Adaptations In Orthodontics For Current And Future Covid-19 Best Practices, Jordan Lamb

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine what adaptations orthodontists made in their practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to safety recommendations and to determine which of these adaptations orthodontists plan to continue to implement after resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: An original 34-question survey was sent by mail to a randomized and geographically proportionate selection of actively practicing orthodontic specialists (N = 1000). Questions asked orthodontists about the changes they made during the pandemic in four overarching categories (infection control, social distancing, appliance use, and tele-orthodontics) and whether they anticipated keeping those changes post-pandemic. The data were compared between categorical responses …

Patient Perspectives On Teledentistry And Face-To-Face Doctor Interaction During Orthodontic Treatment, Jackson K. Griffeth D.M.D.

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Orthodontic patients were surveyed to determine the perceived value of doctor-to-patient face-to-face interaction, the desire for convenience and attitudes toward specific uses of teledentistry.

Methods: Participating private practice orthodontists emailed the survey to active patients. 75 self-pay patients from VCU Orthodontic clinic were also invited to complete the survey. Patients 18 years or older were asked to complete the survey regarding their own treatment. Parents of patients under age 18 were asked to complete a separate survey regarding their child’s treatment. Questions asked patients about the importance of face-to-face interaction with their orthodontist and their preferences for the inclusion …

A Comparison Of Three-Dimensional Printing Technologies On The Precision, Trueness, And Accuracy Of Printed Retainers, Owais A. Naeem

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in the precision, trueness, and accuracy of 3D printed orthodontic clear retainers produced using printer systems with various printing technologies.

Methods: Retainers (n=15) were printed using four different 3D printers: a stereolithography (SLA) printer, two different digital light processing (DLP and cDLP) printers, and a polyjet photopolymer (PPP) printer. The 3D printed retainers were transformed into a digital file through a cone-beam computed tomography scan that was compared to the original image using a 3D superimposition analysis software. At previously chosen landmarks (R6, L6, R3, L3, R1, L1) retainers …

The Effect Of Print Angulation On The Accuracy And Precision Of 3d-Printed Orthodontic Retainers, Allison Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aims of this study were: 1) to compare the accuracy and precision of 3-

dimensional (3D) printed retainers at various angulations, 2) to evaluate the effect of angulation

on printing time and the amount of resin consumed.

Methods: Using a stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer, a total of 60 clear retainers were printed at five angulations (n=12, each): 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 degrees. Six retainers were printed each cycle at a random order for all print angulations as print 1 and print 2. Digital images of the original and printed retainers were superimposed. Discrepancies on eight landmarks …

Comparison Of Patient Factors Influencing The Selection Of An Orthodontist, General Dentist, Or Direct-To-Consumer Aligners For Orthodontic Treatment, Jeffrey C. Olson

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To evaluate the factors that influence potential orthodontic patients choosing between an orthodontist, general dentist, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) aligners for their treatment, and to determine the demand for each provider type.

Methods: An electronic survey was administered to 250 individuals among the general population of adults in the United States. Questions were designed to determine the respondent’s level of interest in pursuing orthodontic treatment with each provider type, evaluate their current level of knowledge concerning provider options, and identify factors influencing their selection. Pearson’s chi-squared test and ANOVA were used to evaluate the factors influencing patients in …

Orthodontists’ And Patients’ Preferences In Website Design In The Selection Of An Orthodontic Practice: A Comparative Study, Taylor R. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To determine which website characteristics are preferred by orthodontists, adult patients, and parents of patients.

Materials and Methods: 1,000 active members of the American Association of Orthodontists and 750 active orthodontic patients/parents were sampled. Participants rated the importance of website characteristics, indicated presence of those characteristics on the current website, and ranked sample website images. Preferences were compared between orthodontist and the patient/parent group using t-tests and sample websites were compared using ANOVA models and Tukey’s adjusted post-hoc tests. Significance level was set at 0.05.

