Abstract The aim of this study was to assess, correlate, and compare users’ perceptions and preference related to maxillary removable retainers. Volunteers were recruited to use four retainer types: conventional wrap-around (CWA), wrap-around with an anterior opening (OWA), “U” wrap-around (UWA), and clear thermoplastic retainer (CT). The main outcomes were the volunteers’ perceptions, evaluated with a 100-mm visual analogue scale, and their preferred retainer. The retainers were used for 21 days each (washout intervals of 7 days). Nineteen volunteers (27 ± 4.53 years) were randomly divided into four groups that used the four retainers, but with a different sequence. Perceptions were evaluated immediately after the use of each retainer and the preference at the end of the research. Repeated measures ANOVA and Friedman tests with post-hoc Tukey’s test (intergroup comparisons), and Pearson and Spearman analyses (correlations between perceptions) were applied. The WA retainers did not significantly differ among themselves. The CT was rated significantly worse in speech (p ≤ 0.001), discomfort (p < 0.001), and occlusal interference (p < 0.001), and did not significantly differ from the others in esthetics. Users preferred significant more the WA retainers in comparison with the CT retainers. The occlusal interference caused by the CT was positively correlated to other perceptions, such as changes in speech and discomfort. WA retainers presented similar preference and perceptions, but were significantly better than the CT. The CT occlusal coverage appeared to be the primary cause of its rejection.

RESUMO Objetivo: o objetivo da presente revisão sistemática foi analisar as alterações dentoalveolares espontâneas, em curto e longo prazos, após a expansão lenta (ELM) ou rápida (ERM) da maxila, durante a dentição mista e permanente jovem. Métodos: uma busca eletrônica foi executada nas seguintes bases de dados: PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase e Web of Science. Os critérios de elegibilidade para a seleção dos artigos incluíram ensaios clínicos randomizados controlados e estudos prospectivos escritos em língua inglesa, sem restrição do ano de publicação, envolvendo pacientes que foram submetidos a ELM ou ERM durante a dentição mista ou permanente jovem. Dois revisores realizaram, de forma independente, uma busca por artigos. Inicialmente, o título e o resumo dos artigos foram lidos, e uma busca manual foi realizada nas referências dos artigos selecionados, a fim de se avaliar possíveis estudos não encontrados. Resultados: trezentos e setenta e três artigos foram encontrados com a busca, porém apenas seis foram selecionados para a revisão após a aplicação dos critérios de inclusão e de exclusão. Alterações dentoalveolares espontâneas sem significância clínica de aproximadamente 1 mm foram encontradas na arcada dentária inferior em curto e longo prazos, após a expansão lenta ou rápida da maxila. Além disso, não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os grupos tratados e os controles. Conclusão: existe evidência suficiente para se concluir que alterações dentoalveolares espontâneas sem significância clínica tendem a ocorrer na arcada dentária inferior em curto e longo prazos após a ELM e ERM na dentição mista e permanente jovem. Mais ensaios clínicos randomizados com grupos controles adequados são necessários para melhor avaliar essa questão.

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the short and long-term spontaneous dentoalveolar changes of the mandibular dental arch after slow (SME) or rapid (RME) maxillary expansion in the mixed and early permanent dentitions. Methods: An electronic search was performed in the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science. Eligibility criteria for article selection included randomized controlled trials and prospective studies written in English, with no restriction of year of publication, involving patients who underwent SME or RME during the mixed or early permanent dentitions. A double-blind search of articles was performed by two reviewers. Initially, the title and the abstract of the studies were read, and their references were also hand-searched for possible missing studies. A methodological quality scoring scale was used to analyze the selected articles. Results: The search retrieved 373 articles, but only 6 were selected for review after application of the eligibility and exclusion criteria. Non-clinically significant spontaneous dentoalveolar changes of approximately 1mm were found in the mandibular dental arch in the short and long-term, after slow or rapid maxillary expansions. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between treated and control groups. Conclusions: There is enough evidence to conclude that negligible short and long-term spontaneous dentoalveolar changes tend to occur in the mandibular dental arch after SME or RME in the mixed and early permanent dentitions. More randomized studies with appropriate control group are required to better evaluate this issue.

The aim of this study was to associate minor psychiatric disorders (general health) and quality of life with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in patients diagnosed with different TMD classifications and subclassifications with varying levels of severity. Among 150 patients reporting TMD symptoms, 43 were included in the present study. Fonseca's anamnestic index was used for initial screening while axis I of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC-TMD) was used for TMD diagnosis (muscle-related, joint-related or muscle and joint-related). Minor psychiatric disorders were evaluated through the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality Of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). An association was found between minor psychiatric disorders and TMD severity, except for stress. A stronger association was found with mild TMD. Considering TMD classifications and severity together, only the item "death wish" from the GHQ was related to severe muscle-related TMD (p = 0.049). For quality of life, an association was found between disc displacement with reduction and social domain (p = 0.01). Physical domains were associated with TMD classifications and severity and the association was stronger for muscle and joint-related TMD (p = 0.37) and mild TMD (p = 0.042). It was concluded that patients with TMD require multiple focuses of attention since psychological indicators of general health and quality of life are likely associated with dysfunction.