ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The hormonal impact on pain perception during the menstrual cycle is a major focus of study, and further elucidation in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) field is necessary. Thus, this cross-sectional study evaluated experimental pain thresholds, psychosocial features, and clinical pain report on TMD women across menstrual cycle versus healthy controls. METHODS: A total of 220 women’s clinical files were screened, with 80 selected and divided into control group (healthy individuals, n=40) and TMD group (myofascial pain, n=40). Regarding the menstrual cycle phases, the files were divided into Pre-Luteal and Luteal. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Mechanical Pain Threshold (MPT), Wind-up (WUR), Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were analyzed at a 5% significance level, by Two-Way ANOVA test and post hoc Tukey test. RESULTS: PSS and PCS were significantly different between TMD and control group (p<0.001), regardless of menstrual cycle. Healthy individuals in the Luteal phase presented higher MPT values compared to the other phases (p<0.001). PPT showed significant difference across menstrual phases (p=0.022), but no differences in multiple comparisons. VAS values showed no difference between menstrual cycle phases (p=0.376). CONCLUSION: Finally, healthy individuals in the Luteal phase have higher MPT and PPT values on the orofacial region. Pain report in patients with TMD showed no difference throughout the menstrual cycle, showing that small alterations on experimental pain thresholds may not be clinically relevant. The presence of chronic pain seems to be more related to psychosocial features than hormonal fluctuations.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O impacto do ciclo menstrual na percepção da dor é um foco importante de estudo, sendo necessária uma maior elucidação na disfunção temporomandibular (DTM). Assim, este estudo transversal avaliou limiares de dor experimental, características psicossociais e relatos de dor em mulheres com DTM ao longo do ciclo menstrual, comparadas com controles saudáveis. MÉTODOS: 220 prontuários de mulheres foram analisados, sendo 80 selecionados para os grupos de controle (saudáveis, n=40) e DTM (dor miofascial, n=40). Nas fases do ciclo menstrual, as pacientes foram divididas nas categorias Pré-Luteal e Luteal. Os instrumentos Escala de Estresse Percebido (PSS), Escala de Pensamentos Catastróficos (PCS), Limiar de Dor Mecânica (MPT), Wind-up Ratio (WUR), Limiar de Dor à Pressão (PPT), Modulação Condicionada da Dor (CPM) e Escala analógica visual (EAV) foram analisados com nível de significância de 5%, pelos testes ANOVA de dois fatores e Tukey post hoc. RESULTADOS: As escalas PSS e PCS foram significativamente diferentes entre os grupos DTM e controle (p<0,001), independentemente do ciclo menstrual. Indivíduos saudáveis na fase luteal apresentaram MPT maior em comparação com outras fases (p,0,001). O PPT mostrou diferença significativa entre as fases menstruais (p=0,022), sem diferença nas comparações múltiplas. Os valores da EAV não apresentaram diferença entre as fases menstruais (p=376). CONCLUSÃO: Indivíduos saudáveis na fase luteal têm MPT e PPTl maior na região orofacial. Os relatos de dor em pacientes com DTM não mostraram diferença ao longo do ciclo menstrual, indicando que pequenas alterações nos limiares experimentais podem ser clinicamente relevantes. A presença de dor crônica parece estar mais relacionada com características psicossociais do que com flutuações hormonais.

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to test the null hypothesis that there is no difference at the midpalatal suture opening after rapid maxillary expansion (RME) using Expander with Differential Opening (EDO), Hyrax-type and Haas-type expanders. Methods: Occlusal radiographs of 52 patients (19 males and 33 females; average age= 9.46?1.20 years) treated with RME were divided into three groups, according to the expander used: EDO (n=17), Hyrax-type (n=21) and Haas-type (n=14). The evaluated variables were: A) Distance between the maxillary central incisors at the incisal edge; B) Distance between the alveolar ridges at the midpalatal suture; C) Suture opening at 10-mm distance from the crest to posterior, at the midpalatal suture; D) Suture opening at 20-mm distance from the crest to posterior, at the midpalatal suture; and E) Suture opening at 30-mm distance from the crest to posterior, at the midpalatal suture. To assess the normality of variables, the Shapiro-Wilk test was performed. For intergroup comparison, ANOVA with a significance level of 5% was used. Results: At the region A, Hyrax-type (4.66 mm) and EDO (4.87 mm) groups presented larger openings than the Haas-type group (3.43 mm). In regions B and C, EDO showed a statistically significant greater opening than the Haas-type group. In region D, a smaller opening of the midpalatal suture was observed in the Haas-type group, compared to the Hyrax-type and EDO groups. Conclusions: EDO and Hyrax-type produced greater immediate skeletal effects, compared with Haas-type, but these differences were about 1 mm and might not be clinically significant.

