Ultrasonic mapping of midpalatal suture - An ex-vivo study

OBJECTIVE

Rapid maxillary expansion is a common orthodontic procedure to correct maxillary constriction. Assessing the midpalatal suture (MPS) expansion plays a crucial role in treatment planning to determine its effectiveness. The objectives of this preliminary investigation are to demonstrate a proof of concept that the palatal bone underlying the rugae can be clearly imaged by ultrasound (US) and the reconstructed axial view of the US image accurately maps the MPS patency.

METHODS

An ex-vivo US scanning was conducted on the upper jawbones of two piglet's carcasses before and after the creation of bone defects, which simulated the suture opening. The planar images were processed to enhance bone intensity distribution before being orderly stacked to fuse into a volume. Graph-cut segmentation was applied to delineate the palatal bone to generate a bone volume. The accuracy of the reconstructed bone volume and the suture opening was validated by the micro-computed tomography (µCT) data used as the ground truth and compared with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) data as the clinical standard. Also included in the comparison is the rugae thickness. Correlation and Bland-Altman plots were used to test the agreement between the two methods: US versus µCT/CBCT.

RESULTS

The reconstruction of the US palatal bone volumes was accurate based on surface topography comparison with a mean error of 0.19 mm for pre-defect and 0.15 mm and 0.09 mm for post-defect models of the two samples, respectively when compared with µCT volumes. A strong correlation (R2 ≥ 0.99) in measuring MPS expansion was found between US and µCT/CBCT with MADs of less than 0.05 mm, 0.11 mm and 0.23 mm for US, µCT and CBCT, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

It was possible to axially image the MPS opening and rugae thickness accurately using high-frequency ultrasound.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

This study introduces an ionizing radiation-free, low-cost, and portable technique to accurately image a difficult part of oral cavity anatomy. The advantages of conceivable visualization could promise a successful clinical examination of MPS to support the predictable treatment outcome of maxillary transverse deficiency.

An evaluation of root resorption associated with the use of photobiomodulation during orthodontic treatment with clear aligners: a retrospective cohort pilot study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the change in tooth root volume using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a group of patients treated concurrently with clear aligners and an adjunctive photobiomodulation (PBM) device.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort pilot study included the records of 32 consecutively treated clear aligner patients (23 female, 9 male) from the private practice of one orthodontist. The PBM group (n = 16) used the device once per day for 5 minutes per arch and was compared with a matched control group (n = 16). A semiautomated segmentation technique was used to obtain tooth volume of anterior teeth from CBCT imaging prior to (T0) and during or immediately following (T1) orthodontic treatment with clear aligners. The change in root volume between time points was assessed.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference between the pre- and posttreatment root volumes of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth, regardless of which intervention group the patient belonged to (P > .05). There was also no difference in the mean percentage change in root volume between clear aligner patients in this study who were treated with the PBM device compared with a matched control group (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Clear aligner patients in this study who changed their aligners every 3 to 5 days and used adjunctive photobiomodulation therapy did not experience clinically relevant orthodontically induced external root resorption. Due to the small sample size and measurement error in the root segmentation process, the results should be interpreted with caution.

Idiopathic condylar resorption in adolescents: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

Idiopathic condylar resorption (ICR), also known as progressive condylar resorption, is poorly understood, particularly in adolescent patients. Therefore, this scoping review aims to summarize the available literature on the prevalence, aetiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic process, treatment and/or any outcome regarding ICR in adolescent individuals.

METHODS

This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and its extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR), as well as Joanna Briggs Institute studies. The search strategy was defined adopting a core search structure for each source, and the search was performed on MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. After duplicate removal, two independent reviewers screened abstracts, followed by complete articles, to achieve the definition of included studies. Data collection was performed, and the extracted data were organized in tabular form, along with a narrative summary of main findings that aligns with the objective of this review.

RESULTS

Six observational studies were included in this review. Three studies focused on signs and symptoms, one on prevalence and signs and symptoms, one on treatment and one on disease pathogenesis.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review revealed inadequate published research regarding prevalence, aetiology, early diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment of ICR in adolescents.

