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Background: The present era has been commanded by ample studies correlating breathing modes & risk of occurrence of malocclusion. The early intervention of altered breathing patterns can head off the long-lasting effects of already established malocclusion. The main intention of this project was to establish the possible correlation between mouth-breathing & malocclusions., Methods: Sixty-two (62) patients undergoing orthodontic treatment were evaluated via data form (including history & clinical evaluation). SPSS software version 25.0 was used for data analysis. Patient's age, gender, type of Angle's malocclusion & breathing pattern was taken in account while analysing data. Descriptive statistics & Chi- Square test was applied on the data. It was anticipated that mouth breathing is associated with malocclusion. p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant., Results: A total of 29 males & 33 females participated in the study. The mean age was 13 years (range 6-20 years). A significant correlation was found between mouth-breathing, tongue thrust (p=0.03) & bleeding gums (p=0.006). Other parameters had no significant correlation with mouth-breathing., Conclusions: The current study revealed that mouth breathing has significant association with opened mouth at rest & gingival abnormalities (bleeding/ swollen gums) implying that timely diagnosis of such abnormal breathing pattern can hinder with development of altered occlusion & dentofacial conformation.

Objective: The study compares two different interfaces of CBL (WhatsApp® and Face-to-Face) in undergraduate dental students and examines WhatsApp's effectiveness as a teaching tool. Methods: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) was conducted from May 2023 to October 2023 at Ayub College of Dentistry, Orthodontic Department, Abbottabad, involving 30 participants randomly assigned to control (Face-to-Face) Group-1 and experimental (WhatsApp®) Group-2. The six-week study utilized pre-validated questionnaires and Multiple-Choice Questions assessments, comparing post-test scores. Assessment of the intervention involved evaluating Kirkpatrick levels one and two, with responses being rated using a five-point Likert scale. Statistical analysis employed Students' t-tests for group comparisons and paired t-tests for MCQ results before and after the intervention for each group. A p-value less than 0.05 indicated statistical significance, with SPSS version 23 used for analysis. Results: The study involved 30 participants with a mean age of 23.23±0.67 years, encompassing both males (53.3%) and females (46.7%). All survey participants (100%) used WhatsApp, highlighting its popularity. Everyone had internet access, with 73.3% using smartphones and 26.7% using laptops for mobile internet. Post-intervention, both control and experimental groups exhibited improved post-test scores (p<0.001), but the comparison between groups showed no statistically significant difference (p>0.50). Over 50% of students expressed satisfaction with WhatsApp as a teaching tool, resulting in a learning gain of 36.18%. Conclusions: The study concluded that both WhatsApp® and Face-to-Face CBL effectively improved dental students' learning, with WhatsApp® yielding results comparable to traditional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the prevalence, awareness, and willingness of orthodontic patients at Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, regarding the usage of social media for accessing orthodontic information and their inclination to integrate it into their treatment. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Orthodontics, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad from June 2023 to July 2023. This study involved 255 consecutive patients who sought orthodontic care at the department. The inclusive sample encompassed individuals of varying ages and genders, including both existing and new patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Exclusions were made for bloggers and social media influencers. A validated questionnaire was used to gauge their social media engagement. Data analysis employed SPSS version 23, computing descriptive statistics and using the Chi-square test for variable associations (p<0.05). Results: The study encompassed 255 patients, with a significant female majority (78%). Most were receiving braces treatment (71.4%), predominantly aged 11-20 (49.8%), followed by 21-30 (35.7%) and 31-40 (14.5%). Results demonstrated noteworthy awareness regarding the usefulness of social media for orthodontic information (64.7%), although the prevalence of usage was comparatively lower (33.7%), with 62.7% expressing willingness to use a developed social media site. Notably, Instagram exhibited significant growth potential (19.6% to 35.3%) compared to Snapchat (3.9% to 13.7%). Statistical analysis suggested no substantial disparities between genders and age groups regarding social media use and platform preferences. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study reveals significant potential for orthodontic patient education through social media, with notable awareness and willingness, despite the lower prevalence of usage. Tailored communication strategies are essential for enhancing patient engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]