Swiss dental journal最新文献

The recording of the maxillo-mandibular relationship (MMR) is an essential and unavoidable step that occurs at different stages of treatment during a prosthetic rehabilitation. Tissue duality is a major problem in metal partial dentures (MPD), especially in complete and large edentulisms, and is responsible for occlusal inaccuracies resulting in restorations that are not integrated with the patient’s manducatory system. In order to perform this step, the practitioner must choose the right material, make the appropriate support, and adopt a reliable and reproducible technique that is adapted to the clinical situation and the prosthetic step. The objective of this work is to suggest a simple and codified approach, which guarantees a reliable recording of the maxillo-mandibular relationship, adapted to the particularities of the supporting structures and taking into consideration the clinical sequence for an optimal occlusal-functional integration of the future metallic partial denture.

The aim of this crossover clinical trial was to assess the efficacy of three different types of lozenges on halitosis based on their composition and surface roughness. This crossover clinical trial comprised 35 healthy subjects who were tested after the induction of halitosis via the intake of chips and soft cheese. The breath was analyzed using the organoleptic and instrumental measurement techniques. The effects of three different types of lozenges were tested: apple-flavored (CA, control); apple-flavored with zinc (AZ, <0.2%); and apple-flavored with zinc and a rough surface (AZR, <0.2%). The instrumental and organoleptic measurements were repeated four times with a time interval of 120 s between measurements after the first measurement (baseline). Subsequently, the subjects were asked to describe their experience with the tested type of candy using a questionnaire. Statistically significant reductions in the grade of halitosis were observed after using the three different types of lozenges at the various time-points compared to the baseline value (p < 0.001). Additionally, significant correlations were observed between the instrumental and organoleptic measurements for all the lozenges (p < 0.001). Neither AZ nor AZR showed a significant difference compared to CA with regard to the reduction of the instrumental readings. Furthermore, the subjective feeling of having a fresh breath was not related to the values obtained using the instrumental technique. These findings indicate that lozenges can significantly reduce artificially induced halitosis, regardless of the type used. Nonetheless, additional studies using a larger sample size are required to validate these findings.

The torus palatinus (TP) is a benign exostosis in the area of the sutura palatina media. It consists mainly of dense cortical bone with little trabecular bone and an overlying mucosa with little blood supply. Recent findings associate the occurrence of TP with bruxism, environmental factors and genetic factors. TP rarely causes symptoms, so treatment is only necessary in selected cases. Chronic trauma, impaired chewing function or compromise of the prosthetic restoration are the most common indications for surgical removal.

Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have potential applications in healthcare, including dentistry. Priming, the practice of providing LLMs with initial, relevant information, is an approach to improve their output quality. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT 3 and ChatGPT 4 on self-assessment questions for dentistry, through the Swiss Federal Licensing Examination in Dental Medicine (SFLEDM), and allergy and clinical immunology, through the European Examination in Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EEAACI). The second objective was to assess the impact of priming on ChatGPT's performance. The SFLEDM and EEAACI multiple-choice questions from the University of Bern's Institute for Medical Education platform were administered to both ChatGPT versions, with and without priming. Performance was analyzed based on correct responses. The statistical analysis included Wilcoxon rank sum tests (α=0.05). The average accuracy rates in the SFLEDM and EEAACI assessments were 63.3% and 79.3%, respectively. Both ChatGPT versions performed better on EEAACI than SFLEDM, with ChatGPT 4 outperforming ChatGPT 3 across all tests. ChatGPT 3's performance exhibited a significant improvement with priming for both EEAACI (p=0.017) and SFLEDM (p=0.024) assessments. For ChatGPT 4, the priming effect was significant only in the SFLEDM assessment (p=0.038). The performance disparity between SFLEDM and EEAACI assessments underscores ChatGPT's varying proficiency across different medical domains, likely tied to the nature and amount of training data available in each field. Priming can be a tool for enhancing output, especially in earlier LLMs. Advancements from ChatGPT 3 to 4 highlight the rapid developments in LLM technology. Yet, their use in critical fields such as healthcare must remain cautious owing to LLMs' inherent limitations and risks.

Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have potential applications in healthcare, including dentistry. Priming, the practice of providing LLMs with initial, relevant information, is an approach to improve their output quality. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT 3 and ChatGPT 4 on self-assessment questions for dentistry, through the Swiss Federal Licensing Examination in Dental Medicine (SFLEDM), and allergy and clinical immunology, through the European Examination in Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EEAACI). The second objective was to assess the impact of priming on ChatGPT's performance. The SFLEDM and EEAACI multiple-choice questions from the University of Bern's Institute for Medical Education platform were administered to both ChatGPT versions, with and without priming. Performance was analyzed based on correct responses. The statistical analysis included Wilcoxon rank sum tests (alpha=0.05). The average accuracy rates in the SFLEDM and EEAACI assessments were 63.3% and 79.3%, respectively. Both ChatGPT versions performed better on EEAACI than SFLEDM, with ChatGPT 4 outperforming ChatGPT 3 across all tests. ChatGPT 3's performance exhibited a significant improvement with priming for both EEAACI (p=0.017) and SFLEDM (p=0.024) assessments. For ChatGPT 4, the priming effect was significant only in the SFLEDM assessment (p=0.038). The performance disparity between SFLEDM and EEAACI assessments underscores ChatGPT's varying proficiency across different medical domains, likely tied to the nature and amount of training data available in each field. Priming can be a tool for enhancing output, especially in earlier LLMs. Advancements from ChatGPT 3 to 4 highlight the rapid developments in LLM technology. Yet, their use in critical fields such as healthcare must remain cautious owing to LLMs' inherent limitations and risks.

Dental anxiety is a prevalent concern in Western societies, affecting a broad demographic from children to the elderly, and posing a challenge to the delivery of oral health care. The Swiss Dental Association (SSO) has been conducting national surveys since 1980, with additional questions since 2010, to better understand the Swiss population's perception of the dental profession. Their 2010 and 2017 surveys aimed to gain more insight into dental anxiety across Switzerland, and to relate their findings to various demographic and socio-economic factors. A total of 2240 participants (1129 in 2010 and 1111 in 2017), demographically representative of Switzerland's socioeconomic distribution, were surveyed, with an even gender distribution (49.7% male and 50.3% female, p=0.7656). The mean age of the cohort was 43.5 ±16.0 years. The prevalence of dental anxiety decreased from 2010 to 2017. In 2010, 21.3% (CI: 19.0-23.7) reported higher levels of dental anxiety, which decreased to 13.3% (CI: 11.4-15.4) in 2017. Women consistently reported higher levels of dental anxiety than men in both years (2010: p<0.0001, 2017: p=0.0003). Logistic regression analysis revealed that higher levels of education (p<0.0001), trust in the dentist (p=0.0005) and satisfaction with the dentist (p=0.0489) significantly predicted lower levels of dental anxiety. In conclusion, these results highlight an overall decrease in dental anxiety from 2010 to 2017, but particularly among highly educated individuals and participants expressing satisfaction and trust in their dentist. While women consistently reported higher levels of anxiety, the overall results suggest promising trends in perceptions of oral health in Switzerland.

