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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate educational impact of game-based learning (GBL) in orthodontic education. METHODS: A systematic search was undertaken across four databases (Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, and Google Scholar) to identify relevant articles published from January 2000 to December 2023. Additionally, the reference lists of identified literature were examined to further search for relevant literature. The last search was performed on 28 January 2024. RESULTS: Following the article selection process, seven articles were included in this systematic review, comprising four randomized control trials and three questionnaire surveys. Six articles were assessed to have a moderate risk of biases, whereas one research exhibited a low risk of bias. GBL interventions assessed in five articles were designed in digital format, while one study implemented evaluated traditional learning, and another employed a card game format. Two RCTs indicated a greater effectiveness of GBL in enhancing learner performance compared to traditional learning methods, while one article found no significant difference. Across all articles, positive perceptions of GBL were consistently highlighted at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. CONCLUSION: This systematic review supports the potential of GBL in orthodontic education. The implementation of GBL is recommended to integrate entertaining and educational elements, fostering learner performance within engaging learning environments. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that the overall quality of evidence is limited, primarily due to the moderate risk of biases identified in six of the included articles. Consequently, further high-quality experimental studies are required to validate the effectiveness of GBL in orthodontic education.

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This study aimed to evaluate the mechanical behaviors of thermoformed and 3D-printed retainers with different thicknesses. Thermoformed retainers (Duran) and 3D-printed retainers (Dental LT Clear V2 and NextDent Ortho Flex) were fabricated at thicknesses of 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mm. Five samples of each material were subjected to compression, tensile, and flexural testing with the universal testing machine (Instron Ltd., Buckinghamshire, England). The results revealed that the mechanical behaviors were significantly influenced by thickness in each type of material. The increased thickness tended to increase strength and modulus in all three tests. However, Dental LT Clear V2 and Duran showed that flexural strength and modulus were inversely related to thickness. The compressive test revealed significantly greater compressive resistance in 3D-printed groups, except for the NextDent Ortho Flex at 0.5 mm. The tensile test showed that Dental LT Clear V2 at all thicknesses demonstrated significantly higher tensile strength and modulus, while NextDent Ortho Flex was significantly lowest at any thickness in tensile and flexural properties. In conclusion, the thickness significantly influenced the mechanical behaviors of the 3D-printed retainers. The 0.75 mm thickness of Dental LT Clear V2 could be considered as an alternative to fabricated retainers due to its similar mechanical properties compared with the thermoformed material.

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This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Digital Imaging software in the prediction of soft tissue changes following three types of orthodontic interventions: non-extraction, extraction, and orthognathic surgery treatments. Ninety-six patients were randomly selected from the records of three orthodontic interventions (32 subjects per group): (1) non-extraction, (2) extraction, and (3) orthodontic treatment combined with orthognathic surgery. The cephalometric analysis of soft tissue changes in both the actual post-treatment and the predicted treatment was performed using Dolphin Imaging software version 11.9. A paired t-test was utilized to assess the statistically significant differences between the predicted and actual treatment outcomes of the parameters (p < 0.05). In the non-extraction group, prediction errors were exhibited only in the lower lip parameters. In the extraction group, prediction errors were observed in both the upper and lower lip parameters. In the orthognathic surgery group, prediction errors were identified in chin thickness, facial contour angle, and upper and lower lip parameters (p < 0.05). Digital Imaging software exhibited inaccurate soft tissue prediction of 0.3-1.0 mm in some parameters of all treatment groups, which should be considered regarding the application of Dolphin Imaging software in orthodontic treatment planning.

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BACKGROUND: Dental technologies have increasingly been implemented in orthodontic practice to offer better experiences for orthodontists and patients, however, there is no scientific evidence yet whether which technologies should be implemented into the postgraduate programs. OBJECTIVES: To investigate perceptions of orthodontic residents toward the confidence and importance of dental technologies, as well as to determine their necessity in postgraduate programs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The online questionnaire was designed to collect data from residents from all accredited orthodontic postgraduate programs in Thailand. The questionnaire consisted of four sections, which were (1) demographic data, (2) self-perceived importance of orthodontic technologies, (3) self-perceived confidence toward orthodontic technologies, and (4) the necessity of orthodontic technologies in postgraduate programs. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, and a chi-square test. RESULTS: Intraoral scanner was found to be an orthodontic technology with the highest scores for both self-perceived importance (4.37 ± 0.59) and confidence (4.23 ± 0.75), followed by cone-beam computed tomography, digital treatment planning software, and lab-produced aligners. These orthodontic technologies were also considered as mandatory in orthodontic postgraduate programs. CAD/CAM technologies appeared to be least important, and their training may be arranged as short course training. There was no significant influence of training locations on the necessity of all orthodontic technologies (P > 0.05), except CBCT. Self-perceived importance and confidence in all technologies were found to have significant positive correlations (P < 0.05), except teledentistry and in-office aligners. CONCLUSION: Orthodontic technologies were perceived as important in clinical workflow. Intraoral Scanners, CBCT, digital treatment planning software, lab-produced aligners, and digital modeling software appeared to be necessary for clinical practice and should be considered for orthodontic postgraduate programs, while other technologies may be arranged as short course training. Further research should investigate how to arrange and organize training sessions in orthodontic postgraduate programs.

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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy of virtual orthodontic setup in simulating treatment outcomes and to determine whether virtual setup should be used in orthodontic practice and education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search was performed in five electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, and Google Scholar from January 2000 to November 2022 to identify all potentially relevant evidence. The reference lists of identified articles were also screened for relevant literature. The last search was conducted on 30 November 2022. RESULTS: This systematic review included twenty-one articles, where all of them were assessed as moderate risk of bias. The extracted data were categorized into three groups, which were: (1) Virtual setup and manual setup; (2) Virtual setup and actual outcomes in clear aligner treatment; (3) Virtual setup and actual outcomes in fixed appliance treatment. There appeared to be statistically significant differences between virtual setups and actual treatment outcomes, however the discrepancies were clinically acceptable. CONCLUSION: This systematic review supports the use of orthodontic virtual setups, and therefore they should be implemented in orthodontic practice and education with clinically acceptable accuracy. However, high-quality research should be required to confirm the accuracy of virtual setups in simulating treatment outcomes.

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OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of a local injection of leukocyte-platelet-rich plasma (L-PRP) on orthodontic tooth movement in rabbits. METHODS: Twenty-three male New Zealand white rabbits were included in a split-mouth design. Tooth movement with a 100-g nickel-titanium closed-coil spring was performed on the maxillary first premolars. L-PRP was injected submucosally at the buccal and lingual areas of the first premolar in one random side of the maxilla and the other side served as the control and received normal saline. The amount of tooth movement was assessed on three-dimensional digital models on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Histological findings and osteoclast numbers were examined on day 0 as the baseline and on days 7, 14, and 28. RESULTS: The L-PRP group showed significantly greater cumulative tooth movement at all observed periods. However, a significantly higher rate of tooth movement was observed only on days 0-7 and 7-14. The osteoclast numbers were significantly increased in the L-PRP group on days 7 and 14. CONCLUSIONS: Local injection of L-PRP resulted in a transient increase in the rate of tooth movement and higher osteoclast numbers.