Objective: to assessed the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and drug abuse in mothers of children with orofacial clefts (OFC). Methods: 325 women who had children (0-3y) with clefts were interviewed. Data regarding type of diabetes, use of legal/illegal drugs during pregnancy, waist girth and fasting blood sugar at the first prenatal consult were collected. Results: twenty seven percent of the women had DM, out of these, 89% had gestational DM, 5,5% type 1 DM and 5,5% type 2 DM. The prevalence of DM in mothers of children with OFC was 27%, it is significantly higher than the average Brazilian population which is 7.6% (p<0.01) (OR=4.5, 95%CI=3.5-5.8). Regarding drug abuse during pregnancy, 32% of the mothers used drugs and a significant positive correlation was observed between drug abuse and the occurrence of clefts and other craniofacial anomalies (p=0.028) (OR=2.87; 95%CI=1.1-7.4). Conclusions: DM and drug abuse during pregnancy increases the risk for OFC and related anomalies and early diagnosis of DM and prevention of drug abuse, especially in pregnant women, should be emphasized.

Background: Presurgical nasoalveolar molding (NAM) improves outcomes in infants with cleft lip and palate by guiding alveolar segment alignment and enhancing nasal symmetry prior to primary lip repair. However, traditional NAM protocols require frequent clinical visits and specialized expertise, limiting access for families in rural and low-resource settings. Objective: This retrospective clinical study evaluated the feasibility and clinical outcomes of a digitally guided NAM approach using thermoformed clear aligners in infants with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate. Material and Methods: Twenty-five neonates residing in rural regions were treated over a 20-week pre-surgical period using a digital workflow that included intraoral scanning, 3D model design, and sequential aligner fabrication. The protocol minimized the number of in-office visits while engaging caregivers in home-based appliance management. Anatomical changes were assessed using 3D models at baseline and at treatment completion. Results: Significant reductions were observed in anterior cleft width (mean decrease: 5.38 mm, 95% CI: –7.58 to –3.18, p < 0.001) and posterior cleft width (mean decrease: 3.39 mm, 95% CI: –4.79 to –1.99, p < 0.001). Intermolar distance increased by 1.23 mm (p = 0.036), while intercanine width remained stable (p = 0.515), indicating preservation of maxillary arch form. Surgeons reported improved nasal symmetry and tissue alignment at the time of lip repair. Conclusions: This digitally planned NAM clear aligner protocol demonstrated clinical feasibility and effectiveness in reducing cleft width during the pre-surgical period. Findings should be interpreted with caution, given the retrospective design, lack of a control group, and absence of objective nasal outcome measures. Further studies are recommended to assess long-term outcomes and broader implementation potential.

Objectives: Characterize the upper airways (UAW) in individuals with syndromic craniosynostosis (SCS) using computed tomography scans and correlate with the airflow dynamics and craniofacial pattern. Design: Observational, cross-sectional study. Setting: Tertiary craniofacial center. Individuals: Twenty-nine individuals were included, divided in 2 groups: CON (n = 19; 21.2 ± 3.7 y), individuals with no craniofacial anomalies and no UAW morphological alterations, and SCS (n = 10; 22.1 ± 5.1 y) individuals with SCS prior to maxillomandibular surgery. Interventions: Volume (V, cm ³ ) and minimal cross-sectional area (mCSA, mm ² ) was calculated (Mimics, Belgium). Computational fluid dynamics (ANSYS, EUA) was performed and flow (F, L/min), pressure (P, Pa), and resistance (R, Pa/[L/min]) were calculated. Cephalometric analysis (SNA[ ^o ]), ANB[ ^o ], Ba-S-N[ ^o ]) was also assessed (Dolphin Imaging, USA). Main Outcome: The morphophysiology of the UAW in SCS individuals was severely impaired compared with the CON group. Results: The SCS group exhibited significant volumetric reduction in the total UAW (−29%), nasal cavity (−21%), and pharynx (−37%) compared with the CON group. The mCSA was 57% smaller in the SCS group. CFD simulations demonstrated decreased flow (−9%), increased pressure (136%), and resistance (156%) in the SCS group. UAW resistance presented a strong positive correlation with mCSA (CON: r = 0.77 / SCS: r = 0.88). Cephalometric findings revealed significant differences between CON and SCS, with the SCS group exhibiting values outside the normal range. Conclusion: The UAW of individuals with SCS was anatomically and functionally impaired, suggesting a significant risk for obstructive sleep apnea.

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate cone beam computed tomography image segmentation as a tool for measuring the volume of external inflammatory root resorption in human permanent teeth. Methods: A total of 40 cone beam computed tomography images of permanent maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth diagnosed with external inflammatory root resorption. The images were exported in the DICOM format to the Materialise MIMICS software program (version 10.01; Materialise NV, Belgium) for segmentation and characterisation of resorption cavities in terms of location, number of reabsorption sites, relationship to resorption sites, and nominal and percentage volumetric beside assessment of root resorption cavities and remaining root volume. All measurements were performed in duplicate and blindly by a trained radiologist at an interval of 30 days to analyse the intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: The nominal volumetric measures of root resorption cavities ranged from 0.6 mm3 to 114.4 mm3 (median, 13.2 mm3). The percentage volume of root resorption cavities ranged from 0.37% to 39.44% (median, 4.73%). The nominal of remaining root volume ranged from 88 mm3 to 401.3 mm3 (median, 212.4 mm3). The percentage of remaining root volume ranged from 60.34% to 99.63% (median, 95.37%). Conclusions: The results of this preliminary study suggest that segmentation is an effective and reproducible tool for measuring the volumetric size of external inflammatory root resorption cavities. Further longitudinal studies are needed to explore the usefulness of cone beam computed tomography image segmentation in improving external inflammatory root resorption diagnosis and supporting decision making for the treatment of such conditions.

Bioelectric toothbrushes deliver a low-level microcurrent intended to disrupt biofilm with reduced mechanical force, yet their effects on denture-tooth wear remain unclear. This in vitro study compared surface roughness and material loss of acrylic denture teeth brushed with a bioelectric toothbrush versus a soft-bristle manual toothbrush. Thirty-six heat-cured polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) maxillary central incisors were randomly allocated to three groups (n = 12): manual brushing, bioelectric brushing without current (“OFF”), and bioelectric brushing with current (“ON”). Specimens underwent 20,000 brushing strokes (≈2 years of home cleaning) under a 200 g load using a brushing simulator in a 1:1 dentifrice/water slurry. Surface roughness (Ra, µm) and specimen weight (g) were recorded before and after brushing, and surface topography was qualitatively assessed by digital microscopy. Baseline roughness did not differ among groups (p > 0.05). After brushing, Ra increased significantly in the manual group (1.538 ± 0.219 to 2.233 ± 0.370 µm) and the bioelectric-OFF group (1.481 ± 0.199 to 2.157 ± 0.403 µm), whereas the bioelectric-ON group showed a smaller, non-significant change (1.547 ± 0.252 to 1.838 ± 0.197 µm); the bioelectric-ON condition resulted in significantly lower final roughness than the other groups (p < 0.05). No significant weight loss was detected in any group (p = 0.71). Microscopy corroborated profilometry, showing fewer and shallower scratches on specimens brushed with the bioelectric toothbrush in the ON mode. Within the limitations of this in vitro model, bioelectric activation was associated with reduced surface roughening of PMMA denture teeth without measurable material loss; however, clinical studies are needed to confirm its relevance under real-world oral conditions.