The repeatability of periodontal imaging with intraoral ultrasound scanning

OBJECTIVE

Ultrasound is a non-invasive and low-cost diagnostic tool widely used in medicine. Recent studies have demonstrated that ultrasound imaging might have the potential to be used intraorally to assess the periodontium by comparing it to current imaging methods. This study aims to characterize the repeatability of intraoral periodontal ultrasound imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred and twenty-three teeth were scanned from fourteen volunteers participating in this study. One operator conducted all the scans in each tooth thrice with a 20 MHz intraoral ultrasound. The repeatability of three measurements, alveolar bone crest to the cementoenamel junction (ABC-CEJ), gingival thickness (GT), and alveolar bone thickness (ABT), was calculated with intercorrelation coefficient (ICC). Measurements were also compared with mean absolute deviation (MAD), repeatability coefficient (RC), and descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

ICC scores for intra-rater repeatability were 0.917(0.897,0.933), 0.849(0.816,0.878), and 0.790(0.746,0.898), MAD results were 0.610 mm (± 0.508), 0.224 (± 0.200), and 0.067 (± 0.060), and RC results were 0.648, 0.327, and 0.121 for ABC-CEJ, GT, and ABT measurements, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Results of the present study pointed towards good or excellent repeatability of ultrasound as a measurement tool for periodontal structures.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Clinicians could benefit from the introduction of a novel chairside diagnostic tool. Ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging assessment tool for the periodontium with promising results in the literature. Further validation, establishment of scanning protocols, and commercialization are still needed before ultrasound imaging is available for clinicians.

In vitro biomechanics of divot use, and their placement, in orthodontic aligner therapy

INTRODUCTION

To evaluate biomechanics of an aligner utilizing divots and the effect of their vertical placement on the right maxillary central incisor.

METHODS

An in vitro Orthodontic SIMulator (OSIM) was used to test forces and moments generated by aligners incorporating divots. The OSIM arch was scanned to generate a. STL version that was modified to create four models by placing divots on different positions of the right central maxillary incisor: GI - divots on gingival-third of lingual surface and incisal-third of labial surface; GM - divots on gingival-third of lingual surface and middle-third of labial surface; MI - divots on middle-third of lingual surface and incisal-third of labial surface; MM - divots on middle-third of lingual surface and middle-third of labial surface. Aligners (n = 30/model) were fabricated using a 0.75 mm thick polyethylene terephthalate material and Biostar® machine following the manufacturer's recommendations. A one-way MANOVA followed by one-way ANOVA (α = 0.05) was utilized to test effect of models on buccolingual force (Fy) and mesiodistal moment (Mx) at 0.20 mm of lingual displacement of the right maxillary central incisor.

RESULTS

Mean Mx for GI (-5.68 ± 7.38 Nmm), GM (3.75 ± 5.54 Nmm), MI (-4.27 ± 1.48 Nmm) and MM (1.96 ± 0.99 Nmm) models showed statistical differences between GI and GM, GI and MM, GM and MI and MI and MM. GI exerted the largest Fy (1.87 ± 0.75 N) followed by GM (1.10 ± 0.47 N), MI (0.70 ± 0.23 N) and MM (0.28 ± 0.08 N) with significant differences between GI and GM, GI and MI, GI and MM and GM and MM models.

CONCLUSIONS

Vertical divot placement on a right central incisor had a significant effect on aligner biomechanics. Buccolingual forces exerted by models GI, GM and MI were within the range suggested by literature for bodily tooth movement without major root tipping for GM and MI models.

Use of ultrasound imaging for assessment of the periodontium: A systematic review

The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature regarding diagnostic applications of ultrasound imaging for evaluation of the periodontium in humans. The search was conducted on Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and PubMed up to April 3, 2023. The studies included were exclusively human studies that assessed the periodontium with ultrasound (US) imaging (b-mode). Outcomes measured included alveolar bone level, alveolar bone thickness, gingival thickness, and blood flow quantification. References were imported to Covidence. Two reviewers conducted phases 1 and 2. The JBI risk assessment tool for cross-sectional studies was used. Extracted data included the transducer and measurements used and the study's outcomes. The search yielded 4892 studies after removing duplicates. From these, 25 studies were included and selected for extraction. Included studies retrieved outcomes from US examinations of the periodontal tissues. From the selected studies, 15 used US on natural teeth, 4 used US on implants, 2 used US on edentulous ridges, and 4 used color flow/power in US to evaluate the blood flow. The results of the present systematic review suggest that US might be a feasible and valuable diagnostic tool for the periodontium, with the potential to complement shortfalls of current radiographic technologies.

