Purpose: Dental arch length, width, and perimeter are considered to be important for the diagnosis and treatment of orthodontic cases. This study aimed to utilize dental arch width and length to create an equation for predicting dental arch perimeter. Materials and methods: Sixty-seven pairs of study models for patients with normal occlusion who received dental treatment were included in this study. Dental arch width at the level of the canines, first premolars, and first molars, in addition to dental arch length and perimeter, were measured using a digital vernier with 0.01mm accuracy. Data were subjected to step-wise regression analysis to determine the major predictors of arch perimeters and develop regression equations for both arches. The predicted arch perimeters were compared with the actual measured values using paired sample t-test. Results: For both arches, the perimeter showed a direct, moderate to strong, highly significant correlation with the length and width measurements. Findings from step-wise regression analysis indicated that there was a strong correlation between arch perimeter and the inter-canine width and arch length, which explained 67.7% of the variation in arch perimeter in the maxillary arch. In the mandibular arch, inter-molar width, inter-canine width, and arch length explained 55.1% of the variation in the dental arch perimeter. The arch perimeter values predicted from the developed equations were not significantly different from the actual values that were measured. Conclusion: New regression equations based on dental arch width and length at the level of the premolars, molars, and canines were developed to predict dental arch perimeters for both the mandibular and maxillary arches.

Background: Oral fluids are considered a promising diagnostic method to demonstrate the biomarkers for many oral inflammatory and physiological conditions. Orthodontic treatment is associated with changes in bone remodeling and tissue inflammatory biomarkers. Objective: The research assessed the effectiveness of salivary biomarkers, which include cytokines, MMPs, and bone turnover markers, in describing the unwanted oral and dental pathological outcomes and to provide clinical precision in following orthodontic treatment in patients who were treated with the fixed orthodontic appliance. Materials and Methods: Blended longitudinal and Cross-sectional study: one hundred patients were followed up throughout one year after enrollment, aged between twelve and eighteen years old. Salivary and Gingival Crevicular Fluid biomarker concentrations were assayed at the beginning of the study and at multiple time points regarding the treatment. Interleukin IL-1β, Tumor Necrosis Factor TNF-α, Matrix Metalloproteinases MMP8 and MMP9, and bone turnover markers (RANKL/OPG) were the biomarkers included. Results: The mean concentrations of both cytokines were 1.55-fold higher in the first month. MMP-8 and MMP-9 concentrations increased between the third and sixth months from baseline in 50% and 45% respectively. Patients with high cytokine MMP levels resulted in tooth movement, with 15% enhanced compared to the control group, and finished treatment quicker. There were disparities in cytokine levels whereby, generally, males had slightly elevated levels of cytokines compared to the female patients, although this did not influence treatment efficacy. The RANKL/OPG ratio is elevated during the first three months in the active phase of bone remodeling. Conclusion: The reliability of salivary and GCF biomarkers as predictors. Thus, cytokines and MMPs, and the RANKL/OPG ratio, being biomarkers, identify response to a specific treatment and also in orthodontic management, including avoiding root resorption, unwanted bone remodeling, and oral pathologies.

Objectives. This in vitro study aimed to develop a novel nanocomposite acrylic resin with inherent antimicrobial properties. This study evaluated its effectiveness against microbial biofilm formation, while also assessing its physical and mechanical properties. Methods. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) was modified with four different concentrations of chlorhexidine halloysite nanotubes (CHX-HNTs): 1%, 1.5%, 3%, and 4.5 wt.% by weight, along with a control group (0 wt.% CHX-HNTs). The biofilm inhibition ability of the modified CHX-HNTs acrylic against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Streptococcus agalactiae was assessed using microtiter biofilm test. In addition, ten samples from each group were then tested for flexural strength, surface roughness, and hardness. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test for comparison ( ). Results. CHX-HNTs effectively reduced the adhesion of Candida albicans and bacteria to the PMMA in a dose-dependent manner. The higher the concentration of CHX-HNTs, the greater the reduction in microbial adhesion, with the highest concentration (4.5 wt.%) showing the most significant effect with inhibition rates ≥98%. The addition of CHX-HNTs at any tested concentration (1%, 1.5%, 3%, and 4.5 wt.%) did not cause any statistically significant difference in the flexural strength, surface roughness, or hardness of the PMMA compared to the control group. Conclusions. The novel integration of CHX-HNT fillers shows promising results as an effective biofilm inhibitor on acrylic appliances. This new approach has the potential to successfully control infectious diseases without negatively affecting the mechanical properties of the acrylic resin. Clinical Relevance. The integration of CHX-HNTs into presurgical infant orthopedic appliances should be thoroughly assessed as a promising preventive measure to mitigate microbial infections. This evaluation holds significant potential for controlling infectious diseases among infants with cleft lip and palate, thereby offering a valuable contribution to their overall well-being.

The integration of chlorhexidine-loaded halloysite nanotubes (CHX/HNTs) into acrylic-based orthodontic devices is a promising preventive measure to mitigate microbial proliferation under removable orthodontic appliances. The study was aimed at evaluating the physical properties of acrylic resin, particularly the degree of conversion (DC) and dimensional accuracy, after the integration of a novel CHX/HNT antimicrobial nanomaterial. Fifty rectangular acrylic polymethyl methacrylate specimens were prepared with varying concentrations of CHX-HNTs. The degree of conversion was assessed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Dimensional accuracy was measured with digital caliper, which was used to assess the acrylic indentation dimensions before and after water immersion at multiple time points. Statistical comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s tests, and Bonferroni testing following repeated measures ANOVA. All experimental groups showed a significantly lower DC than the control group (P ≤ 0.05). No statistically significant differences in the mean dimensions of the control and modified acrylic resins were found at all concentrations of integrated CHX-HNT nanofillers before immersion in water. After water immersion, the control samples, compared with the CHX/HNT nanocomposite samples, showed statistically significant dimensional expansional differences (P ≤ 0.05) directly proportional to the immersion duration. Incorporation of CHX/HNT nanofillers negatively affected the DC but enhanced the dimensional stability of PMMA acrylic resin for as long as 60 days.