This study aims to assess the caries susceptibility in pediatric patients aged 6-14 years old using Saliva-Check Buffer salivary tests. A total of 40 patients will be enrolled, divided into two groups:

1. Group A (Pre-Orthodontic Treatment): this group will include pediatric patients who have completed dental treatments (mechanical debridement, fillings, extractions) and have not yet started orthodontic treatment.
2. Group B (Orthodontic Treatment): this group will consist of pediatric patients who have been undergoing orthodontic treatment for at least 6 months.

This study aims to assess the caries susceptibility in pediatric patients aged 6-14 years old using Saliva-Check Buffer salivary tests. A total of 40 patients will be enrolled, divided into two groups:

1. Group A (Pre-Orthodontic Treatment): this group will include pediatric patients who have completed dental treatments (mechanical debridement, fillings, extractions) and have not yet started orthodontic treatment.
2. Group B (Orthodontic Treatment): this group will consist of pediatric patients who have been undergoing orthodontic treatment for at least 6 months.

Ethical Considerations: the study will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and the norms of the Good Clinical Practice.

Patient Enrollment: patients meeting the inclusion criteria will be identified from the dental clinic's patient records. Parents or legal guardians will be approached to obtain informed consent for participation in the study.

Baseline Assessment: baseline dental examinations will be conducted to assess the dental health status of each patient, recording the following indexes: DMFT (Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth), DMFS, PCR. Then, saliva collection and testing will be performed with Saliva-Check Buffer.

Data Analysis: data will be statistically analysed. Normality test will be performed, and a parametric or non-parametric test will be performed to compare the two groups for all the variables tested. Significance threshold will be predefined for p<0.05.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients about to begin orthodontic treatment or already undergoing orthodontic therapy
• Willingness to undergo Saliva-Check Buffer salivary tests.
• Parental or legal guardian consent for participation in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with systemic medical conditions that may affect the results of salivary tests.
• Patients unwilling or unable to cooperate for saliva sample collection required for the tests.
• Patients who have taken antibiotics or other medications that could influence saliva composition in the weeks prior to testing.
• Patients with oral anomalies that may interfere with data collection or affect test results.

Patients recruited from the Unit of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, Section of Dentistry, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

Data will be available upon motivated request to the Principal Investigator