The in vitro biomechanics of anterior arch expansion using fixed lingual appliances with coil springs or archwire stops

INTRODUCTION

The presented study investigates differences in the biomechanics of straight and mushroom fixed lingual appliances when implementing coil springs and stops for anterior arch expansion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An in vitro orthodontic simulator was used to measure three-dimensional forces and moments on each tooth of a simulated maxillary arch. Mushroom and straight archwire forms of 0.016″ NiTi round archwire were considered, using 0.010″ × 0.030″ NiTi open coils and 0.016″-0.018″ archwire stops (n = 44 per group). Teeth in the anterior dental arch were moved from a neutral to crowded position to replicate anterior crowding of central and lateral incisors. Forces and moments of interest for lateral incisors and first premolars were compared using repeated measures mixed multivariate analysis of variance (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

Three comparisons between straight versus mushroom archwires and two comparisons of coil springs vs. stops were not statistically significant. Overall, it was found that the use of a straight lingual archwire produced larger differences in forces and moments between using stops and coil springs than when using a mushroom archwire. Using stops produced larger forces and moments for both types of archwires as compared to using coil springs. The largest expansion forces were produced using straight archwires with stops, exceeding 3.0 N of force. Straight archwires with coil springs produced the lowest expansion forces on lateral incisors, just exceeding 1.5 N.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study have elucidated significant differences in the biomechanics of transverse arch expansion using straight or mushroom fixed lingual appliances with coil springs or stops.

Measuring the alveolar bone level in adolescents: A comparison between ultrasound and cone beam computed tomography

BACKGROUND

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is an imaging modality, which is used routinely in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning but delivers much higher radiation than conventional dental radiographs. Ultrasound is a noninvasive imaging method that creates an image without ionizing radiation.

AIM

To investigate the reliability of ultrasound and the agreement between ultrasound and CBCT in measuring the alveolar bone level (ABL) on the buccal/labial side of the incisors in adolescent orthodontic patients.

DESIGN

One hundred and eighteen incisors from 30 orthodontic adolescent patients were scanned by CBCT with 0.3-mm voxel size and ultrasound at 20 MHz frequency. The ABL, distance from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the alveolar bone crest (ABC), was measured twice to evaluate the agreement between ultrasound and CBCT. In addition, the intra- and inter-rater reliabilities in measuring the ABL by four raters were compared.

RESULTS

The mean difference (MD) in the ABL between ultrasound and CBCT was -0.07 mm with 95% limit of agreement (LoA) from -0.47 to 0.32 mm for all teeth. For each jaw, the MDs between the ultrasound and CBCT were -0.18 mm (for mandible with 95% LoA from -0.53 to 0.18 mm) and 0.03 mm (for maxilla with 95% LoA from -0.28 to 0.35 mm). In comparison, ultrasound had higher intra-rater (ICC = 0.83-0.90) and inter-rater reliabilities (ICC = 0.97) in ABL measurement than CBCT (ICC = 0.56-0.78 for intra-rater and ICC = 0.69 for inter-rater reliabilities).

CONCLUSION

CBCT parameters used in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning in adolescents may not be a reliable tool to assess the ABL for the mandibular incisors. On the contrary, ultrasound imaging, an ionizing radiation-free, inexpensive, and portable diagnostic tool, has potential to be a reliable diagnostic tool in assessing the ABL in adolescent patients.

