An evaluation of the changes in malocclusion index scores over a 25-year period

Predictive validity of the GOSLON Yardstick index in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate: A systematic review

Among the various indices developed for measuring the results of treatment in patients born with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), the GOSLON Yardstick index is the most widely used to assess the efficacy of treatment and treatment outcomes, which in UCLP cases are closely linked to jaw growth. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to validate the predictability of growth using the GOSLON Yardstick in patients born with UCLP. A systematic literature review was conducted in four Internet databases: Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Embase, complemented by a manual search and a further search in the databases of the leading journals that focus on this topic. An electronic search was also conducted among grey literature. The search identified a total of 131 articles. Duplicated articles were excluded and after reading titles and abstracts, any articles not related to the research objective were excluded, leaving a total of 21 texts. After reading the complete text, only three articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The results showed a predictive validity of between 42.2% and 64.7%, which points to a lack of evidence in the literature for the predictive validity of the GOSLON Yardstick index used in children born with UCLP.

Indices to assess malocclusions in patients with cleft lip and palate

BACKGROUND

Several indices are now available to assess the severity of the malocclusion in cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) patients; and although it has been quite some time since the introduction of these indices, there is no consensus as to which index should be used for CLP populations.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the available literature on the indices used to assess the occlusal schemes in dental models of CLP patients, with respect to the most commonly used index and the index that most fulfils the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria.

SEARCH METHODS

Ten electronic databases, grey literature, and reference list searches were conducted.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The inclusion criteria consisted of studies that aimed to assess a particular malocclusion index on study models of patients with CLP.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Full articles were retrieved from abstracts/titles that appeared to have met the inclusion -exclusion criteria which were subsequently reviewed using more detailed criteria for a final selection decision. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool was used to appraise the methodological quality of the finally included studies. Due to the heterogeneity of the data, only a qualitative analysis was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 13 studies met the inclusion -exclusion criteria. These studies revealed seven utilized indices, namely the GOSLON Yardstick, Five-Year-Old, Bauru-Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Yardstick, Huddart -Bodenham, Modified Huddart -Bodenham, EUROCRAN Yardstick, and GOAL Yardstick. The GOSLON Yardstick was the most commonly used index, and the Modified Huddart -Bodenham performed the best according to the WHO criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Current evidence suggests that the Modified Huddart -Bodenham Index equalled or outperformed the rest of the indices on all the WHO criteria and that the GOSLON Yardstick was the most commonly used index, possibly due to a longer time in use. Therefore, the Modified Huddart -Bodenham could be considered as the standard to measure outcomes of patients with CLP.

Long-term development of malocclusion traits in orthodontically treated and untreated subjects

INTRODUCTION

The purposes of this study were to analyze long-term changes in malocclusion traits and to compare the development in orthodontically treated and untreated subjects.

METHODS

The sample comprised 308 adolescents in the intermediate, late mixed, or early permanent dentition who were examined clinically at the ages of 8 to 17 years and again 25 years later. The treated subgroup of 58 subjects had received orthodontic treatment with fixed or removable appliances or both. All subjects had a full complement of teeth, except a subgroup of 19 who had premolar extractions as a part of their orthodontic treatment plan.

RESULTS

The prevalence of maxillary overjet was significantly reduced in the untreated group and the treated subgroups. The prevalence of distal molar occlusion was significantly reduced in the subgroup treated without extractions. Comparison of treated and untreated groups in terms of changes over time showed that development was significantly more favorable in all treatment categories regarding maxillary overjet, and in the nonextraction category regarding distal molar occlusion. Subjects treated without extractions had less favorable development than did untreated subjects regarding molar crossbite.

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term benefit of orthodontic treatment, with or without extractions, was confirmed regarding maxillary overjet, and the lasting effect of nonextraction treatment was confirmed regarding the distal molar relationship. The pattern of changes in treated and untreated subjects indicated that long-term development and individual variation can to some extent conceal the effects of a brief orthodontic intervention.

Development of occlusal traits and dental arch space from adolescence to adulthood: a 25-year follow-up study of 245 untreated subjects

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to examine longitudinally the development of specific occlusal traits and space conditions in an Icelandic sample.

METHODS

The sample comprised 245 adolescents examined clinically in the late mixed or permanent dentition and again 25 years later. All subjects were orthodontically untreated, and all had the full complement of teeth at both examinations.

RESULTS

A significant increase in the prevalence of mandibular anterior crowding and mesial molar relationships and a decrease in the prevalence of excessive overjet and maxillary anterior spacing were seen. The persistence of malocclusion traits ranged from 17.9% to 53.4% for maxillary anterior spacing and crowding, mandibular spacing, overjet, overbite, and distal molar occlusion, whereas anterior mandibular crowding and molar crossbite were still found in 72.7% and 75.0%, respectively, at the second examination. Normal occlusal traits and space conditions at adolescence stayed mostly unchanged, with the exception of 11.2% of the subjects, who developed mandibular anterior crowding between the first and second examinations.

CONCLUSIONS

Deterioration of normal occlusal traits and space relationships was uncommon in this study, whereas self-correction of malocclusion traits and space anomalies was relatively frequent.