Abstract

Orthodontic Paediatrics: Quality of Life Beyond Digital

by Beretta Matteo and Di Lorenzo Enrica

Pediatric Orthodontics evolves towards increasingly "tailor-made" needs and with the aim of obtaining increasingly predictable therapeutic results in accordance with the best possible quality of life for our young patients and their families, this configuring a paradigm shift towards orthodontic pediatrics. All this cannot ignore the technology available today, which, among its meanings, must be democratic, easy to use and accessible to everyone, otherwise it is not innovation. In this context we explore an area of pediatric orthodontics in the digital age, illustrating the scenario of autonomous driving in pediatric treatments. In the meantime, we must start by definitively abandoning the term CAD-CAM, replacing it with CAD-CAT (Computer Aided Design - Computer Aided Technofacturing), which better describes the completely digital and virtual procedures with which the latest generation devices can be created. If we consider the evolution of maxillary expansion in childhood, let's not forget the anchorage on milk molars, the best possible orthodontic anchorage. Rapid expansion (RME) and slow expansion (SME) are now comparable from a clinical but also scientific point of view in terms of orthopedic effects in growing patients. The rapid palatal expander is certainly the reference maxillary expansion device, the gold standard, which recent scientific works have compared with slow expansion devices such as the Leaf Expander®, demonstrating that the maxillary expansion capacity of the latter in early treatments is comparable to rapid expansion, also in terms of self-expansion of the lower arch. The evaluation of the average collaboration of the young patient and the use of "Self" or automatic orthodontic devices have led us to explore a horizon that is already here, where the protagonists are and will increasingly be the new technopolymers. In cases of allergy or hypersensitivity to metals or for specific chronic or acute pathological conditions (such as epilepsy, autism or vascular problems), which may require periodic or emergency Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the cranial district, it may not be possible to use fixed traditional and metal expansion (“special needs” patients). The ZeroExpander and its Family can be the different choice to refer to, where the Quality of Life and Comfort of the child-family go beyond Digital.

Learning Objectives

After this lecture, you will be able to understand how the daily pediatric orthodontic clinic has changed and will continue to change in the digital world
After this lecture, you will be able to learn the main characteristics of use of new technopolymers in pediatric orthodontics
After this lecture, you will be able to understand how digital in orthodontic pediatrics goes beyond the purely clinical