title: Effect of fixed orthodontic appliances on salivary properties.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  So far, a few studies have tried to investigate the relationship between the placement of fixed orthodontic appliances and the change of nonmicrobial salivary properties, mostly with conflicting outcomes and short-term assessment (up to 6 months from bracket placement). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the salivary flow rate, pH and buffer capacity prior to the beginning of therapy and after 1 year from bracket placement using a simple and commercially available chairside saliva check kit.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 20 healthy patients (mean age, 16.5±4 years) scheduled for fixed orthodontic treatment. Salivary samples were taken just before bracket bonding (T0; baseline assessment) and after 1 year of treatment (T1; half-treatment assessment) using the GC Saliva-Check Kit (GC Corp., Leuven, Belgium).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was detected between T0 and T1 for the salivary parameters examined in the present study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Under the conditions of this study, the placement of fixed orthodontic appliances did not change the salivary pH, buffer capacity and flow rate after 1 year of treatment if compared with the baseline assessment.
authors: Department of Orthodontics, University of Bologna, via San Vitale 59, Bologna 40125, Italy. giulio.alessandri@unibo.it.
authors: Giulio
authors: G
authors: Alessandri Bonetti
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Incerti Parenti
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Garulli
authors: Maria Rosaria
authors: MR
authors: Gatto
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Checchi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002021:Buffers; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic