Christina Erbe – Booy Foundation

ORTHO-AMSTERDAM 2026

10 International Keynote Speakers

Thursday 25 June – Friday 26 May 2026 – Heineken Experience – Amsterdam

Curriculum Vitae – Christina Erbe

• 1994 Study of dentistry, Justus-Liebig-University, Gießen, Germany
• 2003 Postgraduate training at the private practice for orthodontics Dr. H. Gerken & Dr. V. Wittler, Mönchengladbach, Germany
• 2004 Postgraduate training at the Department of Orthodontics, University Medical Center of the Justus Liebig University Gießen; Director: Prof. Dr. S. Ruf and doctoral thesis supervised by Prof. Dr. H. Pancherz
• 2006 Orthodontist and Research Assistant at the Department of Orthodontics, University Medical Center of the Justus Liebig University Gießen; Director: Prof. Dr. S. Ruf and at the Department of Prosthodontics, Director: Prof. Dr. P. Ferger
• 2007 Orthodontist and Research Assistant at the Department of Orthodontics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg – University, Mainz; Director: Prof. Dr. Dr. H. Wehrbein
• 2008 Senior Physician and Assistant Professor at the Department of Orthodontics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg – University, Mainz; Director: Prof. Dr. Dr. H. Wehrbein
• 2012 Certificate for advanced training on pain therapy in the maxillofacial region at the Academy for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the German Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• 2019 Associate Professor at the Department of Orthodontics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg – University, Mainz; Director: Prof. Dr. Dr. H. Wehrbein
• 2020 Habilitation
• 2021 Since July: Director and Head of Department of Orthodontics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg – University, Mainz

Main areas of research interests:
• Orthodontic treatment of adult patients as well as interdisciplinary treatment, especially in cooperation with oral and maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics and periodontology
• Basic research on orthodontic tooth movement, interrelation between orthodontics and periodontology, skeletal anchorage
• Clinical and experimental studies dealing with modern oral hygiene strategies in patients with different orthodontic therapies and aligner therapy

Abstract

Lecture: Seeing is believing – quantifying oral hygiene in orthodontic patients

Background: Orthodontic appliances complicate oral hygiene, increasing the risk for dental plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation. Effective patient education and monitoring are crucial for maintaining periodontal health. This presentation covers our studies investigating the perception of oral hygiene and the associated biological impact of orthodontic treatment.
Objective: The first study aimed to assess differences in oral hygiene perception among panelists. The second study aimed to prospectively evaluate clinical parameters and periodontal inflammatory biomarkers in adolescent patients undergoing treatment with multibracket appliances (MBA) and clear aligners. The objective of the third study, a 2-arm parallel RCT was to determine the plaque removal efficacy and the motivation assessment comparing a manual versus an interactive power toothbrush.
Methods: The perception study utilized eye-tracking technology and a cross-sectional design where participants (n=86) evaluated randomized images of oral hygiene. The prospective clinical trial monitored 105 patients, assessing the Gingival Index (GI), Plaque Index (PI), active Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 (aMMP-8) levels, and subgingival periodontal pathogens at baseline, during treatment, and after appliance removal. Fifty-nine subjects aged 13-17 years with fixed orthodontic appliances were assigned to brush with either an interactive power toothbrush or a manual toothbrush to evaluate the change in plaque removal (PI).
Results: The perception study revealed that dental students’ assessments were most accurate, while parents evaluated hygiene more strictly than their children. The clinical trial demonstrated a significant, yet reversible, increase in GI, PI, aMMP-8 concentrations, and levels of specific pathogens like Tannerella forsythia and Fusobacterium spp. during MBA treatment. The interactive power toothbrush provided significantly (P<0.001) greater plaque reduction versus the manual toothbrush.
Conclusion: A significant discrepancy exists in the perception of oral hygiene between laypersons and dental professionals. Orthodontic therapy transiently compromises periodontal health, underscoring the critical importance of meticulous biofilm management. The aMMP-8 biomarker serves as a valuable tool for monitoring inflammatory status during treatment. An interactive power toothbrush generated increased brushing times and significantly greater plaque removal versus a manual brush.