DEPARTMENT OF REVIEWS AND ABSTRACTS

Edited by T. M. Graber, D.M.D., Ph.D. Kenilworth, Ill.

All inquiries regarding information on reviews and abstracts should be directed to the respective authors. Articles or books for review in this department should be addressed to Dr. T. M. Graber, 450 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, Illinois 60043.

Malocclusion and the Periodontium James A. McNamara and Katherine A. Ribbens (editors) Ann Arbor, 1984, Center for Human Growth and Development, Monograph 15

This latest volume is a compilation of papers pre- sented Feb. 25 and 26, 1983, at the annual Ann Arbor Growth Symposium, plus solicited papers by equally eminent contributors to provide a more complete cov- erage of this important subject. The contributors are internationally known, and the subject material is a potpourri of “goodies. ”

Cellular activity, periodontal responses, and changes with orthodontic therapy make up the first three superb chapters by Melcher, Rygh, and Zachrisson. Excellent papers on areas of common concern to orthodontics and periodontics, long-term orthodontic effects, effect of trauma, malocclusion and the periodontium, gingival response, biologic response to orthodontic and or- thopedic forces, and apical root resorption by Cohen, Sadowski, Poison, Svanberg. Ramfjord, Geiger, Yen and associates, and the Linges elaborate on the tissue- response aspects in both the short term and the long haul. The final two solicited chapters by Alexandre Petrovic and Jeanne Stutzmann on human alveolar bone turnover rate and experimental and cybernetic ap- proaches to the mechanism of action of functional appliances on mandibular growth bring the research and clinical practice together. They demonstrate the high level of research being done in our field today, with immediate and important clinical implications and applications. The last chapter, particularly, offers a challenge for researchers in the future, if they are to unlock the manifold “black boxes” that still confront the orthodontic clinician and help create some of the controversy and emotionalism over the use of func- tional appliances.

As with the other monographs of this on-going series, production details are very good, despite some spelling mistakes in the last two chapters. For those wishing to know what important research is going on in tissue changes associated with orthodontics in the top laboratories of the world, brought together in one con-

venient volume, the book is a must. And this should mean most orthodontists and periodontists. This is continuing education at its best.

T. M. Graber

Condyle Neck Periostomy and the Mitotic Activity in the Condylar Tissues of Young Rats Kalevi Koski and Olli Ronning Proc. Finn. Dent. Sot. 79:147-150, 1983

The role of the periosteum as a possible controlling factor in bone growth is well known. In addition, it has been claimed by Frankel and others that periosteal ten- sion has a regulatory. The interplay between the perios- teum and the condylar cartilage has also been re- searched.

In a previous report, the authors noted a decrease in the mitotic activity of the cells of the intermediate zone following a circumferential periostomy of the condylar neck in young rats as early as 3 days after the operation. This study extends observations to the l-day and 5-day levels. The findings corroborate the earlier study at both time intervals, with a decreasing mitotic activity. The results suggest that periosteal tension is, indeed, a factor that stimulates chondrogenic mitotic activity in the condylar periosteum .

T. M. Graber

Side Effects of Electrical Physiotherapy Treatment in the Orofacial Region Seija Toube, Pekka Ylipaavalniemi, Kaarle Perkki, and Valle J. Oikarinen Proc. Finn. Dent. Sot. 79:168-171, 1983

Many conditions in the orofacial region are treated with physiotherapy. Particularly, pain, trismus , swell- ing, arthritis, and TMJ dysfunction call for this type of therapy. Such treatment is an important part of sports medicine. However, it is apparent that different modes of therapy have different responses, with some unfa- vorable side effects noted.

531

532 Reviews and abstracts Am. J. Orthod. June 1984

In this study, forty-six patients with chronic atypi- cal orofacial pain were treated with short-wave dia- thermy, ultrasound, didynamic currents, and trans- cutaneous nerve stimulation.

Six of nineteen patients receiving pulsed shortwave diathermy suffered from such side effects as fatigue, dizziness, and cardiac irregularities. Five of the pa- tients refused to continue treatment after this response. Five of sixteen patients receiving didynamic currents also had similar complaints, but only two discontinued treatment. Neither ultrasound nor transcutaneous nerve stimulation caused any side effects that forced patients to discontinue treatment.

The conclusion was that ultrasound was well toler- ated, didynamic currents and transcutaneous nerve stimulation moderately so, and that shortwave dia- thermy was either poorly tolerated or the dosage was too high.

T. M. Graber

Response of Elevator Activity During Mastication to Treatment of Functional Disorders Eigild MC)ller, Abkar Sheikholeslam, and lnger Lous Stand. .I. Dent. Res. 92.64-83, 1984

Previous studies suggest a relationship between fea- tures of tooth contact and muscle activity during masti- cation. However, they have no clinical implications since they neither explain how dental occlusion induces overload of the muscles of mastication nor warrant occlusal equilibration as a means of reducing the load to an acceptable level. The authors have previously demonstrated coincidence of increased postural activ- ity, pain and tenderness of mandibular elevators, with simultaneous decrease of this activity and pain after treatment. The present study deals with activity in pain- ful and tender temporal and masseter muscles during mastication and the response to reduction of pain by conventional treatment procedures.

The material for the present study consisted of thirty-seven patients with TMJ dysfunction syndrome studied before and after therapy and compared with forty-three normal or control subjects. As compared to controls, the patients before treatment chewed with greater relative strength and had longer relative con- traction times and stronger intermediate activity be- tween strokes. The authors propose these parameters as quantitative estimates of “hyperactivity. ” Conven- tional treatment eliminated the pain, tenderness, and associated symptoms completely in eighteen patients.

The most significant findings in this group were reduc- tion in absolute and relative contraction times, attri- buted to enhanced stability produced by occlusal equil- ibration. It is suggested that the relative shorter pauses in muscle activity before therapy impaired the blood flow and the metabolite-catabolite balance. Prolonga- tion of the pauses as a result of therapy improved circu- lation. During the strong, dynamic contractions of mastication, masseter muscles tended to be more sus- ceptible to “hyperactivity” than the temporal muscles, which tend to be more susceptible to static overload (postural activity).

T. M. Graber

The Effect of Early Interceptive Treatment in Children With Posterior Crossbite Birgit Thilander, Sonja Wahlund, and Bertil Lennartsson Eur. J. Orthod. 6:25-34, 1984

To evaluate the results of interceptive treatment in the deciduous and early mixed den&ion in children with posterior crossbite, compared to rendering no treatment at all, 86 4-year-old children with posterior crossbite were selected from a total of 1,046 (9.6%). Half the children with posterior crossbite were treated early with occlusal grinding, starting at 5 years of age and, in the event of unsatisfactory results, with remov- able palatal expansion plates. The other half were not treated until the age of 13. Another 25 children with excellent occlusion were used as the control group.

All the children were followed periodically until the age of 13 years, with five sets of records during the experimental period. Study casts, radiographs, and photographs were made each time. Because of patients moving away or lack of continuing interest, some pa- tients were lost, so that the final sample consisted of 61 crossbite patients and 25 controls for the 8-year follow-up.

Of the 33 children treated early, only 9 showed correction of the crossbite after occlusal adjustment by grinding. The subsequent interceptive treatment with palatal expansion plates resulted in correction of the crossbite in 17 more children. In the 7 with no correc- tion, there was poor cooperation in the wearing of re- movable expansion plates. Of the 28 children who had no corrective treatment, 6 showed spontaneous correca tion of the crossbite. Four children in the control group developed crossbite.

It is therefore recommended that one start treatment of posterior crossbite by occlusal grinding in the de- ciduous dentition. If there is no effect, an orthodontic