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Aim: To assess the microbial level of Streptococcus Mutans and Lactobacillus spp. during rapid palatal expansion, and compare the data with untreated control patients., Study Design: Thirty patients aged between 6-9 years were enrolled in this study (15 males and 15 females). The patients were divided into three groups: 10 patients were treated with rapid palatal expander (RPE) (Test Group 1), 10 patients were treated with Mc Namara expander, and 10 patients were enrolled in the control untreated group. Whole stimulated saliva was collected from each patient at three time points: before initiation of expansion therapy (baseline at T0), after 3 months (T1), after initiation of treatment, and after 6 months from T0 (T2). The protocol of rapid palatal expansion for the two groups was as follows: at placement of the expander 4 activations were performed by the orthodontist (1 mm expansion), followed by 4 activations per day by the parents (two in the morning and two in the evening, 1 mm per day total) to be repeated for 7 days., Results: Statistics: In this study a different trend in the microbial colonisation for the two treated groups was observed. In the Test Group 1, in which patients were treated with the RPE, there was a significant difference between Strp T0 T1 and between Strp T0 and T2 (p< 0.05). There was also a significant difference between LAC T1 T0 and LAC T2 and T0 (p<0.05). In the Test Group 2, treated with McNamara expanders, it was found was a significant difference between LAC T2 T0 and LAC T1 T0. In the same group it was also found a significant difference between Strp T2 T0; T1 T0; T1 T2 (p<0.05)., Conclusion: The level of the various species of bacteria changes during rapid palatal expansion, and this seems to depend on the type of orthodontic expander. During rapid palatal expansion treatment it is also advisable a periodical microbial monitoring using in-office bacteria tests.

Aim: In the last decade, tissue engineering has undergone enormous expansion in the fields of regenerative medicine and dentistry. In response to mechanical and chemical injuries, the dentine-pulp complex possesses a regenerative ability due to a speci?c population of mesenchymal stem cells, which have been widely described in literature. The postnatal dental pulp also contains progenitor stem cells that participate in dental regeneration. Knowledge of the regenerative potential of these cells is important in terms of understanding and applying their biological and chemical characteristics., Conclusion: Through the isolation and exploration of the regenerative abilities of these stem cells, new therapeutic possibilities may be possible, opening the way for improving paediatric endodontic therapy.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the dynamic activity of the mandible by means of a computerised kinesiograph in Class II patients treated with orthodontic therapy and to compare the results of this group with those of a sample of untreated Class II patients., Methods: Twenty young adolescents who had undergone orthodontic treatment for correction of Class II malocclusion and twenty age and sex-matched adolescents exhibiting Class II malocclusion, whose parents refused the orthodontic treatment, were enrolled. Maximum vertical opening (MVO), maximum anterior-posterior movement (MAPM), maximum right deviation (MRD), maximum left deviation (MLD), MVO/ MAPM ratio, maximum velocity in opening (MVIO), maximum velocity in closure (MVIC), verticality (ID-V), anterior-posteriority (ID-AP) and laterality (ID-L) were recorded during the kinesiographic evaluations. Differences in the kinesiographic data were analysed using the Wilcoxon sum rank test; data are expressed as means and standard deviations (SD). Differences between groups in age were analysed using unpaired t-test, while differences in gender distribution were assessed using the Fisher's exact test. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05., Results: No differences were detected in the distribution of sex and age between the two groups. Significant differences between the two groups were observed for MVO, MAPM, that were higher in the control group, and MLD, which was higher in the case group; no other significant differences were detected for MRD, MVO/ MAPM, MVIO, MVIC, ID-V, ID-AP, ID-L., Conclusion: Orthodontic treatment of young patients with Class II malocclusion may reduce the maximum vertical opening as well as the maximum anterior-posterior movement and enhance the lateral displacement; however, further studies are needed to assess the relationship between impaired mandible kinetics of orthodontic treatment in patients with Class II malocclusion and craniomandibular disorders.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of myopia among a paediatric population with malocclusions., Materials and Methods: A total of 322 consecutive patients of the department of Orthodontics and Gnathology, Dental Clinic, University of L'Aquila, were enlisted for the study and 292 were selected according to the exclusion criteria. Pretreatment diagnostic data, which included radiographic cephalometric and dental cast evaluation, were recorded and presence of myopia was assessed through an ophthalmological examination. Differences in the prevalence of myopia by sex and malocclusion were analysed by using Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests., Results: According to the sagittal malocclusion, patients were classified as Class I (N=162), Class II division 1 (N=75), Class II division 2 (N=38), or Class III (N=12). No gender influence was found for myopia or malocclusion. No differences were recorded when analysing the influence of sex on the prevalence of myopia in classes of malocclusion. A statistical significant higher prevalence was found for subjects showing myopia in Class II division 1 malocclusion, while no other significant differences were found for prevalence in the other classes of malocclusions., Discussion: Few studies investigated a possible relationship between the ocular and stomatognathic system, and no data are available in the scientific literature. A higher prevalence of myopia was found in patients with Class II division 1: as expected no other significant association was found., Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest a possible association between myopia and Class II, but further studies are needed to confirm and explain this observation.

