Australian dental journal最新文献

Aims: The dentistry program is extremely demanding mentally and physically. Consequently, it can induce high levels of stress, anxiety and depression in students. There is some research in measuring these ramifications on dental students, but they lack the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic which has brought about many fundamental changes to the curriculum of dental students. The aim of this study was to assess dental students' mental health through the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Australian dental School.

Methods: The Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) students enrolled in years 2-5 were requested to complete an online questionnaire that included the DASS-21 and additional questions regarding the impact of COVID-19 on quality of life. Jamovi was utilized to conduct descriptive data analysis.

Results: 179 students completed the survey with 81 males (45%) and 98 females (55%). 70.4% of the participants described elevated anxiety for the health of their loved ones and themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic. The overall mean DASS-21 scores were 7.1 (5.07) in depression, 4.9 (4.00) in anxiety and 6.5 (4.32) in stress.

Conclusions: The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the mental health of dental students. While further research is still required, it is important for universities to recognize how this pandemic affected the mental wellbeing of students so that they can implement appropriate support programs and improve dental education.

Clinical relevance: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on social and mental health worldwide, and dental students are notably affected. Recognized as a psychological risk factor, COVID-19 has been linked to an increased rate of suicidal deaths. This paper underlines the importance of recognizing the full scope of the pandemic's impact on dental students, including their views and the potential effects on their physical and mental health. The study indicates a pressing need for more robust support from the organizations to improve the mental health and overall well-being of dental students.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyse the distribution of occlusal forces in the dental arches released during tooth clenching in patients with symptoms of temporomandibular disorders, and to analyse the age and gender structure of the patients in the study group and the control group.

Materials and method: The study was carried out on a group of 58 patients, of both genders, aged 18-40 years, with full dental arches, who presented for treatment at the Prosthodontics Clinic of the University Dental Clinic in Kraków due to symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group (study group) comprised 26 patients with painful temporomandibular disorders, while the second group (control group) comprised 32 patients without pain. The study only included patients over 18 years of age, with full dental arches with symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. All patients underwent a basic dental examination and a specialized functional examination of the masticatory organ. A T-Scan III-Novus instrument with electronic occlusal articulation paper was used to assess the distribution of occlusal contacts.

Results: In the study, women (43) were a larger group than men (15). Statistically significant values for the percentage distribution of occlusal contacts were obtained in group of women in the study group on the right and left side, in the area of molars and premolars. In the analysis of the percentage distribution of occlusal contacts in both the study and control groups, it can be seen that the first molars (teeth 16 and 26) showed a larger percentage range of values than the other teeth. The smallest values can be observed on the second incisal teeth and on the canines.

Conclusions: The first molars are, in the majority of patients, the teeth on which the strongest occlusal contacts are generated. Excessive participation of incisal teeth in occlusion might influence the development of the pain form of TMD. In order to determine whether there is a correlation between an uneven distribution of occlusal contacts and TMD pain, studies on larger numbers of patients are needed. © 2024 Australian Dental Association.

Tumour metastasis to the jaw is an uncommon finding. When it does present, it is usually evidence of widespread metastatic disease and represents an unfavourable prognostic indicator. The clinical presentation of metastatic disease in the jaw can vary and may occur in the oral soft tissues, subcutaneous tissues adjacent to bone, mandible or maxillary alveolus and can mimic dental pathology. The radiographic appearance of metastatic disease is most commonly an expansive, lytic lesion with irregular borders. This case report describes the presentation of an otherwise medically well 76-year-old male patient to his dentist with a mobile lower left pre-molar. Following extraction of the tooth, a rapid increase in the jaw swelling resulted in further medical investigation, leading to a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer. This case serves to remind dental practitioners to remain vigilant when dental treatment of seemingly obvious dental pathology does not resolve within the expected timeframe, and to maintain a low threshold for medical review and investigation when suspicious lesions arise. This is particularly relevant in the older patient when the incidence of other diseases, such as cancer, is more common.

Teledentistry has emerged as a promising approach to improving access to dental care, particularly for underserved populations. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of teledentistry interventions in enhancing access to dental care. A comprehensive search across multiple databases was conducted to identify studies evaluating teledentistry interventions. Studies were included if they investigated the impact of teledentistry on dental care accessibility, utilization, or patient outcomes. Eligibility criteria were applied systematically to select relevant studies for inclusion. Forty-six studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The synthesized evidence showed the effectiveness of teledentistry interventions in improving access to oral healthcare services, facilitating timely diagnosis and treatment planning, and enhancing patient outcomes. Despite variations in study designs and methodologies, teledentistry interventions consistently exhibited high diagnostic accuracy and concordance rates compared to traditional face-to-face consultations. The findings highlight teledentistry's transformative potential in modernizing oral healthcare delivery and reducing access disparities.