamel demineralization in all three sections compared to the ceramic group, while a significant difference is found in one of the proximal sections when compared with the metal group. Moreover, the ceramic group has significantly higher enamel demineralization in the middle section compared to the metal group (73.54 µm, 46.5 µm, respectively) (P=0.000), while there is no statistical significant difference between the two experimental groups in proximal sections. Conclusion: In vitro, non-bonded teeth show least demineralization compared to the bonded teeth. Teeth bonded with ceramic brackets show significantly higher enamel demineralization compared to teeth bonded with metal brackets.

The characteristics of dental occlusion in patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in Saudi Arabia

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Maintaining the cleanliness of orthodontic aligners is crucial for oral hygiene and preserving the optical properties of aligners. In this randomized clinical trial, we compared the effectiveness of different cleaning methods for the maintenance of Invisalign clear aligners. Twelve adult patients received five aligners, each worn for 10 days. The aligners were divided based on the cleaning method: tooth brushing with whitening toothpaste, vinegar, Fittydent Super Cleansing Tablets, Invisalign cleaning crystals, and only water. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to detect surface morphology changes; color changes (ΔE) were evaluated using a spectrophotometer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) with a diamond hemisphere was used to study the aligners’ chemical compositions. Nanoindentation testing was used to assess changes in the elastic modulus. SEM confirmed the effectiveness of Invisalign cleaning crystals in maintaining cleanliness, revealing a surface similar to that of the control group with no adverse effects. Color stability analysis revealed significant ΔE value differences; whitening toothpaste had significantly lower ΔE values than water and Invisalign cleaning crystals. The elastic modulus and FTIR analyses indicated no significant differences between the cleaning methods. Therefore, Invisalign cleaning crystals and whitening toothpaste are safe for aligner maintenance, showing successful and aesthetically pleasing results.

This review focused on airway dysfunctions and orthodontic treatment modalities. A systematic search of the dental literature was performed using PubMed and Web of Science library database. Different combinations of search terms related to airway and orthodontic treatment were used. Any Non-English articles were excluded. Among titles found, abstract and full articles were reviewed. References from all the relevant articles were hand-searched to include more articles. Forty articles which were found relevant were included in the review. Surgical, orthopedic and fixed appliance therapy has been advocated by clinicians to treat patients with airway dysfunctions. These treatment modalities differ from patient to patient and have to be considered based on lot of criterion.The reviewed studies were not convincing in providing information about the orthodontic treatment modalities; further research regarding the same could be encouraging.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.12669/pjms.321.8743How to cite this:Al-Qahtani ND. Impact of different orthodontic treatment modalities on Airway. Pak J Med Sci. 2016;32(1):249-252.