Objectives: To investigate and synthesize systematically the evidence from animal studies pertaining to the effect of pharmacological agents on tooth movement relapse following cessation of orthodontic force application. Materials and Methods: An electronic search was conducted in seven online databases (including gray sources) without restrictions until the third week of April 2019, followed by a hand search in the reference lists of eligible articles. Controlled animal studies investigating the effect of pharmacological agents on tooth movement relapse following orthodontic treatment were selected. Relevant data were extracted from eligible studies and the risk of bias assessment was done using SYRCLE's risk of bias tool. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. Results: The search identified 2354 records, of which 7 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion in the qualitative synthesis, with the majority presenting an unclear risk of bias. Orthodontic relapse was shown to decrease with the administration of pamidronate disodium, atorvastatin, aspirin, and chemically modified tetracycline-3. Inconsistent effects on relapse were observed after the use of simvastatin. The overall quality of retrieved evidence was assessed as low at best.Conclusions: The available evidence shows that the investigated pharmacological agents may demonstrate variable effects on tooth movement relapse following cessation of orthodontic force. Additional evidence of higher quality is required to draw definitive conclusions on their effects and to make potential recommendations for clinical application. (Angle Orthod. 2020;90:598-606.) Although planned, analyses for small-study effects, publication bias, or exploratory subgroup analyses were not feasible because of the inadequate number of studies. The quality of evidence

Objective To evaluate the quantity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles released into the artificial salivary medium from orthodontic composite impregnated with 1% weight/weight (w/w) and 5% w/w titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) used for bonding metal brackets, thereby eventually comprehending the permissible levels. Materials and Method Eighty freshly extracted teeth for orthodontic treatment were divided into 2 groups of 40 teeth each and were bonded with brackets containing 1% w/w and 5% w/w composite containing titanium dioxide nanoparticles and placed in an artificial salivary medium. Quantification of 1% w/w and 5% w/w composite containing titanium nanoparticles was done using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy for 4 timely periods 24 h, 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months. Results In the teeth that received 1% TiO2, the amount of titanium released was greatest in 2 months with no significant release at later intervals. In the second group that received 5%, there was a significant release of titanium at all intervals, with highest release at second month. On comparing the 2 concentrations at 4 different time intervals, the quantities were significantly greater in the 5% group at all time frames, thus implying a significant increase in titanium released with an increase in concentration from 1% to 5%. Conclusion Titanium release was higher in 5% w/w composite containing nanoparticles than 1% w/w composite containing nanoparticles, and 1% and 5% concentrations can be used safely and are within the permissible limits.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of primer and its curing techniques on shear bond strength of orthodontic metal brackets and cleaning procedures during debonding of orthodontic adhesive when used with metal brackets. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 freshly extracted human maxillary premolar teeth were cleaned to remove blood and tissue debris and stored in distilled water solution until the time of bonding procedures. The samples were divided into 4 groups in which the teeth were then mounted on self-cured, color-coded acrylic blocks such that the roots were completely embedded into the acrylic block up to cement-enamel junction, and the buccal surface of the crown is perpendicular to the base of the block. In group I, brackets were bonded in a conventional manner with the primer cured before placement of the filled adhesive material. In group II, primer was not pre-cured. In group III, primer was not at all applied. All these 3 groups were bonded with Transbond XT (3M Unitek). Group IV was bonded with no primer adhesive, Heliosit (Ivoclar). After bonding, all the samples were tested for shear bond strength with Instron testing machine in shear or peel mode at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. The debonded surfaces were examined for Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI) scores under stereomicroscope at 10x magnification. The obtained values were statistically analyzed. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was applied to determine whether significant differences in debonded values existed among the groups. The chi-square test was used to determine significant differences in ARI scores among the different groups. Results: Statistically significant difference ( P value < .001) was observed when group I was compared with groups II–IV. No statistically significant difference ( P value = .559) was observed when group II was compared with group III. No statistical significance was seen ( P value = .521) when group II was compared with group IV. Statistically significant difference ( P value = .042) when group III was compared with group IV. Post hoc test was performed for multiple comparisons of ARI scores between all groups. Chi-square test revealed that the differences in percentage distribution of ARI scores between various groups were statistically significant ( P value < .001). Conclusion: There was a significant difference in the shear bond strength of brackets bonded with Transbond XT and other groups in our study. Even though the average bond strength value of Transbond XT without primer was lower than that of Transbond XT bonded with conventional procedure, it had a low ARI score and eliminated the use of primer. The bond strength values were also considerably greater than the ideal bond strength values required for orthodontic bonding. Hence, the use of Transbond XT without primer made the bonding, debonding and cleaning procedure easy and less time consuming. It also reduced the risk of contact dermatosis in orthodontic personnel and type IV delayed hypersensitivity in patients as the primer was eliminated.

In orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, the timing of the treatment onset is as critical as the selection of the specific treatment protocol. The issue of optimal timing is linked to the periods of accelerated growth contributing significantly to the correction of skeletal imbalances. Skeletalmaturity can be assessed by several biologic indicators: increase in body height, hand-wrist radiograph, dental development and eruption, menarche or voice changes, and cervical vertebral maturation (CVM). The start and the advance of fusion of mid palatal suture varies greatly with age and sex, in which late adolescent or young adult patient can have rapid maxillary expansion (RME) as a less invasive alternative to surgically assisted expansion. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) gives 3-dimensional images of the oral and maxillofacial structures at low cost, no superimposition of adjacent structures, easy accessibility and low radiation exposure.This case report describes the use of CBCT as an accurate diagnostic aid adjunct to different skeletal maturity indicators in a patient requiring RME.

Ever since the introduction of fixed orthodontics, permanent molars are solely relied for the purpose of anchorage. In cases with missing molars, miniimplants are employed significantly to take greater challenges in terms of anchorage. Although bracket head miniimplants are in regular usage in edentulous cases, we have presented an alternative novel method of fixing a bondable molar tube on conventional mini implant head which serves the same purpose.