Results: 11 of the 16 website features showed significant differences between patients/parents and orthodontists. …

Evaluation Of Fit For 3d Printed Retainers As Compared To Thermoform Retainers, David J. Cole

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

EVALUATION OF FIT FOR 3D PRINTED RETAINERS AS COMPARED TO THERMOFORM RETAINERS

By David Cole, D.M.D.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University

Thesis Directors: Eser Tüfekçi, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., M.S.H.A.

Professor, Department of Orthodontics

Sompop Bencharit, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Director of Digital Dentistry, Department of General Practice

Introduction: Despite recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) printing, little information is available on 3D printed retainers

Methods: Three reference models were used to fabricate traditional vacuum formed, commercially-available vacuum formed, and 3D printed …

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Dentists And Orthodontists, Natalie R. La Rochelle

Theses and Dissertations

WORK-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG DENTISTS AND ORTHODONTISTS

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University.

by

Natalie R. La Rochelle

Thesis Director: Dr. Eser Tüfekçi, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., M.S.H.A.

Professor, Department of Orthodontics

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia

May 2017

The practice of dentistry is physically demanding due to static and dynamic postures sustained daily throughout careers. Previous literature suggests that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) are not solely the result of work habits, but also due to the individual, his or her physical makeup, genetics, and …

Comparison Of Intraoral And Extraoral Scanners On The Accuracy Of Digital Model Articulation, Jason L. Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Orthodontists increasingly rely on digital models in clinical practice. The ability of modern scanners to articulate digital models must be scientifically evaluated. Methods:Twenty five digital articulated models were produced from four digital scanners in five experimental groups. The resulting inter-arch measurements were compared to the gold standard. An acceptable range of 0.5mm more or less than the gold standard was used for evaluation. Results: iTero® and iTero® Element yielded all acceptable inter-arch measurements. The 3M™ True Definition and Ortho Insight 3D® with Regisil® bite registration produced four of six acceptable inter-arch measurements. The Ortho Insight 3D® with Coprwax ™ …

An Investigation Of Surface Characteristics Of Enamel Treated With Infiltrative Resin: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study, Danielle E. Easterly

Theses and Dissertations

AN INVESTIGATION OF SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS OF ENAMEL TREATED WITH INFILTRATIVE RESIN: A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY STUDY

Danielle E. Easterly, Doctorate of Dental Surgery.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University. 2017.

Director: Dr. Eser Tüfekçi

D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., M.S.H.A.

Objective: To evaluate the microstructural changes of a resin infiltrant (ICON®, DMG America LLC, Englewood, NJ) after six months of simulated toothbrushing.

Materials and Methods: Ten extracted third molars (n=10) were collected. Artificial white spot lesions were created and resin applied. Environmental SEM …

Orthodontists' And Parents' Perspective Of Occlusion In Varying Anterior-Posterior Positions: A Comparative Study, David H. Lindsey

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose was to compare orthodontists’ and parents’ perception of orthodontic treatment outcomes in the anterior-posterior (AP) dimension. Assessment of treatment time and compliance were also investigated.

Material and Methods: Parallel surveys for orthodontists (n=1000) and parents (n=750) displayed occlusions from 3 mm Class III (Cl III:3) to 3 mm Class II. Participants rated occlusal relationships on a 100 mm VAS from least to most acceptable (0-100).

Results: 233 orthodontists (23%) and 243 parents (32%) responded. Orthodontists (mean=93.9, 25.9) and parents (mean=80.7, 40.9) rated Class I (Cl I) occlusion most and Cl III:3 least acceptable. No significant difference was …

Twitter Analysis Of The Orthodontic Patient Experience With Braces Versus Invisalign, Daniel A. Noll

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the orthodontic patient experience with braces compared to Invisalign^® by means of a large-scale Twitter sentiment analysis. A custom data collection program was created to collect tweets containing the words “braces” or “Invisalign.” A hierarchal Naïve Bayes sentiment classifier was developed to sort the tweets into one of five categories: positive, negative, neutral, advertisement, or not applicable. Among the 419,363 tweets applicable to orthodontics collected, users posted significantly more positive tweets (61%) than negative tweets (39%) (p-value = ^® tweets (p-value=0.4189). In conclusion, Twitter users express more positive than negative sentiment …

Perception Of Differences In Lip Profile Between 2-D And 3-D, Andrew Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Past studies evaluating the esthetics of orthodontic treatment have been done using 2-D images. New 3-D imaging offers an improved, real-life representation of a subject. The purpose of this study was to determine how laypeople perceived differences in lip position (flat versus ideal lip fullness) in 2-D compared to 3-D.

