American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics
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Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop · Dec 1996
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialEffectiveness of three different types of electric toothbrushes compared with a manual technique in orthodontic patients.
Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances are at risk of developing carious white spot lesions and gingival inflammation because of the challenge of oral hygiene. The purpose of this study was to evaluate under home conditions the effectiveness of three different types of electric toothbrushes during active appliance therapy: Interplak (Bausch & Lomb, Berlin, Germany), Rota-dent (Rota-dent, Kusnacht, Switzerland), and Braun Oral-B Plaque Remover (Braun/Oral-B, Kronberg, Germany). A manual technique, which included normal toothbrush, interdental brush, and dental floss, served as reference. ⋯ Patients with poor oral hygiene who used Rota-dent and Braun Oral-B Plaque Remover OD5 had statistically significantly lower plaque scores compared with the manual technique (p < 0.01; p < 0.05); for patients with good oral hygiene, these differences were neutralized. It may be concluded that electric toothbrushes of the new generation are a real alternative to the often laborious manual tooth cleaning procedures used during active appliance therapy. Patients with poor oral hygiene may benefit from them especially because plaque removal can be achieved easier and faster.
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Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop · Jul 1996
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe effect of the tongue retaining device on awake genioglossus muscle activity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Knowledge of how dental appliances alter upper airway muscle activity when they are used for the treatment of snoring and/or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is very limited. The purpose of this study was to define the effect of a tongue retaining device (TRD) on awake genioglossus (GG) muscle activity in 10 adult subjects with OSA and in 6 age and body mass index (BMI) matched symptom-free control subjects. The TRD is a custom-made appliance designed to allow the tongue to remain in a forward position between the anterior teeth by holding the tongue in an anterior bulb with negative pressure, during sleep. ⋯ Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the GG EMG activity of the TRD-A and the TRD-X in control subjects, whereas there was less activity with the TRD-X than with the TRD-A in subjects with OSA (p < 0.05). On the basis of these findings, it was concluded that the TRD has different effects on the awake GG muscle activity in control subjects and patients with OSA. The resultant change in the anatomic configuration of the upper airway caused by the TRD may be important in the treatment of OSA because such a change may alleviate the impaired upper airway function.
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Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop · Sep 1994
A study of patient facial expressivity in relation to orthodontic/surgical treatment.
A dynamic analysis of the faces of patients seeking an aesthetic restoration of facial aberrations with orthognathic treatment requires (besides the routine static study, such as records, study models, photographs, and cephalometric tracings) the study of their facial expressions. To determine a classification method for the units of expressive facial behavior, the mobility of the face is studied with the aid of the facial action coding system (FACS) created by Ekman and Friesen. With video recordings of faces and photographic images taken from the video recordings, the authors have modified a technique of facial analysis structured on the visual observation of the anatomic basis of movement. ⋯ It was possible to distinguish changes in facial expressivity in patients after dentofacial surgery, the type and degree of change depended on the facial structure before surgery. Changes noted tended toward a functioning that is identical to that of subjects who do not suffer from dysmorphosis and toward greater lip competence, particularly the function of the orbicular muscle of the lips, with reduced compensatory activity of the lower lip and the chin. The results of our study are supported by the clinical observations and suggest that the FACS technique should be able to provide a coding for the study of facial expression.
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Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop · Jan 1990
Comparative StudyAdaptation of craniofacial muscles in subjects with craniomandibular disorders.
The purpose of this study was to examine muscle function in subjects with muscle pain. Forty-three subjects with pain in the craniomandibular muscles, clinically determined by manual palpation, were studied for alteration in recruitment of temporalis, masseter, and suprahyoid muscles during a series of phasic movements. Seventeen normal subjects were used as controls. ⋯ Comparison of the bilateral activity in the anterior temporalis muscles during intercuspal clenching shows that the subjects with muscle pain often demonstrate a more severe asymmetrical recruitment of these muscles than the more symmetrical recruitment seen in normal subjects. Similar observations were made for the masseter muscle. These studies demonstrate that subjects with muscle pain in craniomandibular muscles alter the recruitment of their jaw muscles, thus supporting the concept that the neuromuscular system is altered in patients with craniomandibular disorders.