INTRODUCTION: Missing lateral incisors represent a common condition that normally requires specific anchorage conditions to be treated with space closure mechanics to protract upper teeth creating a proper occlusal relationship. CASE PRESENTATION: Two cases showing Class II malocclusion with missing lateral incisors in developing age are presented, both treated with the same approach of maximum anterior anchorage applied using the Bidimensional Technique system. Long-term follow-up of 10 years is shown. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: Bidimensional technique is a modified edgewise technique that uses sliding mechanics for protraction of the posterior segments by placing vertically slotted brackets of different sizes on the anterior (.018” x 0.025”) and posterior teeth (.022” x 0.028”). When a .018” x .022” wire is inserted in the .018” x .025” brackets slot on the incisors, third-order control is created in the incisor segment while the wire is undersized in the rest of the arch. Lateral brackets have been positioned on the canines, while the canine brackets have been positioned on the first premolars respecting a differential bonding height able to produce canine extrusion and first premolars intrusion and proper torque expression. Full Class II molar relationship and Class I substituted canine relationship has been reached in both cases and kept stable in the long-term follow-up (10 years). DISCUSSION: The described approach provided anterior anchorage with more simple mechanics expressing the anterior torque with a full engagement concept and adding few auxiliaries (uprighting springs) which do not require compliance.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which online communication can enhance patients' knowledge of orthodontic topics, as well as compare the effectiveness of images, video, and text messages as tools for delivering orthodontic information. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two WhatsApp groups were created comprising 30 males and 33 females. The Google form template was used to formulate a 25-item questionnaire containing information related to orthodontic topics. At the beginning of the first stage, a link to the questionnaire was sent to the groups and their answers were given scores, which were referred to as (T1). During the second stage, a piece of daily information relevant to the field of orthodontics was sent to the groups over a 14-day period. On Day 15, the link to the previous questionnaire was sent again and the participants were asked to complete it for a second time. These answers were corrected, given scores, and labeled as (T2). Scores from the first and second stages were compared. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the average total score from the first questionnaire (T1 = 15.3) to the second questionnaire (T2 = 17.9). All types of media formats were greatly effective in improving the patients' knowledge. Images proved to be the best tool for delivering information and were considerably more effective than video and text messages. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that WhatsApp as an online communication tool could be used to effectively enhance the knowledge of orthodontic patients. Images are the best method for delivering information to orthodontic patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the perception of orthodontic staff members around clinical learning outcomes (LOs) of the undergraduate orthodontic curriculum with a focus on dental schools in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three LOs were formulated, all of which were associated with skills required in the undergraduate orthodontics course. Orthodontic staff members were invited to provide their opinion regarding the curriculum using a Likert scale, whereby participants could answer each question on a scale from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree.” RESULTS: Sixty-one teaching staff members agreed to partake in this study. The highest level of agreement among the participants pertained to conducting systematic orthodontic intraoral and extraoral examinations (100%), followed by explaining causes for space loss (98.3%). The lowest level of agreement was regarding executing a treatment plan for non-skeletal cases (62.2%) followed by skills of fabrication and activation of removable appliances (77%). Around 67.1% of the academics refused to allow dental students to select and bond orthodontic brackets. CONCLUSION: It is time to amalgamate the objectives and create a unified national list of LOs for all orthodontic curriculums across the country without any distinction of knowledge or skills required at the undergraduate level.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to facilitate a surgeon's preoperative assessment by detecting the prevalence, location, and course of the mandibular incisive canal (MIC) in our population. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective study was conducted at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 93 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of patients aged 18–50 years were taken. The images were reformatted from the sagittal sections to para-sagittal sections at premolars, canines, lateral incisors, and central incisors measured to the distance of MIC to the tooth apex, to the inferior border of the mandible, to the buccal cortex, and to the lingual cortex. RESULTS: MIC among the patients was found to be present in 96.8% of the total subjects. Prevalence between genders showed that it was present in 97.9% of the male patients and 95.5% of the female patients. The average distance from the buccal cortex is 4.88, the lingual cortex is 5.54, inferior border is 9.94, and root apices is 7.67. The age-wise and gender-wise comparison of a mean distance of MIC to the different surfaces in the different cross-sections showed that there is no correlation, and there is a significant correlation, respectively. CONCLUSION: The detection of the MIC presence and location using CBCT should be earnestly considered for surgical procedures that are intended to be done in the interforaminal region.