REVIEWS AND ABSTRACTS
Book reviews and article abstracts Alex Jacobson, DMD, MS, PhD Birmingham, Ala
ARTICLE REVIEWS
The effect of pumicing on the in vivo use of a resin modified glass poly (alkenoate) cement and a conventional no-mix composite for bonding orthodontic brackets A. J. Ireland and M. Sherriff Journal of Orthodontics 2002;29:217-20
Pumicing a tooth surface before using conventional composite resin and the acid etch technique has been shown to have no effect on the observed failure rates of bonded brackets. It is not known whether pumicing and poly (acrylic acid) conditioning of the enamel surface are necessary when resin-modified glass poly (alkenoate) cements are used as orthodontic bonding agents. The aims of the study were to determine whether pumicing before bonding has an effect on the in vivo failure of brackets bonded with either the no-mix material Right-On or the resin-modified glass poly (alkenoate) Fuji II LC and to determine whether there is a difference in the in vivo failure rates bonded with either material. The sample comprised 60 consecutive patients receiving fixed appliance treatment, divided into 3 groups of 20. Using a cross-mouth control protocol, the test variables were either pumicing or not pumicing the enamel before bonding with the 2 bonding materials. Band failure was measured over 18 months. Under the testing conditions, the authors concluded that pumicing enamel before using either Fuji II LC or Right-On had no effect on observed in vivo failures. However, significantly more bond failures were observed with Fuji II LC than with Right-On during the experimental period. This supports the findings of others. Alex Jacobson 0889-5406/2003/$30.00 ⫹ 0 doi:10.1067/mod.2003.121 Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2003;123:480 Copyright © 2003 by the American Association of Orthodontists.
A qualitative study of teenagers’ decisions to undergo orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances V. Trulsson, M. Strandmark, B. Mohlin, and V. Berggren Journal of Orthodontics 2002;29:197-204
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The most important treatment motivating factor in teenagers with malocclusion is probably their strong subjective dissatisfaction with the appearance of their teeth. The aim of the study was to analyze the thoughts and the values influencing their decisions to undergo orthodontic treatment, with the ultimate aim of gaining a deeper insight into their decision-making and their need to undergo orthodontic treatment. The analytical process was subdivided into 5 categories: being like everyone else, being diagnosed, focusing on the mouth, obeying social norms, and forced decision making. The core category, which was central in the data and described a social process, was identified and labeled forced decision making. According to the interviews, the teenagers believed that the final decision to undergo orthodontic treatment was solely their own. However, analysis showed that the decision was strongly influenced by external and internal factors. It is difficult for teenagers not to follow the norms and values in their actual or desired reference group. Under the category of being like everyone else, the group’s opinion obviously was highly affected by the media’s view of how women and men should look. Most of the teens had a high degree of body awareness and believed that a nice appearance was very important because it leads to high self-esteem. It was important to look like everyone else. Under the category of being diagnosed, the interviewers showed that in some cases the youths had not been aware that they needed orthodontic treatment before the dentist pointed it out. Others said that they had been somewhat aware of some morphological deviation of their teeth but had considered those minor deviations normal. In the category of focusing on the mouth, some teenagers said that they had difficulty in smiling or talking to other people without being ashamed of their teeth. The most important aspect for the boys was the functional aspect, but the esthetic aspect dominated for the girls. The teenagers in the study were convinced that their peers recognized their malocclusions and believed that, if they were not treated, their dental health would be compromised. The result of this qualitative study showed that decisions to undergo orthodontic treatment are based on many external influences. According to psychological factors, the least appropriate time in life to undergo orthodontic treatment is between the ages of 14 and 17 years. It became obvious from the interviews that the group’s opinion of what is desirable was influenced by the media. The media present an ideal body image that the teens desired. The focus on personal appearance appears to have increased considerably. Youths with stable identities might find it difficult to resist the influence of
American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics /April 2003