3dMD images of 8 Caucasian subjects were adjusted to an ideal and flat lip position in 3-D and then in 2-D from the profile view. 2 surveys were created with paired ideal and flat images on the screen, either in 2-D or 3-D, and evaluators were asked to choose which …

Restoring Lateral Incisors And Orthodontic Treatment: Perceptions Among General Dentists And Othodontists, Matthew A. Sandretti, Bhavna Shroff, Steven J. Lindauer, Al M. Best

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and compare preferences and perceptions of orthodontists and general dentists when restoring peg-shaped lateral incisors. The investigation sought to summarize these preferences with regard to treatment planning, tooth preparation and interdisciplinary communication. A pair of mailed and electronic surveys was distributed to 1,500 general dentists and orthodontists, respectively. The results indicated that general dentists perceived that general dentists held the primary decision-making responsibility, while orthodontists disagreed (P<0.0001). Orthodontists prioritized the treatment goals of Class I canine relationship and overbite/overjet more significantly than general dentists, whom valued tooth proportions more highly (P<0.0001). General dentists reported receiving significantly less input than orthodontists report seeking (P<0.0001).The consensus of both groups showed that the tooth should be positioned centered mesiodistally and guided by the gingival margins incisogingivally. Both groups agree that orthodontists must improve communication to improve treatment results.

Mandibular Incisor Proclination Variability During Class Ii Correction, James Redford

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Lower incisor proclination has been shown to increase during Class II correction with appliances such as the Forsus. This lower incisor flaring shows great variability among patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Class II severity, mandibular growth, and occlusal plane rotation on lower incisor flaring in patients treated with the Forsus appliance. Materials and Methods: 121 records of Class II patients treated with the Forsus appliance were analyzed retrospectively. Cephalograms were traced at three time points. ANOVA was used to compare changes in cephalometric measurements over time. Pearson’s correlation was used to test …

Orthodontic Marketing Through Social Media Networks: The Patient And Practitioners' Perspective, Kristin Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The aim of this study was to (1) assess the orthodontic patient and practitioner use and preferences of social media, and (2) to investigate the potential benefit of social media in marketing and communication strategies in orthodontic practices. Material and Methods: A survey was distributed to all participants, which included orthodontists from the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) and patients/parents from the VCU Orthodontic Clinic and Private Practices throughout the United States. The participants were asked to answer questions related to their use of social media as well as their perceptions of usage of social media in the orthodontic …

Examination Of The Communication Practices And Preferences Between Orthodontists And General Dentists, Kevin Bibona

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to evaluate if orthodontists’ and general dentists’ perceptions of how often, under what circumstances, and by which media orthodontists communicated with general dentists were similar, and to determine if orthodontists were meeting the communication needs of general dentists. Orthodontists (N=1,000) and general dentists (N=1,000) throughout the United States were randomly selected to participate in a web-based and mailed survey, respectively. The results indicated that the orthodontists communicated with general dentists using the type of media the general dentists preferred to use. As treatment complexity increased, orthodontists shifted from one-way forms of communication to two-way …

Influence Of Facial Profile On Social Perceptions: A 3d Video Imaging Study., Lisa Babb

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of facial convexity on the perception of social attributes in a young adult population. Nine models were asked to pose for a 3 dimensional photograph that was then modified to represent ideal, retrognathic, and prognathic facial convexity angles. Survey evaluators were shown digital videos of models with ideal and non-ideal profiles and asked to rate their perception of the following 4 social attributes: intelligence, athleticism, popularity, and leadership ability using a visual analog scale. Results gathered from 271 evaluators showed that the model images with ideal facial convexity angles were …

