Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been widely investigated as an adjunct technique for orthodontic treatment due to photobiomodulation effect. LLLT appears to be supportive for an orthodontic practice in terms of tooth movement acceleration, pain relief, and root resorption management. The decrease in these adverse effects will enhance the compliance in orthodontic patients, which could positively impact treatment outcomes. However, there seemed to be inconsistency in the impact of LLLT as well as its laser and treatment parameters. This scoping review aimed to evaluate the impact of different irradiation parameters on tooth movement acceleration, pain relief, and root resorption as well as to construct a protocol of LLLT in orthodontic practice. The search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, and the reference lists of identified articles. The last search was conducted on October 10, 2021 to identify experiments in humans regarding the application of LLLT as noninvasive treatment in orthodontic practice published between 2010 and 2021. However, they were excluded if they were not clinical research, if they did not report the source of laser, or if they were not relevant to tooth movement, pain perception, and root resorption, or if they were not available in English or in full-text. Following the systematic search and selection process, 60 articles were included in this review. A majority of included articles were published in the past few years. The findings of this review supported the application of LLLT in orthodontic practice with purposes of tooth movement acceleration and pain reduction. The positive impact of LLLT on root resorption had not been clearly evident yet. As this review demonstrated heterogeneity of both laser and treatment parameters, further research should be required to ensure the effectiveness of its specific parameters in orthodontic practice.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Introduction: Caries in the deciduous dentition of children under six years of age is termed as early childhood caries (ECC). ECC is prevalent among Indian children and identifying modifiable risk factors is important for prevention. This systematic review was undertaken to describe the burden of ECC in India, its prevalence, associated risk factors along with its repercussions on childhood health. Materials and Methods: A search was conducted for published Indian studies on ECC through electronic databases and complemented with hand search. The protocol for the present systematic review was registered at PROSPERO (Ref No. CRD42022306234) Care was taken to include studies which could represent all parts of India- Central, North, South, East and West. Included papers were reviewed for prevalence of ECC and reported risk factors. Results: Overall 37 studies on ECC in India were identified relating to prevalence, 11 reported risk factors and two reported on the association between severe ECC and nutritional health and well-being. The prevalence of ECC in India in these studies varied from16% to 92.2%. This systematic review revealed that ECC is prevalent among Indian children and highlights the need of preventive intervention and early risk assessment by its own caries risk assessment (CRA) tool. Occurrence seems to be firmly connected with age, snacking frequency, feeding and oral hygiene habits and with social determinants of health including parental education level, low socioeconomic status and number of siblings.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Objective: Implant abutment screws can fracture due to various biomechanical factors. Improper fit of the prosthesis, inadequate seating of the abutment, occlusal interference, and manufacturing errors are some of the causes that can result in an abutment screw fracture. Retrieval of the retained fractured abutment screw is quite challenging to the clinician. The objective of this review is to provide information on various fractured abutment screw retrieval techniques reported in literature and to formulate a structured treatment protocol for the management of fractured abutment screws. Materials and Methods: An electronic search of Scopus and PubMed databases was performed for articles between January 1989 and December 2021 using the keywords “Implant screw fracture” and “screw retrieval.” Results: Most of the articles were of the opinion that abutment screw fractures occurred due to screw loosening. Both conservative approaches and the use of commercial retrieval kits have been advocated to retrieve the fractured abutment screws. Based on various review articles, an innovative novel technique to retrieve an abutment screw fractured due to excessive torque was devised in our unit. Conclusion: Although clinicians can use various techniques to remove fractured abutment screws, every effort should be made to eliminate the cause of screw fracture. Retrieval of the broken screw fragment should be done judiciously to prevent any internal damage to the implant structure.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Background: Gingival overgrowth (GO) as a manifestation of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) was first introduced in the literature by Ramon et al. in 1984. Since then, the use of CCBs as a treatment modality for hypertension has been recorded extensively in the literature for its association with GO. Aim: The aim of our study is to evaluate histopathology, treatment, and follow-up for the cases detailed in various studies and also to highlight the protocol mentioned to identify these presentations. Materials and Methods: A broad search was conducted from the period 1980 to 2021 using electronic databases PubMed Central, Scopus, Cochrane, and SciELO databases. About 293 articles were initially chosen. The articles further excluded did not fit the criteria for the study and eventually 50 articles which met the inclusion criteria were chosen as part of this literature review. Results: A comparative analysis was carried out regarding histopathology, treatment modalities, drug dosage, and duration to evaluate the differences in cases between 1980 and 2021. From the available studies, it was found that the histopathological and clinical findings were varied. Treatment strategies employed were different, though follow-ups in most cases were uniform. Conclusion: CCBs and their relationship with GO have been widely reported in the literature. Dentists should approach this condition by taking appropriate medical and dental history and follow evidence-based treatment guidelines to provide more relevant and judicious management of this condition. Inter-disciplinary treatment approaches would provide better outcomes.