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the visual facial perception in response to scars associated with repaired cleft lip (CL) on a male adolescent model, as assessed by eye-tracking technology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Unilateral and bilateral facial images of repaired CL on the upper lip and nasal asymmetry were added to an image of a male adolescent model, using Photoshop CS5 software. 40 laypeople eye movements were tracked by an infrared sensor of the Eye Tribe hardware in conjunction with OGAMA software. An analysis of variance was used to identify differences in total fixation time for the added areas of interest. A visual analog scale of attractiveness with a questionnaire were also incorporated into the study. Statistical analysis was performed using a significance level of P < 0.05. RESULTS: Significant differences were noted between the image with no scar and the image featuring a unilateral scar for total fixation time associated with the right eye (p = 0.002) and right nose area (p = 0.003), in addition to the numbers of fixations for the right eye (p = 0.005) and right nose area (p = 0.007). Comparing the image with no scar with the image featuring a bilateral scar showed a significant difference only for the number of fixations on the right eye (p = 0.005). The heatmaps and fixation point maps for both the unilateral and bilateral scar images indicated increased fixation for the scar areas. For the image with no scar, increased fixation was captured for the right eye area. Pearson's correlation coefficient test showed a moderate positive (p = 0.692) relationship when comparing to unilateral and bilateral cleft scars. CONCLUSIONS: The participating laypeople perceived the cleft-repaired faces and did not perceive any difference in attractiveness between the images featuring the unilateral and bilateral postsurgical clefts and lip scarring.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the dentofacial morphology of Yemeni adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The lateral cephalograms of 100 Yemeni adults (50 males, 50 females) were included in the study. All subjects were born to Yemeni parents and grandparents. They all had Class I occlusions with minor or no crowding, well-aligned upper and lower dental arches, good facial harmony, all teeth present except third molars, and no history of orthodontic therapy or maxillofacial surgery. Five angular and eighteen linear measurements were analyzed to determine the soft tissue, skeletal, and dental features. The differences for each measurement between Yemeni males and females were calculated using unpaired t–tests. RESULTS: Significant sexual and racial differences were found for three linear parameters in the skeletal analysis, one angle, and four linear dental measurements, and for all soft tissue linear parameters. Yemeni adults showed a tendency to a facial pattern of Class II, convex profile, reduced prominence of chin, increased lower facial height, and a clockwise rotation of the mandibular plane angle. CONCLUSION: Yemeni adults have different dentofacial parameters when compared to other racial standards, and these differences could aid in diagnosis and treatment planning.

OBJECTIVE: Esthetic enhancement plays an important role in orthodontic treatment. This study was conducted on females as most girls have their growth spurt at a younger age than boys do, so their demand to facial esthetics, especially those who have residual growth of mandible producing class III effect, requires full understanding to smile features helping in diagnosis and treatment planning for maximum patient satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 30 skeletal Class III and Class I female adults (18–30 years old) who were divided equally into two groups comprising 15 each. Two frontal digital photographs were taken for each subject, one at rest and the other in the posed smile position. Photographs were taken for each subject in the natural head position by a Canon EOS 1200 D camera set on a tripod at a distance of 1.5 m. The incisogingival height of the right maxillary central incisor was clinically measured using a vernier caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm. Photographs were uploaded on Photoshop software for standardization and then uploaded on the Digital Smile Design software (DSD) where the actual incisogingival height of the central incisor was used for automatic calibration. Esthetic components at rest and on smiling were measured for both groups; all linear variables were measured to the nearest 0.1 mm. RESULTS: Class III females tended to have wider smile widths, less gingival display, longer chin heights, shorter lower vertical dimensions, and a higher percentage of nonconsonant and flat smile arcs than Class I subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The components of the smile should be considered as a guide to help in planning and designing the mechanics during comprehensive orthodontic treatment.