The Influence Of Active Reminders On Oral Hygiene Compliance In Orthodontic Patients, Matthew Eppright

Theses and Dissertations

Text message reminders have proven effective for positive behavioral changes in medicine, but their influence on oral hygiene compliance has never been tested. This study aimed to determine if text message reminders about oral hygiene have an influence on the level of compliance. In this prospective randomized controlled clinical trial, 42 orthodontic patients were assigned to a text message or control group. Parents of patients assigned to the text message group received a reminder text message one weekday each week. Oral hygiene compliance was measured using bleeding index, modified gingival index, plaque index, and visual examination of white spot lesion …

Perceived Social Attributes Of College Students With Ideal Versus Non-Ideal Dental Esthetics Judged By Peers., David Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of dentofacial appearance on perceived social attributes of college-aged adult males and females as judged by their peers. Specifically, the objective was to determine if ideal smile esthetics positively influenced this age group’s perception of opposite-sex peers based on ratings of the following psychosocial characteristics: attractiveness, desire to spend time with, desire to date, and desire for a long-term relationship. Evaluators were shown digital photographs of subjects with ideal and nonideal smiles and asked to rate those 4 attributes using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The subjects’ photographs with ideal …

The Effects Of A Fluoride Releasing Orthodontic Primer On Demineralization Around Brackets: An In-Vivo Study., Daniel Pennella

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a fluoride releasing orthodontic primer on demineralization adjacent to brackets. Twenty-two patients were recruited for this study. One premolar was randomly chosen as the experimental tooth, the contralateral tooth was the control. Teeth were visually analyzed for white spot lesions (WSLs). Knoop microhardness was used to determine hardness. Visual examination results showed no significant difference in the number of WSLs observed between Opal Seal and Transbond XT over the duration of this study. Solid conclusions could not be drawn from the results of microhardness testing. Therefore, it cannot be …

Lip Profile Preferences Of Asian Americans, Hung Quoc Lu

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to evaluate how Asians, non-Asians, and orthodontists in America view esthetic soft tissue Asian lip profiles. The null hypothesis was that there was no difference in the perception of lip profile esthetics of Asian patients between Asian laypersons, non-Asians laypersons, and orthodontists. A survey was constructed using the profile photographs of one adult male and one adult female Asian American patient taken from the VCU Orthodontics Clinic records. Using Dolphin Imaging 3D, the original photographs were digitally altered. The lips in each photograph were moved in increments forward and backwards to produce 5 images …

Treatment Outcomes And Retention In Medicaid And Non-Medicaid Orthodontic Patients, Ashkan Ghaffari

Theses and Dissertations

Medicaid orthodontic patients have been shown to miss more appointments and break more appliances than self-pay patients, indicating a greater tendency toward non-compliance. Lack of compliance during the post-treatment phase can be detrimental to retention. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in PAR score changes between Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients during and after orthodontic treatment. PAR scores were determined using study models of 43 Medicaid and 39 non-Medicaid patients before and at the end of active treatment, and 24 Medicaid and 42 non-Medicaid patients at the end of treatment and at an average …

Orthodontic Bracket Bond Strength Using Self-Etching Primer With Or Without Pumice Or Acid Etch Pretreatment, Ana Paula Decastro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets to enamel in four bonding protocols: SEP without prior pumicing (None), Pre-etch and SEP without prior pumicing (Pre-etch), control: SEP with prior pumicing (Pumice), and Pre-etch and SEP with prior pumicing (Both). 80 extracted bovine incisors were randomly divided into 4 groups of 20, and brackets were bonded under the different experimental conditions. Debonding force was measured with an Instron universal testing machine. A two-way ANOVA comparing the four groups indicated that there was a significant difference in debonding force (P = 0.001). The SEP …

