Singapore Dental Journal最新文献

Solitary pigmented melanocytic intraoral lesions of the oral cavity are rare. Oral nevus is a congenital or acquired benign neoplasm. Oral compound nevus constitutes 5.9%–16.5% of all oral melanocytic nevi. The oral compound nevus is commonly seen on hard palate and buccal mucosa and rarely on other intraoral sites. The objective of this article is to present a rare case report of oral compound nevus in the retromolar pad region along with a review of literature. A 22 year old female reported with a solitary black pigmented papule at retromolar pad region which was surgically removed and microscopic investigation confirmed the diagnosis of oral compound nevus.

Background

Dental and maxillofacial injuries are one of the areas of concern highlighted in the Malaysian National Oral Health Plan 2011–2020. General dental practitioners (GDPs) have the responsibility of diagnosing and assessing dental trauma and determining the prognosis and outcomes of trauma along with its management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge base and preferred methods of general dental practitioners regarding the management of avulsed tooth.

Methods

A random convenient sampling methodology was employed for sample selection. A pre-tested 11-item questionnaire was validated on the dental officers. The survey was distributed to 182 GDPs attending the annual Malaysian Dental Association conference in January 2010. The data obtained was statistically analyzed using descriptive analysis and logistic regression was employed to predict the probability of achieving high scores.

Results

A total of 182 general dental practitioners participated in the study, with the majority being female (n=153, 75%). The place of practice significantly affected the knowledge score. In the group that scored more than 80 points (n=84, 46%), 76% of them worked with government hospitals. Age, work duration and number of traumatised teeth previously treated had no significant effect. The odds ratio for place of practice indicates that respondents who work in government hospitals are 3.6 times more likely to score more than 80 points compared to those who worked in private clinics (OR=3.615, P=0.001).

Conclusion

The knowledge level on the management of avulsed tooth among general dental practitioners in Malaysia needs to be improved. Strategies in improvement of the Malaysian dental educational system, continuous dental educational activities and utilisation of guidelines on trauma management should be recommended to increase the knowledge level of avulsed tooth management to ensure good treatment outcomes.

Clinical implication

Trauma prevention and further education regarding the management of avulsed tooth is an essential requirement to improve general dental practitioners knowledge and clinical skills.

A well-constructed essay is indicative of deep strategic understanding and is considered a valid assessment tool in many dental schools. It has been suggested that constructing MCQs could be an effective learning tool for students while at the same time contribute towards a pool of well-constructed MCQs that could stand up to scrutiny at high-stakes examinations. This study aimed to compare the quality of essays written by students trained and untrained in MCQ construction. The null hypothesis was that construction of MCQs did not result in higher grades achieved in “closed-book” time-limited assessment conditions. A Test cohort (n=48) of undergraduate dental students were taught and constructed MCQs during their preclinical prosthodontics course. The Control cohort (n=48) consisted of students who underwent the same course 1 year prior. The same question was administered to both cohorts without the students׳ knowledge. Answers were de-identified and randomized for grading by a blinded expert prosthodontic examiner not involved in the teaching of the students. Based on a passing grade of 50 and a maximum grade of 100, the Test cohort exhibited significantly improved essay quality, scoring a mean grade of 73.0±8.0, compared to a mean grade of 63.6±11.8 achieved by the control cohort (p<0.001). The null hypothesis was rejected. Under the conditions of this double-blind study, MCQ-construction resulted in better essays written by students under examination conditions.

Objective

To examine the differences in Willingness to pay (WTP) for an extraction, a filling, and cleaning of teeth among older adults with varying levels of Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHQoL).

Background

OHQoL has been used extensively to measure utilities as reported by individuals of interest. Currently there are no reports that examine the WTP of individuals at various levels of OHQoL.

Methods

A convenience sample of adults 60 years or older were recruited. Besides other domains, questionnaires were used to assess WTP (extraction, filling, and cleaning of teeth), OHQoL (using Oral Impacts on Daily Performance-OIDP), McArthur scale, and access to care.

Results

Tamil ethnicity was related to higher WTP for an extraction (mean ratio, 1.63–3.98; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]), increase of age in years was related to lower WTP for extraction (mean ratio, 0.96–1.00 [95%CI]) and increasing OIDP score was related to lower WTP for extractions (mean ratio, 0.80–0.99 [95%CI]). Tamil ethnicity was associated with higher WTP for fillings (mean ratio, 2.69–6.44 [95%CI]); higher age in years was associated with lower WTP for fillings (mean ratio, 0.94–0.99 [95%CI]), and higher OIDP scores was trending to be associated to lower WTP for filling (mean ratio, 0.80–1.00 [95%CI]). Tamil Ethnicity was also associated with higher WTP for cleaning (mean ratio, 2.14–7.19 [95%CI]), higher age in years was also associated with cleaning (mean ratio, 0.94–0.99 [95%CI]).

