Maintaining good oral hygiene in patients wearing fixed appliances is a challenge for orthodontics. Conventional education has been demonstrated to be insufficient for the promotion of good oral habits, while motivational interviewing has the potential to facilitate health behavior change. The present randomized controlled trial with 130 patients aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a single session of motivational interviewing in enhancing oral hygiene in orthodontic patients compared with conventional education alone. Results revealed an immediate improvement in oral hygiene which remained stable throughout the 6-month follow-up.

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BackgroundLittle is known about the effect of non-nutritive sucking habits (pacifier and digital sucking) in the prevalence of molar Class in mixed dentition. The aim of this study was determinate the relation between non-nutritive sucking habits, and Angle´s molar Class, in the horizontal plane, and it´s relation with gender. A convenience sample of 326 children with ages between 6 and 12 years was selected from three schools of Oporto.Material and MethodsTo collect the epidemiologic data, was used a method recommended by the WHO. An indirect questionnaire about the medical history, dental habits, was used. It was adapted from Sanchez-Molins and validated by Clinical Dental III of Integrated Dental University Institute Health Sciences, Gandra, Portugal.ResultsIn this study, 326 infants were examined in order to determine the prevalence of non-nutritive sucking habits. Only 45 observed children did not mentioned any kind of non-nutritive sucking habit; the remaining 281 children mentioned at least one potential bad habit. Children with non-nutritive sucking habits show a higher molar Class II percentage in females, while molar Class III is more frequent among males compared with children with no sucking habits.ConclusionsChildren with non-nutritive sucking habits, presented a higher-Class II prevalence with statistically significance. It was detected a direct relationship between Angle´s molar Class and gender. Key words:Finger sucking, pacifier sucking, Angle Class malocclusion.

Background In orthodontic treatment, the combination of an activator with a headgear is commonly used in treatment of the hyperdivergent Class II malocclusion. However, the distribution of stresses transmitted to the maxilla by these appliances has been little studied. This study aimed to compare the biomechanical effects of stresses transmitted to the maxilla and teeth by a Teuscher activator (TA) for different lines of action of extraoral force, using finite element analysis. Material and Methods A tridimensional finite element model of the maxilla and teeth was created based on the true geometry of a human skull. The (TA) and the face bow were designed in 3D computer-aided design and fixed in the maxilla model. To study the effects of mechanical stress transmitted to the maxilla in the treatment of hyperdivergent Class II malocclusion with (TA) combined with extraoral forces, five different finite element models were used, considering the centers of resistance of the maxilla and dentition. Results The results showed that stresses increased progressively when the force line of action moved in posteroanterior direction. Von Mises equivalent stress was lower in Model 1 (0°) than in Model 5 (60°). In Models 1 (0°) and 2 (15°), molars suffered greater distal displacement and incisors showed extrusion. In Model 3 (30°), the force line of action promoted a distal displacement of molars and incisors. In Models 4 (45°) and 5 (60°), the whole maxillary anterior sector showed counterclockwise displacement. Conclusions Different force lines of action influence the intensity and distribution of orthodontic and orthopedic forces in the maxilla. The extraoral force’s line of action used in Model 3 (30°) is the most compatible with the objectives of the hyperdivergent Class II malocclusion treatment in growing patients. Key words: Class II, Headgear, Early treatment, FEA.