Estimating Crestal Thickness of Alveolar Bones on Intra-oral Ultrasonograms

OBJECTIVE

Alveolar crestal bone thickness and level provide important diagnostic and prognostic information for orthodontic treatment, periodontal disease management and dental implants. Ionizing radiation-free ultrasound has emerged as a promising clinical tool in imaging oral tissues. However, the ultrasound image is distorted when the wave speed of the tissue of interest is different from the mapping speed of the scanner and, therefore, the subsequent dimension measurements are not accurate. This study was aimed at deriving a correction factor that can be applied to the measurements to correct for discrepancy caused by speed variation.

METHODS

The factor is a function of the speed ratio and the acute angle that the segment of interest makes with the beam axis perpendicular to the transducer. The phantom and cadaver experiments were designed to validate the method.

DISCUSSION

The comparisons agree well with absolute errors not more than 4.9%. Dimension measurements on ultrasonographs can be properly corrected by applying the correction factor without recourse to the raw signals.

CONCLUSION

The correction factor has reduced the measurement discrepancy on the acquired ultrasonographs for the tissue whose speed is different from the scanner's mapping speed.

Investigating the role of aligner material and tooth position on orthodontic aligner biomechanics

The primary objective of this work was to investigate the effect of material selection and tooth position on orthodontic aligner biomechanics. Additionally, material property changes with thermoforming were studied to elucidate its role in material performance in-vitro. An orthodontic simulator (OSIM) was used to evaluate forces and moments at 0.20 mm of lingual displacement for central incisor, canine and second premolar using Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyurethane (PU) and Glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PET-G) materials. The OSIM was scanned to generate a model used to fabricate aligners using manufacturer-specified thermoforming procedures. Repeated measures of MANOVA was used to analyze the effect of teeth and material on forces/moments. The role of thermoforming was evaluated by flexural modulus estimated by 3-point bend tests. Pre-thermoformed and post-thermoformed samples were prepared using as-received sheets and those thermoformed over a simplified arch using rectangular geometry, respectively. Groups were compared using Two-way ANOVA. The PET, PU, and PET-G materials exerted maximum buccal force and corresponding moments on the canine. PU exerted more buccal force than PET-G on the canine and second premolar, and more than PET on the second premolar. The impact of thermoforming varied according to the specific polymer: PET-G remained stable, there was a slight change for PET, and a significant increase was noted for PU from pre-thermoformed to post-thermoforming. The results of this study elucidate the influence of material and arch position on the exerted forces and moments. Further, the mechanical properties of thermoplastic materials should be evaluated after thermoforming to characterize their properties for clinical application.

Temporomandibular joint segmentation in MRI images using deep learning

OBJECTIVES

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) internal derangements (ID) represent the most prevalent temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) in the population and its diagnosis typically relies on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). TMJ articular discs in MRIs usually suffer from low resolution and contrast, and it is difficult to identify them. In this study, we applied two convolutional neural networks (CNN) to delineate mandibular condyle, articular eminence, and TMJ disc in MRI images.

METHODS

The models were trained on MRI images from 100 patients and validated on images from 40 patients using 2D slices and 3D volume as input, respectively. Data augmentation and five-fold cross-validation scheme were applied to further regularize the models. The accuracy of the models was then compared with four raters having different expertise in reading TMJ-MRI images to evaluate the performance of the models.

RESULTS

Both models performed well in segmenting the three anatomical structures. A Dice coefficient of about 0.7 for the articular disc, more than 0.9 for the mandibular condyle, and Hausdorff distance of about 2mm for the articular eminence were achieved in both models. The models reached near-expert performance for the segmentation of TMJ articular disc and performed close to the expert in the segmentation of mandibular condyle and articular eminence. They also surpassed non-experts in segmenting the three anatomical structures.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that CNN-based segmentation models can be a reliable tool to assist clinicians identifying key anatomy on TMJ-MRIs. The approach also paves the way for automatic diagnosis of TMD.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Accurately locating the articular disc is the hardest and most crucial step in the interpretation of TMJ-MRIs and consequently in the diagnosis of TMJ-ID. Automated software that assists in locating the articular disc and its surrounding structures would improve the reliability of TMJ-MRI interpretation, save time and assist in reader training. It will also serve as a foundation for additional automated analysis of pathology in TMJ structures to aid in TMD diagnosis.