Conclusion

Individuals with higher OIDP scores tended to have lower WTP for extraction, filling and cleaning; with significant differences reported for extraction.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationship between periodontitis and atherosclerosis by comparing the ultrasound and clinical markers of atherosclerosis in systemically healthy patients with and without periodontitis and whether periodontitis can be an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis.

Materials and methods

Total 40 subjects, of same socioeconomic status, belonging to age group of 35–65 years, were recruited and divided into two groups - Group I (Chronic Generalised Periodontitis without any systemic disease: CP-SH), Group II (Normal healthy patients without periodontitis and any systemic disease - SH). Clinical measurements and ultrasound examinations were carried out. Qualitative variables were analyzed using Chi square test and qualitative variables using Unpaired Student t test. Statistical significance was accepted for p≤0.05.

Results

Carotid ultrasound revealed right and left intima media thickness (IMT) of 0.626±0.016 mm and 0.715±0.037 mm respectively in cases versus 0.495±0.009 mm and 0.518±0.009 mm respectively in controls, with the difference being statistically significant. In cases, mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 83.45±4.07 mmHg versus 79.25±3.63 mmHg in controls, with the difference being statistically significant.

Conclusion

In this study, we found statistically significant differences in carotid IMT and DBP values between cases and controls. These findings suggest independent role of periodontal disease in subclinical atherosclerosis.

Orthodontic treatment often requires extraction or distalization for gaining space. With both treatment modalities, emphasis has always been given to the simplicity and effectiveness of the treatment, time required for each visit, cost and minimum requirement of the inventory. To accomplish this, various appliances and auxiliaries have been designed in the past of which sliding jigs are commonly used. They pose various clinical problems of which time to fabricate them for each patient is one as they cannot be stored in a prefabricated form.

Hence a versatile smart sliding hook is introduced as a ready to use auxillary which is biomechanically efficient, convenient to patients, economical, time saving, easy to fabricate and can be prefabricated making it clinically very helpful for orthodontists in day to day practice.

Background

Recent studies have suggested that latent herpes virus infections can be associated with chronic periodontal sites that exhibit a predisposition to disease progression.

The aim of this study was to identify the possible relationship between infections with CMV and EBV and the severity of periodontal disease.

Materials and methods

Fifty two patients aged between 27 and 70 years, diagnosed with periodontal disease were enrolled in the study after giving informed consent. Quantitative immunoenzymatic assays were used to determine the concentration of anti CMV and EBV antibodies. The presence of CMV and EBV DNA was tested in biopsies from periodontal tissues using an in-house PCR adapted after a method described previously.

Results and conclusions

Higher titers of the anti CMV antibodies appear to be correlated with the severity of the periodontal lesions (p<0, 05). These correlations have not been found for anti EBV antibodies. Higher titers of specific anti CMV and EBV antibodies were correlated with a history of periodontal treatment (p<0, 05). Only two samples were positive for the viral genome. Both samples were collected from female patients diagnosed with very advanced forms of periodontal disease.

Although the molecular biology data from the present study do not support the pathogenic involvement of EBV or CMV in the development of chronic periodontitis lesions, the serological data might be important markers for the evolution and severity of the periodontal disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, noncoding RNAs that act as key regulators of diverse biological processes by mediating translational repression or mRNA degradation of target genes. Recent studies discovered miRNAs in saliva, and these miRNAs are promising candidates for use as biomarkers of dental diseases. In this review, the results of miRNA studies in the dental field are presented, and a brief overview of the current progress, limitations, and perspectives regarding miRNA biomarkers for dental diseases is given.

Biomechanical preparation is one of the most important steps in endodontic therapy. Rotary instrumentation has facilitated this step. Nowadays the market is flooded with different types of rotary instruments. The present study compared the root dentinal crack formation with continuous rotating versus reciprocating root canal preparation methods. One hundred and fifty freshly extracted teeth were used for the study. They were divided into 5 groups with 30 teeth in each group. Thirty teeth were kept under control group A and no root canal preparation was done for this group. Another 30 teeth were prepared with hand files which were kept under control group B. In the experimental groups (sample size, n=30 each) root canals were prepared with ProTaper, K3XF rotary system and WaveOne. Sectioning of these teeth was done at 3, 6 and 9 mm from the apex and were evaluated for the presence of any defects. Root dentinal cracks were produced with each type of rotary instruments. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in root dentinal crack formation between control groups and WaveOne system. There was statistically significant difference in root dentinal crack formation when the canals were prepared with ProTaper and K3XF rotary system. So it was concluded, that continuous rotating instruments could produce dentinal crack formation. Root canal instruments with reciprocating movement appear to be a better option than continuous rotation movement.