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Aims: The objective of this study was to determine relationship between xerostomia and quality of life of HIV person’s living in prison. Materials and Methods: an observational study using cross sectional design was done among 68 HIV AIDS person in prison in Jakarta, but only 54 could be analyzed because of incomplete data. We used the xerostomia inventory questionnaire to assess xerostomia, and for salivary flow rate was measured by the spitting method without stimulation. Quality of life was assessed using questionnaire of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Results: Quality of life of HIV AIDS patient, only 55.6% was good. There was a significant relationship between xerostomia and quality of life with Prevalence Ratio 3.16. From 11 questions regarding xerostomia there were 4 questions that were significantly related to quality of life (P < 0.05), namely dry mouth when eating, need water when swallowing food, dry eyes, dry nose. In conclusion many HIV AIDS patient experienced xerostomia which affects their quality of life. Conclusion: Xerostomia was a risk factor of having low quality of life, it showed on Prevalence ratio in most of items of OHIP.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Aim: This study examined the influence of various functional monomers in two self-adhesive resin cements (SACs) on prosthetic materials. Materials and Methods: Base metal alloy, lithium disilicate glass-ceramic, and zirconia were used as bonding materials. Silicon carbide paper was used to polish the specimens. Two self-adhesive resin cements (Panavia SA luting multi, PAM, and Maxcem elite chroma, MAC) were used. Ten specimens for each material were produced and resin cements were bonded to each material. The specimens were stored in 37°C distilled water in an incubator for 24 hours. A universal testing machine was used to measure the shear bond strength. The data were statistically examined using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test. Results: In all prosthetic materials, PAM had the highest bond strength. In lithium disilicate glass-ceramic, the lowest bond strength was found with MAC. Conclusion: The self-adhesive resin cement (PAM) containing 10-MDP monomer and long carbon-chain silane was performed the greatest outcome in the shear bond strength on the prosthetic materials and self-adhesive resin cement interface.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Introduction: Visually enhanced lesion scope (Velscope) that identifies reduction in tissue fluorescence in dysplasia can prove to be effective in screening for potentially malignant lesions. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of device that utilizes the principles of tissue autofluorescence (Velscope) in the detection of dysplastic and/or neoplastic changes in oral mucosal lesions using biopsy and histopathology as “gold standard.” Materials and Methods: Out of nine hundred fifty patients with suspicious oral mucosal lesions, 250 patients were subjected to conventional oral examination followed by Velscope examination. The autofluorescence characteristics of 250 patients were compared with the results of histopathology. Biopsies were obtained from all suspicious areas identified on examination. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated for Velscope examination. Results: The Velscope examination showed sensitivity and specificity values of 75.00% (95% CI: 69.63%-80.37%) and 61.39% (95% CI: 55.35%–67.42%) respectively while the positive and negative predictive values were 31.58% (95% CI: 25.82%-37.34%) and 91.18% (95% CI: 87.66%-94.69%) respectively. Conclusion: The definite diagnosis of the presence of dysplastic tissue changes in the oral lesions cannot be made alone with the Velscopic examination. The high number of false-positive results limits its efficiency as an adjunct despite its reasonable sensitivity. However, It can serve to alleviate patient anxiety regarding suspicious mucosal lesions in a general practice setting due to high negative predictive value. Also, a combined approach of Velscope examination and conventional oral examination may prove to be an effective diagnostic tool for early detection of malignant oral mucosal lesions.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Introduction: COVID-19 has created a significant impact on dentists and oral health professionals. This research aimed to explore the perspective of dental officers (DOs) and dental managers (DMs) on behavioral preventative strategies and recommendations for preventing the virus transmission in the dental clinics in Fiji. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted among DOs and DMs who worked in nine private dental clinics, eight government dental clinics, and one School of Dentistry and Oral Health clinic (SDOH), in the Central Division, Fiji between August 9 and September 12, 2021. The participants were selected using purposive sampling method using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Self-developed semi-structured open-ended questionnaires were used for data collection through in-depth interviews via zoom. Manual thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Results: Thirty DOs and 17 DMs participated in this study. Seven themes emerged from data analysis: Risk perception-COVID-19 versus dentistry; Staff safety, satisfaction, and motivation; Breaking the chain of infection transmission; Adaptability, and acceptance; Shared responsibility; Roles and knowledge; and Importance of good planning. Majority of participants felt that dental professionals are at high risk, and hence, need to take extra precautionary measures. Participants also stated that more care should be provided to patients by accepting the situation and moving forward. Conclusion: This study highlighted the importance of dentists in preventing disease transmission in a dental setting. Continuation with the protocols and strategies gave the participants more sense of protection. The importance of good planning, accepting the situation, and moving forward was highlighted. Future research is recommended in other divisions and other health-care professionals can be included.