BackgroundThe aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of bite raisers on patients' body mass index (BMI), nutrient intake, periodontal status, and pain experienced during orthodontic treatment. Material and MethodsThis cohort study included 44 patients aged 18 to 35 years old; undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment. Patients of the intervention group received a composite resin bite raiser (3M Espe, St. Paul, USA) over their first mandibular molars along with fixed orthodontic appliances (slot 0.022 × 0.030", 3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif), while the control group only received a fixed orthodontic appliance. Pain levels using the visual analog scale (VAS), dietary intake (calories, proteins, carbohydrate, and fat intake), body mass index (BMI), tooth mobility, bleeding on probing (BOP), and pocket depth (PD) were assessed for all patients in the first three months after fixed orthodontic appliance placement. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA) at a significance level of 0.05. ResultsThe pain had an increasing and then decreasing significant trend during the study for all patients (P<0.001). Calory intake also had an increasing and then decreasing significant trend for all participants (P=0.007). The consumption of carbohydrates and BMI significantly decreased during the study in both groups of patients (P<0.01) and tooth mobility, BOP, and PD significantly increased for all participants (P<0.001). No significant differences were observed between the intervention and control groups in terms of the abovementioned variables. ConclusionThe application of bite raiser does not influence patients' pain, dietary intake, BMI, and periodontal status. However, fixed orthodontic appliances affect patients' calorie and carbohydrate intake, patients' BMI, and periodontal indexes including tooth mobility, BOP, and PD.

IntroductionInterdental Enamel Reduction (IER) is a clinical procedure that reduces the mesiodistal size of permanent teeth by enamel removal and anatomical re-contouring. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of IER on patients' gingival health status, including clinical attachment loss (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP). Furthermore, in this study, the incidence of caries after IER with or without fluoride therapy was evaluated. MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, 90 patients who had started and completed their orthodontic treatment within the past two years were divided into three groups as follows: In group 1, patients had received interproximal stripping on their anterior mandibular teeth. Patients in group 2 had also received interproximal stripping on their mandibular anterior teeth and topical fluoride had been applied after IER. Patients in group 3 had only received orthodontic treatment without any interproximal stripping. Then, patients were examined for CAL, BOP, and incidence of caries. ResultsCAL for patients in the IER and control groups were 2.06±0.18 and 2.08±0.16, respectively. Also, BOP for patients in the IER and control groups were 3.01±0.14 and 3.05±0.19, respectively. Incidences of caries, BOP, and CAL were not significantly different between the group of patients who received IER and the control group (P>0.05). Moreover, the incidence of caries was not significantly different between the patients who received topical fluoride after IER and those who did not receive fluoride (P=0.999). ConclusionInterproximal stripping of mandibular anterior teeth before orthodontic treatment does not significantly increase the incidence of caries, BOP, and CAL. Moreover, the application of topical fluoride after IER has no significant effect on the incidence of caries.