Esthetic palatal crib: innovation development

• Grant number: 24/20157-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Orthodontics
• Principal Investigator: Camila da Silveira Massaro
• Grantee: Amanda Marques Aguiar
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

When properly indicated, the interceptive treatment allows the early correction of malocclusion, bringing psychosocial benefits and positively impacting children's quality of life. Anterior open bite is one of the most frequent malocclusions in childhood, and intervention during the mixed dentition phase is justified because it can improve the growth and the development of the dentition. The fixed palatal crib is an excellent treatment option for anterior open bite at this stage, with well-established efficacy in the literature. However, it can interfere with the esthetics of the smile during treatment, especially in more severe cases of anterior open bite. Therefore, the esthetic palatal crib, or ice-crib (PATENT BR 10 2021 022119 4), was recently developed with the aim of improving patient and caregiver compliance and improving well-being during treatment without compromising the efficiency and effectiveness of the treatment. Thus, the aim of this project is to present a pilot study about the performance of the esthetic palatal crib as an alternative treatment for anterior open bite during childhood. The sample will consist of 5 patients of both sexes, aged between 8 and 10 years, with anterior open bite and treated with the esthetic palatal crib. Photographs, lateral cephalograms, digital models and a quality-of-life questionnaire will be collected before (T1) and after (T2) treatment, with a maximum duration of 12 months. Patient adaptation and discomfort with the treatment will be recorded using a visual analog scale (VAS), and all complications will be documented. Dental and skeletal variables will be evaluated from cephalograms using the Dolphin® program. Changes in the dental arches will be assessed in digital models using the 3D-Slicer program. Once normality is verified, interphase comparisons will be performed using the paired t-test. Subsequently, the calculation of test power will be performed. The significance level adopted will be 5%.