title: Outcomes of Recurrent Acute Otitis Media in Children Treated for Dental Malocclusion: A Preliminary Report.
abstract: Aim. To investigate the role of dental malocclusion treatment in the outcomes of Recurrent Acute Otitis Media (RAOM).Materials and Methods. The clinical outcome (number of acute recurrences in 12 months) of 61 consecutive children treated medically for RAOM was analysed. Children underwent an odontostomatologic evaluation, a fiberoptic endoscopy, and skin-prick tests.Results. 32 children (group A) were diagnosed with dental malocclusion and treated with a mandibular repositioning plate. Dental malocclusion was ruled out in the other 29 patients with RAOM, and they were used as controls (group B). The two groups were homogeneous in terms of sex, exposure to RAOM risk factors, skin test results, and adenoid hypertrophy, while age was significantly higher in group A. Age, sex, exposure to RAOM risk factors, adenoid hypertrophy, and skin test results were not associated with RAOM outcome. Children in group A treated for dental malocclusion were strongly associated with a lower number of acute episode recurrences at both univariate (p< 0.0001) and multivariate analysis (p= 0.001).Conclusions. RAOM showed better outcomes in children with dental malocclusion wearing a mandibular repositioning device. Dental malocclusion in children with RAOM may play a role in the pathogenesis of Eustachian tube dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Dental Clinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bernkopf
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Audiology Unit at Treviso Hospital, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0369-1751
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lovato
authors.affiliation: Dental Clinic, Vicenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernkopf
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giacomelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Pediatric Hospital "Bambino Gesù", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: De Vincentis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Pediatric Unit, University "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Macrì
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Audiology Unit at Treviso Hospital, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Filippis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*