Mini-implantes têm sido utilizados com sucesso como elemento de ancoragem ortodôntica, mas a diminuição do tamanho e a aplicação precoce da carga são requisitos importantes para a otimização da metodologia. A proposta deste trabalho foi avaliar a evolução da fixação óssea de mini-implantes de titânio carregados imediatamente. Nove coelhos da raça Nova Zelândia foram utilizados neste estudo. Em cada animal foram inseridos 4 mini-implantes de titânio grau 5 (liga Ti-6Al-4V) , dos quais 2 foram carregados imediatamente com 1 N. Os animais foram eutanasiados após 1, 4 e 12 semanas e as amostras foram divididas em seis grupos, sendo 3 grupos carregados e 3 grupos sem carga. O ensaio de torque de remoção dos implantes foi realizado e os resultados tratados estatisticamente com o módulo ANOVA e pós-teste de Tukey. Após 1 e 4 semanas de cicatrização não foi detectada diferença estatisticamente significativa nos valores de torque de remoção, independente do carregamento. Entretanto, após 12 semanas, tanto o grupo carregado quanto o não carregado apresentaram aumento significativo no torque de remoção e os maiores valores foram atribuídos ao grupo sem carregamento. O carregamento imediato resultou em menor fixação óssea dos mini-implantes após 12 semanas de cicatrização, contudo não comprometeu a estabilidade dos implantes.

The mini-implants have been successfully used as orthodontic bone anchorage, but the size reduction and the early load are required to improve the methodology. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the bone fixation evolution of the immediately loaded titanium grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V alloy) mini-implants. Nine New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. Each rabbit had four mini-implants inserted in his left tibia and the two of them were immediately loaded with 1 N. The animals were euthanized after 1, 4 and 12 weeks and the sample were divided in six groups, in which three groups were loaded and the other three were unloaded. The removal torque test was done and the results were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and post hoc test Tukey. There were no statistically significant differences in the removal torque values after 1 and 4 weeks of healing, regardless the loading. Nevertheless, both unloaded and loaded group presented higher removal torque values after 12 weeks of healing and the unloaded group had the highest result. The immediate loading resulted in lower bone fixation of the mini-implants after 12 weeks of healing, although did not compromise the mini-implants’ stability.

Mini-implantes ortodônticos de Ti-6Al-4V podem liberar íons metálicos devido à corrosão in vivo da liga em fluidos corporais. Os produtos de corrosão liberados podem favorecer a ocorrência de efeitos indesejáveis no corpo humano. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar as concentrações de titânio, alumínio e vanádio nos órgãos de coelhos (rins, fígado e pulmões), após a inserção de mini-implantes ortodônticos fabricados a partir da liga Ti-6Al-4V. Dezoito coelhos da raça Nova Zelândia tiveram quatro mini-implantes inseridos em sua tíbia esquerda e cinco coelhos foram usados como controle. Após 1, 4 e 12 semanas os coelhos foram submetidos à eutanásia, os tecidos selecionados foram removidos e preparados para análise por espectroscopia de absorção atômica com forno de grafite. Quantidades variadas Ti, Al e V foram detectadas nos grupos testados comprovando que existe liberação de íons metálicos por mini-implantes ortodônticos de Ti-6Al-4V. Apesar da tendência de liberação de íons pela liga de titânio, as quantidades de metais detectadas foram extremamente baixas. Sendo assim, mini-implantes ortodônticos de Ti-6Al-4V podem ser usados com segurança como dispositivos auxiliares de ancoragem ortodôntica.

Ti-6Al-4V orthodontic mini-implants may release metallic ions to the human body due to the in vivo corrosion of the alloy in body fluids. The corrosion products can elicit undesirable effects in the human body. The purpose of this study was to measure the concentration of titanium, aluminum, and vanadium in rabbits’ tissues (kidney, liver and lungs) after the insertion of Ti-6Al-4V alloy orthodontic mini-implants. Eighteen New Zealand rabbits had four mini-implants inserted in their left tibia and five rabbits were used as control. After 1, 4, and 12 weeks the rabbits were euthanized, the selected tissues were extracted, and prepared to analysis by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Varied amounts of Ti, Al, and V were detected in the tested groups proving that diffusion of these metals from Ti-6Al-4V orthodontic mini-implants exists. Despite of the tendency of ion release when using the titanium alloy, the amount of metals detected were very low. Then, Ti-6Al-4V orthodontic mini-implants are safe auxiliary orthodontic anchorage devices.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to identify hepatitis A virus (HAV) serological markers in 418 individuals (mean age, 16.4 years; range, 1 month-80 years) at a public child care center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as to analyze risk factors and determine circulating genotypes. Serum samples were tested using an enzyme immunoassay. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect and characterize HAV RNA, and sequencing was performed. Anti-HAV antibodies and IgM anti-HAV antibodies were detected, respectively, in 89.5% (374/418) and 10.5% (44/418) of the individuals tested. Acute HAV infection in children was independently correlated with crawling (p < 0.05). In 56.8% (25/44) of the IgM anti-HAV-positive individuals and in 33.3% (5/15) of the IgM anti-HAV-negative individuals presenting clinical symptoms, HAV RNA was detected. Phylogenetic analysis revealed co-circulation of subgenotypes IA and IB in 93.3% (28/30) of the amplified samples. In present study, we verify that 79% (30/38) of children IgM anti-HAV-positive were asymptomatic. In child care centers, this asymptomatic spread is a more serious problem, promoting the infection of young children, who rarely show signs of infection. Therefore, vaccinating children below the age of two might prevent the asymptomatic spread of hepatitis A.