Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the dentoalveolar, skeletal, and soft tissue effects obtained with bone-anchored pendulum appliance in patients with Class II malocclusion. Materials And Methods: A total of 18 patients (4 male, 14 female) at a mean pretreatment age of 14.0 years (+1.08) were enrolled in this study. All patients were treated with the bone-anchored pendulum appliance for an average duration of 4.8 months. Only the active distalization period was evaluated with predistalization and postdistalization lateral cephalograms. Skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue variables were obtained. Based on these variables, the treatment effects were evaluated with dependent t-test. Results: Correction of Class II molar relationship resulted from distal movement of 3.45 mm and tipping of 11.24° of the first maxillary molars. The premolars were distalized accompanying the molars. Conclusions: The bone-anchored pendulum appliance proved to be an effective method for distalization of maxillary molars in cases that require maximum anchorage, avoiding reciprocal mesial movement of premolars and incisors.

Objectives: To compare orthodontic elastics with different force extension characteristics, thereby aiming to reduce the orthodontist's inventory for elastics. Materials And Methods: Thirty nonextraction class I models were used to determine extension distances. Light, medium, and heavy forced Latex elastics of size 1/4 and 3/16 (from three manufacturers) were used. Thirty elastics from each pack were selected, for a total sample size of 540 elastics. Elastic force was measured at three extensions: three times the lumen (A), first molar to opposing canine (B), and second molar to opposing canine distance (C). Force values were compared with the analysis of variance followed by the post hoc Scheffe test. Results: Mean distance for extensions B and C were 22.3 and 38.7 mm, respectively. There was a continuous but significant increase in the force of 1/4 elastics when stretched from A to extension C. A significant increase in the force level of 3/16 elastics was only noted when stretched from A to B. Overall, 1/4 elastics had a wider range of force coverage in the extensions used, compared to 3/16 elastics. Conclusions: The use of 1/4 elastics is sufficient to cover the range of forces in orthodontic treatment.

Objective: Testing of methods to enhance the shear bond strength (SBS) between orthodontic metal brackets and amalgam by sandblasting and different primers. Materials And Methods: Three hundred samples of amalgam restorations (KerrAlloy^®) were prepared in self-cured acrylic blocks, polished, and divided into two groups: nonsandblasted and sandblasted. Each group was divided into five subgroups with different primers used in surface treatment methods, with a control group of bonded brackets on human mandibular incisors. Following the surface treatments, mandibular incisor brackets (Unitek^®) were bonded on the amalgam with adhesive resin (Transbond XT^®). The SBS of the samples was tested. The adhesive remnant index (ARI) and failure modes were then determined under a stereo-microscope. Two-way analysis of variance, Chi-square, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were performed to calculate the correlations between and among the SBS and ARI values, the failure modes, and surface roughness results. Results: There were statistically significant differences of SBS among the different adhesive primers and sandblasting methods (P < 0.05). The sandblasted amalgam with Assure Plus^® showed the highest SBS (P < 0.001). Samples mainly showed an ARI score = 1 and mix-mode failure. There was a statistically significant difference of surface roughness between nonsandblasted amalgam and sandblasted amalgam (P < 0.05), but no significant differences among priming agents (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Using adhesive primers with sandblasting together effectively enhances the SBS between orthodontic metal brackets and amalgam. The two primers with the ingredient methacryloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) monomer, Alloy Primer^® and Assure Plus^®, were the most effective. Including sandblasting in the treatment is essential to achieve the bonding strength required.

Introduction: Esthetics plays an essential role in orthodontic treatment. The psychological effects of malocclusion are an inspiration to improve one's esthetics and seek treatment. Objectives: This study aimed to assess relationships between self-esteem and malocclusion severity and type in adolescents using a self-esteem measurement scale and the index of treatment need (IOTN) and to investigate the influence of age, sex, and school type in these relationships. Materials And Methods: Adolescent students aged 12–19 years randomly selected from four private and two governmental schools were enrolled for this study. After completing the self-esteem questionnaire, participants were examined by researchers to evaluate malocclusion severity and type using the IOTN. Results: The sample consisted of 886 participants: 558 females (62.9%) and 328 males (37.1%) with a mean age of 16 years. Chi-square analysis showed that 17.1% of males and 31% of females showed low levels of self-esteem, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). Cases with multiple malocclusions showed significantly lower self-esteem (P = 0.018) compared with single-category malocclusion. Anterior teeth spacing, crowding, and overjet malocclusion showed the highest percentages of low self-esteem. Conclusions: The present study supports that malocclusion has negative effects on self-esteem; multiple malocclusions with spacing, crowding, and overjet had the greatest effects.