Strain Measurement within an Intact Swine Periodontal Ligament

The periodontal ligament (PDL) provides support, proprioception, nutrition, and protection within the tooth–PDL–bone complex (TPBC). While understanding the mechanical behavior of the PDL is critical, current research has inferred PDL mechanics from finite element models, from experimental measures on complete TPBCs, or through direct measurement of isolated PDL sections. Here, transducers are used in an attempt to quantify ex vivo PDL strain. In-fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are small flexible sensors that can be placed within an intact TPBC and yield repeatable strain measurements from within the PDL space. The objective of this study was to determine: 1) if the FBG strain measured from the PDL space of intact swine premolars ex vivo was equivalent to physical PDL strains estimated through finite element analysis and 2) if a change in FBG strain could be linearly related to a change in finite element strain under variable tooth displacement, applied to an intact swine TPBC. Experimentally, individual TPBCs were subjected to 2 displacements (n = 14). The location of the FBG was determined from representative micro–computed tomography images. From a linear elastic finite element model of a TPBC, the strain magnitudes at the sensor locations were recorded. An experimental ratio (i.e., FBG strain at the first displacement divided by the FBG strain at the second displacement) and a finite element ratio (i.e., finite element strain at the first displacement divided by the finite element strain at the second displacement) were calculated. A linear regression model indicated a statistically significant relationship between the experimental and finite element ratio (P = 0.017) with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.448. It was concluded that the FBG sensor could be used as a measure for a change in strain and thus could be implemented in applications where the mechanical properties of an intact PDL are monitored over time.

Use of facial stereophotogrammetry as a screening tool for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea by dental specialists

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To evaluate facial 3-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry's effectiveness as a screening tool for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) when used by dental specialists.

METHODS

One hundred forty-four participants aged 2-17 years, including children fully diagnosed with pediatric OSA through nocturnal polysomnography or at high-risk or low-risk of pediatric OSA, participated in this study. 3D stereophotogrammetry, Craniofacial Index, and Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire were obtained from all participants. Ten dental specialists with interest in pediatric sleep breathing disorders classified OSA severity twice, once based only on 3D stereophotogrammetry and then based on 3D stereophotogrammetry, Craniofacial Index, and Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire. Intrarater and interrater reliability and diagnostic accuracy of pediatric OSA classification were calculated. A cluster analysis was performed to identify potential homogeneous pediatric OSA groups based on their craniofacial features classified through the Craniofacial Index .

RESULTS

Intrarater and interrater agreement suggested a poor reproducibility when only 3D facial stereophotogrammetry was used and when all tools were assessed simultaneously. Sensitivity and specificity varied among clinicians, indicating a low screening ability for both 3D facial stereophotogrammetry, ranging from 0.36-0.90 and 0.10-0.70 and all tools ranging from 0.53-1.0 and 0.01-0.49, respectively. A high arched palate and reversed or increased overjet contributed to explaining how participating dental clinicians classified pediatric OSA.

CONCLUSIONS

3D stereophotogrammetry-based facial analysis does not seem predictive for pediatric OSA screening, alone or combined with the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire and Craniofacial Index when used by dental specialists interested in sleep-disordered breathing. Some craniofacial traits, more specifically significant sagittal overjet discrepancies and an arched palate, seem to influence participating dental specialists' classification.

CITATION

Fernandes Fagundes NC, Carlyle T, Dalci O, et al. Use of facial stereophotogrammetry as a screening tool for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea by dental specialists. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(1):57-66.

3D Analysis of maxillary incisor root inclinations in cases of unilateral maxillary canine impaction

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between maxillary incisor root inclinations and unilateral canine impaction.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional study of 59 pre-treatment CBCT scans (23 palatal impactions, 10 buccal impactions, and 26 comparison patients). Using Dolphin 3-D Imaging software (Chatsworth, CA), relative incisor angulations to a 3D palatal plane and the shortest distance between the canine crown and the root of the closest lateral incisor were calculated. A one-way analysis of variance was used to determine whether there were any differences between the three independent groups of impactions concerning the four continuous dependent variables incisor root inclination for each maxillary incisor.

