An Overview of Anterior Repositioning Splint Therapy for Disc Displacement-related Temporomandibular Disorders

Anterior repositioning splint(ARS)therapy is considered one of the most effective therapies for treating disc displacement-related temporomandibular disorders(TMDs),which account for a large proportion of TMD cases.Owing to the wide application of this therapy,the exact mechanism of remission has increasingly drawn attention.Given that practitioners have different views on ARS therapy,its indications are broadened,and operating methods diverged.This review attempts to provide an overview of ARS therapy and helps practitioners establish indications and suitable operating methods.Representative views in the past 10 years were summarised,and conclusions were drawn as follows:The mechanism of ARS therapy is mainly attributed to internal derangement correction,improvement of stress distribution and recently reported joint remodeling.It has an evident effect in the short term,and the most prevalent operating methods are protruding the mandible to the edge-to-edge position and wearing the ARS for 24 hours daily for 3-6 months.However,long-term stability is not optimal,and thus indications should be selected carefully.Notably,most of the clinical studies in this field are case analyses with low-quality evidence.Well-designed RCTs are required to further validate relevant theories.

Microbiological Advances in Orthodontics:An Overview and Detailed Analysis of Temporary Anchorage Devices

Dental biofilm is the initiating factor of oral diseases,such as periodontitis and caries.Orthodontic treatment could alter the microbiome structure balance,and increase the risk of such diseases.Furthermore,fixed appliances can induce temporary changes in the microbiome community,and the changes that clear aligners bring are smaller by comparison.Temporary anchorage devices(TADs)are skeletal anchorages that are widely used in orthodontic treatment.Microorganisms affect the occurrence and development of inflammation surrounding TADs.At present,existing researches have verified the existence of plaque biofilm on the surface of TADs,but the formation of plaque biofilm and plaque composition under different stable conditions have not been fully understood.The development of high-throughput sequencing,molecular biology experiments,and metabonomics have provided new research ideas to solve this problem.They can become an effective means to explore the microbiome surrounding TADs.