To assess the prevalence and occurrence of eleven periodontopathogens in subgingival biofi lm of banded and bonded molars during the fi rst period of fi xed orthodontic treatment. Subjects were selected from patients referred to orthodontic treatment and were divided in two groups: group A comprised fi fteen patients (14.4±2.45 years of age) who received orthodontic bands on fi rst permanent molars and group B of ten patients (15.7±1.87 years of age) with directly bonded tubes on the labial surface of the same teeth. Subgingival sample collection was performed before bands and tubes application and 4-7 weeks after attachment placement. DNA-strip tehnique was used to assess the presence of eleven putative periodontopathogens at each time point. Fusobacterium nucleatum, Eikenella corrodens and Capnocytophaga spp. were found in a large number of samples, other periodontopathogens were present in a smaller rate. The 4-7 weeks after attachment placement a slight increase of putative species was observed in both groups.*Corresponding author; E-mail: lillalorinczi@yahoo.com 104 MÁRTHA et al. Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica 63, 2016The presence of orthodontic tubes and bands infl uence the accumulation and composition of subgingival microbiota. Higher level of oral hygiene should be achieved before and during orthodontic treatment in order to prevent any side effects on periodontal tissues.

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Zirconia dioxide represents the current alternative in restoring primary teeth, being the most promising restorative material through its properties that offer. Zirconia crowns main properties are its aesthetics, resistance to fracture and compression, biocompatibility, alternative for the patients that are allergic to Ni-Cr. This cross-sectional study pointed out the correlations between the rate of applicability of the Ni-Cr crowns and the ZrO2 crowns, as well as the range of applicability of the ZrO2 crowns on temporary teeth among practitioners. The method of choice in the case of extensive carious lesions treatment on the primary teeth was the restoration using filling materials. From the 33,2% of the dentists who decide to apply a pedodontics crown, 75% use the Ni-Cr crowns, and only 25% of them choose the ZrO2 crown (p<0.0001). The applicability of ZrO2 crowns in pediatric dentistry is quite reduced, despite their physiognomic advantages, their excessive cost can also be an impediment for the patient's parents.

The use of maxillary expanders has the effect of distancing the maxillary bones at the level of the median palatal suture. During maxillary expansion, the main resistance forces occur at the zygomatico-maxillary sutures, and not in the median palatal suture, which is the basic principle on which this method is based. In this observational study, we evaluated possible complications at the skeletal and dentoalveolar level after palatal split using miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) associated or not with corticopuncture (CP) therapy. The study included 27 patients with maxillary transverse deficiency and unilateral or bilateral cross-bite. Skeletal and dentoalveolar changes were evaluated using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images acquired before and after expansion. The mid-palatal suture was separated in 88.88% of cases, buccal bone height of the alveolar crest had decreased at first molar both at oral and palatal level by approximately 2.07 mm in 40.7% of cases whilst the remaining 59.3% showed insignificant bone loss, with canines exhibiting buccal tipping of 4.10° in 62.5% of cases. Changes of the occlusal planes were observed in 10 cases (37%). Maxillary canines tended to show symmetric buccal inclinations relative to the maxillary basal bone. Six patients; 22.22% showed hypertrophy/hyperplasia of the palatal mucosa associated with ulcerations, erythema, itching, and discomfort in the area. Swelling at the mid-palatal suture after split was observed in all cases and was caused by the resultant force. No cases of necrosis of the palatal mucosa were observed. Although occlusal modifications occur after palatal split, especially in unilateral cross-bite cases, these changes can be treated with the help of fixed orthodontic appliances.

Background: Dental age assessment is very useful in the pediatric dentist's and orthodontist's everyday practice. The eventual lack of correlation between dental age, skeletal maturation and chronological age can infl uence treatment procedures regarding mostly their application time. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between dental age based on the calcifi cation stages of the fi rst lower premolar (PM1i) and skeletal maturity stages using cervical vertebrae (C2, C3, C4) among Romanian individuals and to determine the clinical value of the fi rst premolar as a growth evaluation index. Material and methods: In a sample of 30 patients (13 males, 17 females) ranging in age from 9 to 15 years (mean age 11.2 years) we examined the orthopantomography radiographs (OPT) and lateral cephalometric radiographs of each case. Results: The biological development of girls is about 1.5 years more advanced than in boys. When the Demirjian Index was at stage F, then CVS was at stage 3.4, which means that in developmental stage "F" (according to Demirjian index) premolars are indicators of the optimal time for orthodontic treatment. We found a signifi cant correlation (R = 0.871, p <0.001) between CVM and Demirjian's index. Conclusions:The correlation shown in this study will allow clinicians to use mandibular fi rst premolar as an adjunctive tool to assess adolescent growth spurt, combined with the evaluation of the cervical vertebrae. The results also show the usefulness of the assessment of the development of dental status as a simple diagnostic test to determine the biological age of the population.