Concurrent Whitening And Orthodontic Treatment, Jason Thomas Gladwell

Theses and Dissertations

The aim was to evaluate whether a whitening system, when used during the final stages of orthodontics, would yield results comparable to whitening alone. Patients were assigned to either the control (n=20) or experimental (n=26) groups. At T1, patients were given a ten day supply of Trèswhite™ by Opalescence®, instructions on use, and initial shade determination was made and photographs were taken. At T2 and T3, shade determination was accomplished and updated photographs were taken. Whitening of the teeth occurred in both groups on average, but significantly more whitening was experienced in the experimental group (p < 0.004). An average of 87% of teeth whitened during orthodontic treatment compared to 97% of control teeth (p < 0.01) were judged to be uniform in appearance. In conclusion, the data do not contraindicate the concurrent accomplishment of teeth whitening during orthodontic treatment.

The Effect Of Pre-Cure Bracket Movement On The Shear Bond Strength Of Metal Brackets, Thomas Luther Roberts Iv

Theses and Dissertations

The effect on shear bond strength of bracket movement after seating the brackets and before light curing has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of linear and rotational pre-cure bracket movement on the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets. 100 extracted human maxillary premolars were divided into 5 groups of 20 teeth each. The control group was bonded with no pre-cure bracket movement, and test groups were bonded with pre-cure bracket movement of 2 mm, 4 mm, 45¢ª or 180¢ª. Debonding force was measured with an Instron universal testing machine. Results were analyzed …

Relationship Between Facial Attractiveness And Occlusal Treatment Outcomes: A Retrospective Study, Chad Eric Fowler

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between pretreatment facial attractiveness and posttreatment occlusal outcome in orthodontic patients. A randomized sample of forty-seven patients (26 males, 21 females) was selected for inclusion in this study. Orthodontic evaluators rated pretreatment patient photographs (frontal smile, frontal, profile) using a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS). Occlusal outomes were evaluated using percentage reduction in weighted Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index scores and the American Board of Orthodontics objective grading system (ABO-OGS). Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationship between pretreatment VAS attractiveness ratings and posttreatment occlusal …

The Prevalence Of The Need For Esthetic Crown Lengthening In Post Orthodontically Treated Subjects, Bryan Marc Konikoff

Theses and Dissertations

Prevalence information on excessive gingival display in post-orthodontic patients is limited. By studying one aspect, namely the size relationship of the clinical crowns of teeth, in an orthodontic population, we can begin to quantify their need for periodontal plastic surgery. In this two part study, 200 plaster models were used as subjects, followed by a clinical exam of 31 of those subjects. These models represented patients before and directly after orthodontic therapy, and the Part 2 clinical exams were performed at least five years later. The lengths and widths of the six anterior teeth were measured and these values were …

A Radiographic Analysis Of Variance In Lower Incisor Enamel Thickness, Nathan E. Hall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to help predict the enamel thickness of mandibular incisors. At least two direct digital periapical radiographs were made for each of the 80 subjects. Radiographs were scaled to control for magnification errors using dental study models and computer software. Mesiodistal incisor width and mesial and distal enamel thicknesses were measured. Lateral incisors were determined to be wider than central incisors and distal enamel thicknesses were larger than mesial enamel thicknesses on average. The African American group demonstrated wider incisors and enamel thicknesses than the Caucasian group on average. Enamel thickness positively correlated with tooth …

Factors Influencing Applicant Ranking Of Orthodontic Programs, Michael D. Payne

Theses and Dissertations

Orthodontic programs spend considerable amounts of time and energy to attract, recruit, and interview the best and brightest applicants. Applicants and programs submit ranked preferences, and resident positions are filled by a computerized matching system (Match). The specific aims of this study were to determine the relative importance of certain factors in applicants' Match ranking of orthodontic programs and to determine differences between orthodontic Program Directors perceptions and actual factors cited by applicants influencing their ranking of orthodontic programs.Surveys were mailed to 55 orthodontic Program Directors and 478 applicants participating in the 2002 orthodontic Match. Forty-nine Program Director (89%) and …