RESULTS

Patients with unilaterally impacted maxillary canines demonstrate significant differences in the root inclination position on the ipsilateral (0.0001 > P = 0.002) but not contralateral side. While palatal impactions (PIC) are associated with buccally positioned roots of the ipsilateral lateral (-9.05 degrees) and central incisors (-7.91 degrees), buccal impactions (BIC) are only associated with palatally positioned roots of the ipsilateral lateral incisors (+10.40 degrees) alone. A more labial position of the lateral incisor root was correlated with a more proximally located, coronally positioned, and medially displaced adjacent PIC (0.013 > P < 0.026).

LIMITATIONS

This is a retrospective cross-sectional convenience sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with impacted maxillary canines, whether PIC or BIC, do not show generalized retroclination or proclination of all four maxillary incisor roots. Instead, changes in incisor root inclination were only ipsilateral to the impacted canine. BIC is only associated with palatal displacement of the ipsilateral lateral incisor root, whereas PIC is associated with labial root displacement of both ipsilateral incisors.

Three-dimensional periodontal investigations using a prototype handheld ultrasound scanner with spatial positioning reading sensor

AIM

To demonstrate the feasibility of the 3D ultrasound periodontal tissue reconstruction of the lateral area of a porcine mandible using standard 2D ultrasound equipment and spatial positioning reading sensors.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Periodontal 3D reconstructions were performed using a free-hand prototype based on a 2D US scanner and a spatial positioning reading sensor. For automated data processing, deep learning algorithms were implemented and trained using semi-automatically seg-mented images by highly specialized imaging professionals.

RESULTS

US probe movement analysis showed that non-parallel 2D frames were acquired during the scanning procedure. Comparing 3 different 3D periodontal reconstructions of the same porcine mandible, the accuracy ranged between 0.179 mm and 0.235 mm.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated the diagnostic potential of 3D reconstruction using a free-hand 2D US scanner with spatial positioning readings. The use of auto-mated data processing with deep learning algorithms makes the process practical in the clinical environment for assessment of periodontal soft tissues.

Localization of cementoenamel junction in intraoral ultrasonographs with machine learning

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to automatically identify the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) location in ultrasound images using deep convolution neural networks (CNNs).

METHODS

Three CNNs were evaluated using 1400 images and data augmentation. The training and validation were performed by an experienced nonclinical rater with 1000 and 200 images, respectively. Four clinical raters with different levels of experience with ultrasound tested the networks using the other 200 images. In addition to the comparison of the best approach with each rater, we also employed the simultaneous truth and performance level estimation (STAPLE) algorithm to estimate a ground truth based on all labelings by four clinical raters. The final CEJ location estimate was obtained by taking the first moment of the posterior probability computed using the STAPLE algorithm. The study also computed the machine learning-measured CEJ-alveolar bone crest distance.

RESULTS

Quantitative evaluations of the 200 images showed that the comparison of the best approach with the STAPLE-estimate yielded a mean difference (MD) of 0.26 mm, which is close to the comparison with the most experienced nonclinical rater (MD=0.25 mm) but far better than the comparison with clinical raters (MD=0.27-0.33 mm). The machine learning-measured CEJ-alveolar bone crest distances correlated strongly (R = 0.933, p < 0.001) with the manual clinical labeling and the measurements were in good agreement with the 95% Bland-Altman's lines of agreement between -0.68 and 0.57 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrated the feasible use of machine learning methodology to localize CEJ in ultrasound images with clinically acceptable accuracy and reliability. Likelihood-weighted ground truth by combining multiple labels by the clinical experts compared favorably with the predictions by the best deep CNN approach.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Identification of CEJ and its distance from the alveolar bone crest play an important role in the evaluation of periodontal status. Machine learning algorithms can learn from complex features in ultrasound images and have potential to provide a reliable and accurate identification in subsecond. This will greatly assist dental practitioners to provide better point-of-care to patients and enhance the throughput of dental care.