Children and adolescents are vulnerable to dental trauma due to their active lifestyles, lack of coordination, and inexperience in recognizing potentially dangerous situations. Early recognition and proper management of dental trauma is crucial in order to minimize the risk of complications and ensure optimal outcomes. The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis of all dento-alveolar injuries in children and adolescents who were treated at the University Children's Hospital Zurich from 2018-2020 by the resident physicians of the Centre of Dental Medicine of the University of Zurich. All information concerning age and sex distribution, seasonal and weekly variations, as well as aetiology, types of trauma and co-affected structures in the head and neck area from 389 patients was analysed. For data extraction, a parameterised Excel list was created, enabling a continuous data collection. In the study, 65% of the patients were male and 35% female. The average patient age was 7 years and 4 months. The highest frequency of trauma occurred in mixed dentition (49%), followed by deciduous dentition (36%) and permanent dentition (15%). Most of the accidents occurred in the second quarter of the year, especially in the month of May slightly more injuries were reported. The most common injuries were increased tooth mobility (40%) and tooth fractures without pulp exposure (34%). Less frequent were tooth fractures with pulp exposure (12%), lateral dislocations (29%), avulsions (21%), intrusions (8%), extrusions (6%) and root fractures (4%). As in many studies the upper central incisors were most often affected. Main causes of dental trauma were falls, especially by bike (18%) or scooter (14%). Soft tissue injuries or fractures, in the area of the head and neck occurred in 59% and 10% of the cases simultaneously accompanied by dento-alveolar trauma.

Halitosis is a socially avoided topic with an increasing worldwide prevalence. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the different forms of halitosis and factors such as: gender, smoking, stress, and oral hygiene. We analysed data from patients registered at the Center of Salivary Diagnostics, Hyposalivation and Halitosis at the University Center for Dental Medicine Basel over a 17-year period, using both subjective and objective approaches to determine the presence of halitosis. The data was statistically analysed using chi-squared and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Although halitosis is of multifactorial origin, an oral cause was found in 3 out of 4 patients. Men showed higher values of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) (p = 0.002) indicative of halitosis than women, while women displayed better oral hygiene (p < 0.001), yet were twice as likely to suffer from halitophobia than males. Patients with higher tongue coating scores (p < 0.001) and periodontitis (p < 0.001) had higher levels of VSC, contributing to bad breath, whereas patients with symptoms such as stress (p = 0.81) or smoking (p = 0.28) did not reveal significantly altered measurements. This study sheds light on the complex and multifactorial nature of halitosis over a long period of time. It further underlines the importance of individualized treatment strategies, given halitosis' multifactorial nature, in order to contribute to the patients' treatment needs.

The number of patients undergoing chronic opioid therapy has steadily increased in Switzerland in recent years. Impatience, anxiety and inadequate care play a significant role in the care of some of these clients. It is advisable to actively liaise with the patient's somatic and psychiatric co-treaters in order to achieve better coordination, e.g. through active support from a caregiver. It is little known that chronic opioid use prolongs the onset time of local anaesthetics and reduces their duration of action by half. Knowledge of and attention to the altered kinetics of local anaesthesia leads to increased satisfaction among patients and practitioners alike. The efficacy of non-opioid analgesics is not impaired.

This study evaluated the brushing efficacy of different interdental brushes around a multibracket appliance in vitro. In four models displaying misaligned and aligned teeth with and without attachment loss, the brushing capacities of three interdental brushes (IDB) were tested: A waist-shaped IDB with a diameter of 9 mm at both ends and 5 mm in the middle (B1), a cylindrical brush with a diameter of 9 mm (B2) and one with 5 mm (B3). Before cleaning, the black teeth in the respective models were stained white with titanium (IV) oxide and the percentage of cleaned surface was planimetrically assessed. In addition, the forces applied to the IDB were also recorded. The effect of brush and model on expected cleaning performance was examined using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). The cleaning performance of the brushes in decreasing order was B2>B3>B1; no significant differences between the different tooth areas and models were found. With regard to force measurements, significant differences were found with the highest and lowest forces IDB (2) and (1), respectively. There was a significant correlation between force and cleaning performance: The higher the force needed the higher was the cleaning performance. In summary, this study showed that cylindrical interdental brushes achieved a better cleaning performance than the waist-shaped IDB. Given some shortcomings of this first laboratory study, more research is still needed, but IDB may represent a valuable yet still clinically underused tools.