Aim: The Myofibroma (MF) is a benign mesenchymal tumor frequently observed in the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the head-neck region. It is described mainly in infants with congenital forms and, in early childhood, with acquired forms. Less often, it can be observed in adolescents and adults. The location of a MF in the oral cavity is occasional and differential diagnosis must be established with other benign and malignant neoplasms, high or low grade, of the oral mucosa. The histology of the myofibroma shows a biphasic growth pattern: elongated spindle cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm, in the borders, polygonal cells arranged in a palisading pattern, with hyperchromatic nuclei, in the central portions. The diagnosis of MF, usually made after excision of the neoformation, is obtained by means of immunohistochemistry, in which there is positivity for vimentin and αactine smooth muscle antibodies and negativity for keratin, S-100, EMA (Epithelial Membrane Antigen) antibodies. The treatment is surgical; the prognosis is generally good with low rates of recurrence after excision., Case Report: The authors describe a case of MF in a 16-year-old male subject, that came to their observation for the growth of a considerable mass attached to the gingival mucosa, describing the therapeutic strategy.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hyperopia and strabismus among a paediatric population with malocclusions., Materials and Methods: From a total of 322 consecutive patients observed at the department of Orthodontics and Gnathology, Dental Clinic, University of L'Aquila, 176 were selected for the study according to the exclusion criteria. Pretreatment diagnostic data, which included radiographic, cephalometric and dental cast evaluation, were recorded and presence of hyperopia or strabismus was assessed through an ophthalmological examination. Differences in incidence rates of strabismus or hyperopia by sex and malocclusion were analysed by using the chi-square (Pearson's chi-square test) and Fisher's exact tests., Results: According to the sagittal malocclusion, patients were classified as Class I (122), Class II division 1 (26), Class II Division 2 (9), or Class III (19); after ophthalmological examination, hyperopia was detected in 8.6% of patients, while strabismus was present in 3.6% of them. No gender influence was found for hyperopia, strabismus or malocclusion., Discussion: Few studies investigated a possible relationship between the ocular and stomatognathic system, and no data are available in the scientific literature; the present study did not highlight differences in the prevalence of hyperopia or strabismus in the three Angle classes malocclusion., Conclusion: The findings of the present study did not suggest a possible association between hyperopia or strabismus and sagittal malocclusion, but future studies are needed to confirm and explain this observation.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of astigmatism among a paediatric population., Materials and Methods: A total of 322 consecutive patients of the department of Orthodontics and Gnathology, Dental Clinic, University of L'Aquila, were enlisted for the study and 176 were selected according to the exclusion criteria. Pre- treatment diagnostic data, which included radiographic cephalometric and dental cast evaluation, were recorded and presence of astigmatism was assessed through an ophthalmological examination. Differences in the prevalence of astigmatism by sex and malocclusion were analysed by using the chi-square (Pearson's chi-square test) and Fisher's exact tests., Results: According to the sagittal malocclusion, patients were classified as Class I (N=122), Class II Division 1 (N=26), Class II Division 2 (N=9), or Class III (N=19); according to the transverse malocclusion patients were classified into cross-bite (N=39) and no cross-bite (N=137) groups; after ophthalmological examination astigmatism was detected in 32 patients (18.18%). Statistically significant correlations were found between astigmatism and cross-bite (p < 0.0001), while no associations were found with other malocclusions. No gender influence was found for astigmatism or malocclusion., Discussion: Few study investigated a possible relationship between the ocular and stomatognathic system, and no data are available in the scientific literature. A higher prevalence of astigmatism was found in patients with cross-bite: as expected no other significant association was found. The relationship between astigmatism and cross-bite could be either related to a specific skeletal pattern, which could induce visual alterations, or to the effect of abnormal visual input on the postural system, which could induce stomatognathic alterations., Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest a possible association between astigmatism and cross-bite, but future studies are needed to confirm and explain this observation.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the dental caries experience in a group of 3-year-old children, through an interdisciplinary protocol, both paediatric and paedodontic, in the district of Ascoli Piceno (Marche, Italy)., Materials and Methods: A sample of 82 children, 38 males and 44 females, was recruited by four paediatricians during a preliminary study phase, which consisted of the epidemiological survey explanation to the involved children's parents and informed consents collection; the survey was first planned and then performed by one calibrated examiner, (Cohen k test was 0.85) in two days on May 2008. The examinations were performed in the nurseries of the schools attended by the children. The collected data were analysed by descriptive and association statistics: the chi² test was used to investigate the association between caries and gender, assuming as statistical significance level the p < 0.05 value., Results: The study revealed that caries prevalence in the observed population was 38%, while caries free group accounted for 61%; the mean dmft was 1.06, with a standard deviation of 1.64. No statistical significance was observed in the association between caries and gender (chi²=0.65, p > 0.05). discussion: Dental caries prevalence of the surveyed population, according to the WHO 2010 objectives, was judged quite high, focusing the low caries free group (61% instead of 90% or over) and the children's preschool age; nonetheless the sample situation was not considered as critical, because the WHO 2000 goals were achieved (caries free > 50%)., Conclusion: The interdisciplinary paedodontic paediatric protocol, used in the present study, was a useful and powerful instrument for preparing the epidemiological survey and could be the basis of future preventive programs.