Experimental repeatability, sensitivity, and reproducibility of force and strain measurements from within the periodontal ligament space during ex vivo swine tooth loading

The Periodontal Ligament (PDL) is a complex connective tissue that anchors a tooth to the surrounding alveolar bone. The small size and complex geometry of the PDL space within an intact tooth-PDL-bone complex (TPBC) limits strain measurements. An in-fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor offers potential for such measurements due to its small size. This work defines an experimental procedure where strain and force were measured during quasi-static, apically directed, displacement-controlled tests on swine premolar crowns. Specifically, the: inter-TPBC, intra-TPBC, and long-term repeatability after a preconditioned state was objectively identified; sensitivity to preload magnitude, TPBC alignment, and sensor depth; and reproducibility within a TPBC was determined. Data clustering was used to determine the appropriate number of preconditioning trials, ranging from one to seven. Strain and force measurements showed intra-TPBC repeatability with average adjusted root mean square from the median of 28.9% of the peak strain and 4.5% of the peak force measurement. A Mann-Whitney U test generally found statistically significant differences in peak strain and force measurements between the left and right sides, suggesting a lack of inter-TPBC repeatability. Using a Friedman test, it was shown that peak strain measures were sensitive to the TPBC alignment and sensor depth, while peak force measures were sensitive to the preload and TPBC alignment. A Friedman test suggested reproducible strain and force measurements when the FBG was replaced within the same TPBC and the preload, alignment, and sensor depth were controlled.

Influence of Sponsorship Bias on Treatment Effect Size Estimates in Randomized Trials of Oral Health Interventions: A Meta-epidemiological Study

BACKGROUND

In this meta-epidemiological study, we aimed to examine associations between treatment effect size estimates and sponsorship bias in oral health randomized clinical trials.

METHODS

We selected oral health related meta-analyses that included a minimum of five randomized controlled trials. We extracted data, in duplicate, related to influence of sponsorship bias. We quantified the extent of bias associated with influence of sponsorship on the magnitude of effect size estimates of continuous variables using a two-level meta-meta-analytic approach with random-effects models to allow for intra- and inter-meta-analysis heterogeneity.

RESULTS

We initially identified 540 randomized trials included in 64 meta-analyses. Risk of sponsorship bias was judged as being "unclear" in 72.8% (n = 393) of the trials, while it was assessed as "low" in 16.7% (n = 90) and as "high" in 10.6% (n = 57) of the trials. Using a meta-epidemiological analysis (37 meta-analyses, including 328 trials that analyzed 85,934 patients), we identified statistically significant larger treatment effect size estimates in trials that had "high or unclear" risk of sponsorship bias (difference in treatment effect size estimates=0.10; 95% confidence intervals: 0.02 to 0.19) than in trials that had "low" risk of sponsorship bias.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified significant differences in treatment effect size estimates between dental trials based on sponsorship bias. Treatment effect size estimates were 0.10 larger in trials with "high or unclear" risk of sponsorship bias.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Clinicians should have an adequate knowledge of sponsorship bias in a clinical trial and be able to estimate the degree to which the conclusions of a systematic review are synthesized and interpreted, based on trials with low risk of sponsorship bias.

Mussel-Inspired Adhesive Double-Network Hydrogel for Intraoral Ultrasound Imaging

Periodontal diseases could be diagnosed through intraoral ultrasound imaging with the advantages of simple operation procedures, low cost, and low safety risks. A couplant is normally placed between transducers and tissues for better ultrasound image quality. If applied intraorally, the couplants should possess good stability in water and robust mechanical properties, as well as strong adhesiveness to transducers and tissues. However, commercial couplants, such as Aquaflex (AF) cannot fulfill these requirements. In this work, inspired by the mussel adhesion mechanism, we reported a poly(vinyl alcohol)-polyacrylamide-polydopamine (PVA-PAM-PDA) hydrogel synthesized by incorporating PDA into the PAM-PVA double-network for intraoral ultrasound imaging. The hydrogel maintains good stability in water as well as exceptional mechanical properties and can adhere to different substrates (i.e., metal, glass, and porcine skin) without losing the original adhesion strength after multiple adhesion-strip cycles. Besides, when applied to porcine mandibular incisor imaging, the PVA-PAM-PDA hydrogel possesses good image quality for diagnosis as AF does. This work provides practical insights into the fabrication of multifunctional hydrogel-based interfaces between human tissues and medical devices for disease diagnosis applications.

