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Published on: December 31, 2017
A high salivary calcium concentration is a protective factor for caries development during orthodontic treatment
Andreia-Alves Cardoso1, Emerson-Tavares de Sousa1, Carolina Steiner-Oliveira1
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Limeira Avenue 901, Piracicaba-SP, Brazil.
Background:
This research aimed to evaluate the salivary concentrations of fluoride (F-), calcium (Ca2+), and phosphate (Pi) after brackets bonding, and to identify the role of [F-], [Ca2+], and [Pi] on the development of active caries lesion (ACL) in individuals under fixed orthodontic treatment.
Material And Methods:
A longitudinal investigation with twenty-two individuals from 11 to 22 years of age was performed in four phases (baseline and after 1, 3, and 6 months). Analyses were carried out considering the salivary concentration of [F-], [Ca2+], and [Pi], as well as the caries index. Data were analyzed using the Friedman test, followed by the Wilcoxon test and the multivariate Cox model (p≤0.05).
Results:
1 and 3 months after appliance bonding, the [Ca2+] was statistically lower than after 6 months (p<0.0083). On the other hand, salivary [F-] and [Pi] did not show any significant difference during the follow-up. The Cox model demonstrated that the increase of 1 µg/mL in Ca2+ decreased the risk of ACL development by 27%. In conclusion, the levels of Ca2+ changed during orthodontic treatment.
Conclusions:
A high Ca2+ level in the saliva is a protective factor for ACL development over time. Key words:Adolescents, bioinorganic chemistry, dental caries, orthodontic appliances.
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