Electromyographic Assessment of Muscle Activity in Children Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment-A Systematic Review

Background: Surface electromyography (sEMG) can provide an objective and quantitative image of the functional state of neuromuscular balance in the stomatognathic system. The objective of this systematic review is to examine current scientific evidence regarding the effects of orthodontic treatment on muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity in children. Methods: The search strategy included the PubMed, PubMed Central, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases. The inclusion criteria were studies assessing EMG muscle activity in children undergoing orthodontic treatment compared with untreated children. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB2) and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) were used to evaluate the quality of the studies. The quality of evidence assessment was performed using GRADE analysis. The PRISMA diagram visually represented the search strategy, as well as screening and inclusion process. Results: The search strategy identified 540 potential articles. Fourteen papers met the inclusion criteria. Six studies were judged at a low risk of bias. The certainty of evidence was rated as moderate to low, according to the GRADE criteria. Studies showed alterations in EMG muscle activity in children undergoing orthodontic treatment. Conclusions: Orthodontic treatment appears to affect muscle activity in children undergoing orthodontic treatment. However, the quality of evidence is low and, therefore, it is not possible to definitively state this effect. Further long-term studies are needed to confirm the findings of this review. Study protocol number in PROSPERO database: CRD42023491005.

Comparison of in-office and at-home bleaching techniques: An umbrella review of efficacy and post-operative sensitivity

Objectives

The objective of this umbrella review is to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of different teeth whitening techniques in-office (IO) and at-home (AH), regarding chromatic changes and teeth sensitivity.

Materials and methods

The search was carried out from several databases. The included studies were all systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis of RCT or quasi-RCT. The participants were patients that underwent external dental bleaching in permanent vital teeth. The interventions were in-office (IO) bleaching techniques and at-home (AT) bleaching techniques with different bleaching agents and concentrations.

Results

The search resulted in a total of 257 articles, and 28 SR were included in the qualitative analysis and nine in the quantitative analysis. There is no difference between in-office and at-home techniques in terms of color change (p = 0.95) and post-treatment sensitivity (p = 0.85). There is similarity risk and intensity of teeth sensitivity between AH and IO bleaching. IO bleaching with light-activated systems with low concentrations of bleaching agent showed similar results to IO bleaching techniques with high concentrated bleaching gels. With the application of the criteria of the AMSTAR 2 tool, the reviews were considered critically low to high.

Conclusions

There are no significant differences in terms of color change between the different bleaching techniques compared. Teeth sensitivity is always present regardless of the technique used. The use of light activation systems did not increase the intensity and risk of post-operative sensitivity.

Dye Laser to Treat an Arteriovenous Malformation of the Tongue: 40-Month Follow-Up

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are abnormal connections between blood vessels that bypass the normal capillary bed. To avoid the invasiveness of the gold standard surgical excision, the use of dye laser has been suggested as an alternative. A 53-year-old man in good overall health presented with a large bluish-red nodular growth covered by intact mucosa on the left side of his tongue. The growth had a hard-elastic consistency and was not painful to touch. Imaging investigations revealed a capsulated growth consistent with a diagnosis of AVM. The patient underwent two sessions of rhodamine dye laser treatment using the following parameters: fluence of 12 J/cm2, 6 mm laser spot, a single pulse with repetition up to 1.0 Hz, and a pulse duration of 3.0 ms. Follow-up examinations were conducted at 12, 24, 36, and 40 months after the treatment. At the 40-month follow-up, the lesion had reduced in size, with a more organized vascular network, and was not clinically detectable. Considering the limitations of this case report, the application of dye laser appears to be a potentially successful treatment option for AVMs.

Actinomycotic Sinomaxillary Infection in a COVID-19 Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Individuals with COVID-19 are prone to a variety of infections due to immune dysregulation. The present report presents a case of actinomycotic infection in the maxillary bone and sinus region in a patient with a history of COVID-19. This case report highlights the importance of considering bacterial infections including actinomycosis when encountering destructive lesions resembling more prevalent fungal infections due to different therapeutic medication protocols. In addition, a literature review of the existing reports of similar post-COVID-19 actinomycotic infection is presented.

Electromyographic Study of Masticatory Muscle Function in Children with Down Syndrome

This study assessed the electrical activity of the masticatory muscles in both children with down syndrome (DS) and healthy children. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 patients aged between 7.9 and 11.8 years participated in the study. They were divided into two groups of 15: DS and non-DS. A DAB-Bluetooth device (Zebris Medical GmbH, Germany) was used to record the electromyographical (EMG) activity of the right and left temporal and of the right and left masseter muscles at rest and during maximum voluntary clenching (MVC). The asymmetry index between right and left masticatory muscle EMG activity was calculated for each position. The Mann–Whitney U test was applied to analyze the study results. There were no differences in the electrical activity of the temporal and masseter muscles at rest between the groups. During MVC, the asymmetry index for the masseter muscles was significantly higher in subjects with DS. The electrical potentials of the temporal and masseter muscles in children with DS were significantly lower compared to the corresponding parameters for healthy children when clenching.