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Objective: To investigate the effect of two acidic agents on microhardness of nanofilled and microhybrid resin composite materials. Materials and Methods: 70 resin composite discs (10 mm diameter and 2 mm thick) were prepared from 2 resin composites (35 from each type), nanofilled (Z350XT) and microhybrid (Z250), 3M/ESPE. Ten discs (5 from each group) were used as control (tested at 1 h before immersion). Each group was divided into 3 subgroups (n = 10) according to the storage media: distilled water (control), box-type cola and orange juice. Each subgroup was further subdivided into 2 divisions (n = 5) according to microhardness testing at 24 h and 7days after immersions. Digital Vickers Microhardness Tester (FM-7, Future Tech, Tokyo, Japan) was used to measure surface microhardness with a Vickers diamond indenter. The surface of the specimens received a load of 200 g for 10 seconds. Three indentations not less than 1 mm from each other were placed on the surface of all specimens. Vickers hardness number (VHN) was calculated for each indentation Data were statistically analyzed using one- way ANOVA followed by Newman-keuls tests (P ≤ 0.05). Results: Orange juice showed statistically significantly the lowest VHN mean value (92.7) followed by the Cola group (95.15) then the water group (104.02) compared to the control group (117.4). Microhybrid composite groups showed statistically significant higher VHN mean value (108.1) than the nanofilled composite (100.2). The 7days groups showed statistically significant lower VHN mean value (97.3) than 24h groups (106.6). Conclusions: All storage media reduced hardness of resin composites with orange juice showing the highest reduction in hardness values. Microhybrid is more resistant to degradation than nanofilled composite. Over time, microhardness of resin composites decreased progressively.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an orthodontic tooth movement acceleration device (AcceleDent, OrthoAccel Technologies, Houston, Texas) when used during an aligner treatment. Materials and Methods: Adult patients who began an aligner treatment (Lineo, Micerium Lab, Avegno, Italy) were allocated to two treatment groups. The first one (Group A), with a 7-day aligner change regimen, used the AcceleDent device for 20 min per day, whereas the second one (Group B) changed the aligners every 14 days and did not use any device. The registered outcomes were the possibility of completing the treatment, the number of aligners needed and treatment duration in the two groups. Moreover, we assessed patients’ perception of pain during the first week of treatment. Results: Twenty-four patients were allocated to Group A or B depending on the acceptance of AcceleDent use. Patients which used AcceleDent (Group A) completed the treatment using each aligner for fewer days than those belonging to Group B (9.0 ± 1.0 and 15.4 ± 1.2 days, respectively) (P < 0.001). As a secondary outcome, a significant difference was found in pain perception during the first week of treatment between the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This controlled clinical trial shows that is possible to apply a 7-day change regimen together with AcceleDent use and successfully complete an aligner treatment with a significant saving of time when compared to a standard 14-days change regimen. Finally, the use of this device allowed reduction in pain perception during the orthodontic treatment.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Objective: The objective of the present study was to summarize the evidence available on the impact of cash transfers on the use of oral health services and oral health outcomes. Materials and Methods: 9 databases were searched for studies on cash transfers and oral health: PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EconLit, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS. We conducted a systematic review of studies that evaluated the impact of cash transfers on the use of oral health services and other oral health outcomes. Results: Three studies with more than 13,000 participants conducted in Brazil and Argentina were included. One study from Brazil found that participants in the Bolsa Familia Program (BFP) were more likely not to use oral health services (aPR: 6.18; 95% CI: 3.07–12.45; P < 0.001) and had a higher probability of presenting dental caries (aPR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.47–2.69) and severe caries (aRR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.18–2.00). Another study conducted in Brazil found that the BFP was associated with fewer dental caries among those enrolled in the first 2 years of the BFP as well as after six years. On the other hand, the Argentina study found that the Universal Child Allowance program did not have a statistically significant average treatment effect (ATE = -0.05; P > 0.05) on the use of dental health services. Conclusion: There is a lack of evidence about the impact of CT on the use of oral health services and oral health outcomes. The evidence suggests that cash transfers might not have a positive impact on the use of oral health services. The results regarding the impact of receiving cash transfers on dental caries are contradictory. However, more evidence is needed to draw stronger conclusions for policy taking. Registration: The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021268234).

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare salivary and dental plaque (DP) composition between disabled children who require home care (DCHC) and a control group (CG) and to correlate it with oral and systemic health factors. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 15 DCHC and 15 healthy children (aged between 4 and 10 years). The caregivers answered a questionnaire on disease diagnosis, medical history, dental history, and oral hygiene routine. In addition to clinical examination, saliva and DP samples were collected and analyzed using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Data were collected between January and December 2019. Student’s t and Kendall correlation tests were used. Results: Calculus (46.7%), bleeding on toothbrushing (53.3%), and gingival hyperplasia (40.0%) were prevalent in DCHC. The saliva of DCHC presented a higher amount of lipids and collagen and a lower amount of carbohydrates than that of the CG (P < 0.05). DP components were similar in DCHC and CG. Conclusion: DCHC presented oral comorbidities and changes in salivary composition, compared with the CG.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]