A cross-sectional study was undertaken in order to assess the dental age of healthy Southwest German boys and girls between the ages of 2 and 20 years by evaluating 1,003 panoramic radiographs. Dental age was assessed according to the method of Demirjian et al. All permanent teeth of the lower left jaw except the third molar were rated, the development of each tooth was divided into 8 defined stages. Statistical evaluation revealed a correlation between the parameters chronological age and score sum of r = 0.85 for girls and r = 0.89 for boys. The values of the score sum in relation to chronological age were distributed as in a logistic function. Two gender-specific equations for calculating dental age were devised and a marked sexual dimorphism was found. With the beginning of root formation, the girls showed accelerated development. The fact that dental age distribution in Southwest Germany is not significantly correlated to that of a French-Canadian collective underlines Demirjian's demand for regional standards of dental development to be calculated using his score system.

IMPORTANCE Debate continues about the cause of midfacial growth disturbance in patients with facial clefts. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the functional effect of surgical closure of the lip before palatal closure according to the technique by Delaire on early maxillary growth in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Twenty-two patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate were studied using plaster casts obtained at the time of cheilorhinoplasty and 6 months later before palatal closure. The interrupted lateral muscles were anatomically repositioned using the surgical technique by Delaire. No patients had received preoperative orthodontic treatment or a passive palatal plate. Cast analyses were performed using a digital caliper. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Landmark positioning was performed 3 times by 2 different examiners to define intraobserver and interobserver differences. The final maxilla dimensions were recorded as the distances between the mean landmark positions. Using the t test, dimensions obtained before palatal closure were compared with dimensions obtained before lip closure. RESULTS The method allowed good reproducibility. Functional closure of the lip significantly narrowed the transverse anterior cleft areas by −2.36 mm (P < .05). Sagittal variables were increased by 1.68 mm on the nonaffected side and by 1.48 mm on the affected side (P < .05 for both). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Functional closure according to the technique by Delaire narrows the transverse dimensions of the maxilla, while simultaneously preserving initial sagittal growth. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4.

Objective:To investigate the impact of a persisting high lip line and other potential relapseinducing factors on long-term stability of orthodontic correction of retroinclined maxillary central incisors. Materials and Methods: Thirty-one cover-bite (''Deckbiss'') patients with retroinclined maxillary central incisors and a deep frontal overbite were evaluated. The maxillary central incisor inclination was determined odontometrically with study models made pretreatment, posttreatment, and at a follow-up examination (mean posttherapeutic interval: 9.0 years). The lip-to-incisor relationship, the interincisal angle, and the anteroposterior maxillary central incisor position were measured on lateral cephalograms taken after active treatment. Results:The relapse tendency of the orthodontic correction of the retroinclined maxillary central incisors displayed great interindividual variability with a range of posttherapeutic inclination change of Ϫ6.75Њ to ϩ8.00Њ. Multiple regression analysis revealed an increased tendency for relapse in patients with (1) a high posttherapeutic (dorsal) lip line level combined with the maxillary central incisor and lower lip contact only in the incisal crown area (P Ͻ .01) and (2) a marked therapeutically induced inclination change of the maxillary central incisors (P Ͻ .05). Interrelations between the relapse of the corrected maxillary central incisors and other evaluated parameters were not statistically significant. Conclusions: For maximum treatment stability, the elimination of an excessive overlap of the upper incisors by the lower lip should be regarded as one of the most important therapeutic objectives when treating this malocclusion.

This case report details the treatment outcome of an oral appliance (OA) used in a patient suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) caused by an upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS). The patient demonstrated significant improvement in the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and the maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT) after treatment with an OA. The presented case suggests that an OA may be considered as a further treatment option for UARS.

This case report details the treatment outcome of an oral appliance (OA) used in a patient suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) caused by an upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS). The patient demonstrated significant improvement in the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and the maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT) after treatment with an OA. The presented case suggests that an OA may be considered as a further treatment option for UARS.