Background: Identification of the characteristics of tooth agenesis is an important component in the understanding of the ethiology of this common developmental dental anomaly. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and the characteristics of tooth agenesis among patients from Tîrgu Mureș. Material and method: The present study is retrospective and descriptive, based on the evaluation of the patient’s dental records from 2004 to 2012 belonging to a pediatric dental office from Tîrgu Mureș. Orthopantomograms and anamnestic data of 947 children and young adults (365 male and 582 female) were analyzed. Results: The prevalence of tooth agenesis, excluding third molars, was 7.39%. The difference between the genders was statistically not significant (p = 0.09). The most frequently missing teeth were the upper second incisors, followed by the lower second premolars. The difference between the distribution of agenesis in the upper and lower jaws was statistically significant (p <0.0001). The distribution of dental agenesis between the anterior region and the lateral region of the maxilla and the mandible showed significant differences (p <0.0001). Symmetrical distribution of tooth agenesis was found more frequently (54.54%) than assymetrical distribution. Conclusions: The maxillary anterior region and the mandibular lateral region were the most affected by dental agenesis in the permanent dentition of the studied population. The maxilla was more affected than the mandible and bilateral forms of agenesis were more frequently than unilateral forms. The more extreme forms of agenesis were found amongst female

The etiology of hypodontia is complex, in which both genetic and environmental factors can be related. The main objective of our study was to contribute to elucidating the genetic background of nonsyndromic hypodontia (NSH). In this order, we selected 97 NSH subjects (70 females and 27 males) from patients referred to orthodontic treatment, and we matched to each NSH subject a control by age and sex. DNA was obtained from epithelial cells from the oral mucosa. Genotyping of the PAX9 (rs4904155 and rs61754301), MSX1 (rs8670 and rs12532), and AXIN2 (rs2240308) SNPs was performed by using TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays on a real-time PCR system. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were studied for the whole NSH group and for frontal and lateral agenesis NSH subjects separately. Our results showed that the variant genotype (p=0.0008, OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.58–5.3) and variant T allele (p=0.0002, OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.6–4.39) of the MSX1 rs8670 SNP increased the risk of hypodontia in the studied population when the whole NSH group was compared with controls. The variant genotype of the MSX1 rs8670 SNP was the most frequent in frontal agenesis; meanwhile in the lateral agenesis NSH group, the AXIN2 rs2240308 SNP showed a higher frequency of the variant genotype, with a trend towards statistical significance. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that the variant genotype and variant T allele of the MSX1 rs8670 SNP increased the risk of hypodontia in the studied population. The presence of the variant A allele of AXIN2 rs2240308 is associated with frontal agenesis but not with lateral agenesis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra-operator reliability of a 2D image analysis method for tooth dimension measurements. Methods: Occlusal and vestibular surfaces of teeth from ten study models were captured with a digital camera. Images were transferred on a computer and different tooth dimensions (mesio-distal, occluso-gingival, vestibulo-oral and perimeter) were measured using the Image Pro Insight software. Measurements were repeated after two weeks. Fleiss' coeffi cients of reliability were calculated. Results: A high degree of reliability has been established for every type of measurement: all coeffi cient values of reliability being not less than 0.95. Conclusions: The 2D image analyzing system is an adequate alternative for measuring tooth dimensions. All measurements were in the excellent category of reliability. The method allows precise and repeatable measurements, generating an image database as well, available for future studies. IntroductionEach measurement-based study must consider measurement errors. Th e technical error of measurement is the variability of diff erent sizes in case of measuring the same specimen more than once. An experiment has a high degree of reliability if -given equivalent conditions -it is leading repeatedly to the same or similar results. Reliability refers to the closeness of the individual results from diff erent sets of results, obtained by applying the method repeatedly on a homogeneous sample. Th ere are two important factors that determine the reliability of the method: precision and accuracy. Th e precision of the measurement is the correlation between the values measured repeatedly on the same object, under the specifi ed conditions. Th e accuracy of the method shows the degree of the closeness of the results to the true value. Th is refers to the reproducibility and repeatability of the measurements [1].Factors which infl uence the reliability of tooth dimension measurements are the following: the operator; the procedure of taking the impression and making the stone cast; the condition of teeth and gingiva; measurement technique and tools. Repeated measurements of the same variable can not lead to the same results, due to the variability occured during the measurement process [2,3].Th e aim of this study was to evaluate the intra-operator reliability of a 2D image analysis method for tooth dimension measurements in order to use this method for further research at