Comparison of Skeletal and Dental Changes Obtained from a Tooth-Borne Maxillary Expansion Appliance Compared to the Damon System Assessed through a Digital Volumetric Imaging: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare dental and skeletal changes associated with the Damon and Rapid Maxillary Expander (RME) expansion using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). Eighty-two patients, from The University of Alberta Orthodontic Clinic, were randomly allocated to either Group A or B. Patients in Group A received orthodontic treatment using the Damon brackets. Patients in Group B received treatment using the Hyrax (a type of RME) appliance. CBCT images were taken two times (baseline and after expansion). The AVIZO software was used to locate 18 landmarks (dental and skeletal) on sagittal, axial, and coronal slices of CBCT images. Comparison between two groups showed that transverse movement of maxillary first molars and premolars was much greater in the Hyrax group. The lateral movements of posterior teeth were associated with buccal tipping of crowns. No clinically significant difference in the vertical or anteroposterior direction between the two groups was noted. Alveolar bone next to root apex of maxillary first premolar and molar teeth showed clinically significant lateral movement in the Hyrax group only. The comparison between two groups showed significantly greater transverse expansion of the first molar and first premolars with buccal tipping in the RME group.

The biomechanics of posterior maxillary arch expansion using fixed labial and lingual appliances

OBJECTIVE

To compare the biomechanics of straight labial, straight lingual, and mushroom lingual archwire systems when used in posterior arch expansion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An electro-mechanical orthodontic simulator allowing for buccal-lingual and vertical displacements of individual teeth and three-dimensional force/moment measurements was instrumented with anatomically shaped teeth for the maxillary arch. In-Ovation L brackets were bonded to lingual surfaces, and Carriere SLX brackets were bonded to labial surfaces to ensure consistency of slot dimensions. Titanium molybdenum archwires were bent to an ideal arch form, and the teeth on the orthodontic simulator were set to a passive position. Posterior teeth from the canine to second molar were moved lingually to replicate a constricted arch. From the constricted position, the posterior teeth were simultaneously moved until the expansive force decreased below 0.2 N. Initial force/moment systems and the amount of predicted expansion were compared for posterior teeth at a significance level of α = 0.05.

RESULTS

Archwire type affected both the expected expansion and initial force/moment systems produced in the constricted position. In general, the lingual systems produced the most expansion. The archwire systems were not able to return the teeth to their ideal position, with the closest system reaching 41% of the intended expansion.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, lingual systems were able to produce greater expansion in the posterior regions when compared with labial systems. However, less than half of the intended arch expansion was achieved with all systems tested.

Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing in the orthodontic population: Prevalence of positive risk and associations

INTRODUCTION

Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) describes a spectrum of disease ranging from snoring to upper airway resistance syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Anatomical features assessed during orthodontic exams are often associated with symptoms of SDB in children. Hence, we need to determine the prevalence of positive risk for SDB in the pediatric orthodontic population compared with a general pediatric population and understand comorbidities associated with SDB risk among orthodontic patients.

METHODS

Responses from Pediatric Sleep Questionnaires were collected from 390 patients between the ages of 5 and 16 years, seeking orthodontic treatment. Prevalence of overall SDB risk, habitual snoring, and sleepiness were determined in the orthodontic population and compared with those previously reported by identical methods in the general pediatric population. Additional health history information was used to assess comorbidities associated with SDB risk in 130 of the patients.

RESULTS

At 10.8%, the prevalence of positive SDB risk was found to be significantly higher in the general pediatric orthodontic population than in a healthy pediatric population (5%). The prevalence of snoring and sleepiness in the orthodontic population was 13.3% and 17.9%, respectively. Among the comorbidities, nocturnal enuresis (13.6%), overweight (18.2%), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (31.8%) had a higher prevalence in orthodontic patients with higher SDB risk (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a higher pediatric SDB risk prevalence in the orthodontic population compared with a healthy pediatric population. Orthodontic practitioners should make SDB screening a routine part of their clinical practice.