RESUMO Objetivo: O objetivo do presente estudo foi testar a hipótese nula de que não existe diferença na abertura da sutura palatina mediana após a expansão rápida da maxila (ERM) usando os expansores Diferencial, tipo Hyrax e tipo Haas. Métodos: Radiografias oclusais de 52 pacientes (19 do sexo masculino e 33 do sexo feminino; idade média: 9,46 ? 1,20 anos) tratados com ERM foram divididas em três grupos, de acordo com o tipo de expansor usado: Diferencial (n = 17), tipo Hyrax (n = 21) e tipo Haas (n = 14). As variáveis avaliadas foram: A) distância entre os incisivos centrais superiores na borda incisal; B) distância entre os rebordos alveolares na sutura palatina mediana; C) abertura da sutura a 10 mm de distância da crista para posterior, na sutura palatina mediana; D) abertura da sutura a 20 mm da crista para posterior, na sutura palatina mediana; e E) abertura da sutura a 30 mm da crista para posterior, na sutura palatina mediana. Para verificar a normalidade das variáveis, utilizou-se o teste de Shapiro-Wilk. Para comparação intergrupos, usou-se a ANOVA com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Na região A, os grupos tipo Hyrax (4,66 mm) e Diferencial (4,87 mm) apresentaram uma abertura maior do que o grupo tipo Haas (3,43 mm). Nas regiões B e C, o Diferencial mostrou abertura significativamente maior do que o grupo tipo Haas. Na região D, uma abertura menor da sutura palatina mediana foi observada no grupo tipo Haas, comparado aos grupos tipo Hyrax e Diferencial. Conclusões: Os expansores Diferencial e tipo Hyrax produziram maiores efeitos esqueléticos imediatos, comparados ao tipo Haas, mas essas diferenças foram de aproximadamente 1 mm e podem não ser clinicamente significativas.

Abstract The aim of this research was to evaluate age-related changes in the smile of Brazilian women. The sample consisted of 249 Brazilian women who had not undergone previous orthodontic treatment or facial surgery. They were divided into four groups, according to age: G1 (20-29), G2 (30-39), G3 (40-49) and G4 (50 or older). Standardized front view photographs were taken while smiling and at rest. Measurements were evaluated by ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey. The Chi-square test was applied for qualitative variables. Upper lip thickness at rest and exposure of upper incisors on smiling decreased with age. Most individuals (60.9%) exhibited a medium smile. High smiles were more often seen in G1 (45%) and less frequently in G4 (18.8%), whereas the opposite occurred with the low smile, i.e., G4 (21.9%) and G1 (6.7%). Variations among the groups were observed in the transverse exposure of the teeth on smiling. In G1 and G3, there was a balance between tooth exposures, so that the teeth were exposed as far as the premolars and/or molars. Most of the women (56.3%) in G2 exposed their teeth as far as the first molars on smiling, whereas most of those (40.6%) in G4 exposed their teeth only as far as the first premolars on smiling. As age increased, there was decreased exposure of the upper incisors, decreased upper lip thickness and lower exposure of teeth vertically and transversely.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the reliability of three different methods of cephalometric analysis. Material and Methods: Conventional pretreatment lateral cephalograms and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans from 50 subjects from a radiological clinic were selected in order to test the three methods: manual tracings (MT), digitized lateral cephalograms (DLC), and lateral cephalograms from CBCT (LC-CBCT). The lateral cephalograms were manually analyzed through the Dolphin Imaging 11.0™ software. Twenty measurements were performed under the same conditions, and retraced after a 30-day period. Paired t tests and the Dahlberg formula were used to evaluate the intra-examiner errors. The Pearson's correlation coefficient and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were used to compare the differences between the methods. Results: Intra-examiner reliability occurred for all methods for most of the measurements. Only six measurements were different between the methods and an agreement was observed in the analyses among the 3 methods. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that all evaluated methodologies are reliable and valid for scientific research, however, the method used in the lateral cephalograms from the CBCT proved the most reliable.

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between infantile bruxism and the terminal relationships of the primary second molars. A total of 937 pre-school children (both genders), aged from 2 to 6 years, from municipal schools in São Paulo were evaluated. In this study, a questionnaire considering the bruxism habit and the presence of headaches and/or restless sleep was answered by the parents/guardians. A clinical exam of occlusion in the anteroposterior direction (vertical plane - VP, mesial step - MS and distal step - DS) was performed by the examiners in the school environment. Student's t test, Fisher's test and a logistic regression test were applied for the statistical analysis at a significance level of 5%. The prevalence of the bruxism habit was 29.3% among the total sample. Because there was no significant difference between the sides evaluated, the left side was taken as the standard. Among those children with bruxism, 25.7% presented a mesial step terminal relationship at the primary second molars, 29.1% had DS, and 30.2% had VP. Regarding the association of the parafunctional habit with the type of terminal relationship, no significant results were found. Children who slept restlessly or suffered from headaches were verified to show a higher chance of expressing the habit (OR = 2.4 and 1.6, respectively). The prevalence of bruxism in the studied sample was 29.3%, and its association with the primary second molars' terminal relationship was not statistically significant.