Non‐Clinical Factors Associated With Referrals to Periodontal Specialists: A Systematic Review

Background: Comprehensive understanding of the referral process and factors associated with it will assist general dentist (GD)–periodontist relationships and benefit patient care and services. Non‐clinical factors (NCFs) influence clinical decision making but are rarely considered. The objective of this review is to identify NCFs found to be associated with referrals to periodontal specialists. Methods: A systematic review of English‐language literature was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. An electronic search was carried out using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Sources, and PubMed. Search terms used included: 1) refer; 2) referral; 3) periodontal; and 4) periodontist. Potentially relevant publications were analyzed in detail using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Selected papers were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and data extracted were thematically synthesized. Results: Ten studies that examined NCFs fulfilled inclusion criteria. Four NCF themes identified were practice‐, GD‐, patient‐, and periodontist‐related factors. Conclusions: Limited literature is available on NCFs associated with referrals to periodontal specialists. Within the limits of this systematic review, NCFs affecting the referral process are practice‐, GD‐, patient‐, and periodontist‐related factors. These vary among different GD populations studied. Factors that could be targeted to improve referral processes include geographic location, undergraduate training, and continuing professional development.     

Commentary: Incorporating Patient‐Reported Outcomes in Periodontal Clinical Trials

The authors review patient‐reported outcome (PRO) metrics for dentistry, and in particular, periodontics. The PRO commentary for periodontics includes a review of split‐mouth, randomized, controlled clinical trial results that specifically tracked pain at different sites over time after intervention and provided guidelines for peak pain time points and evidence for referred pain assessment when studying soft tissue augmentation procedures. Both the questions that are asked of patients and the timing of those questions are important study design considerations. The authors suggest PRO methodology for periodontal clinical trials that can be used to identify information important to patients and clinicians.     

Effectiveness of Periodontal Treatment to Improve Metabolic Control in Patients With Chronic Periodontitis and Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Background: It was recently suggested that scaling and root planing (SRP) may help to improve glycemic and metabolic control in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2); however, the effectiveness of SRP in this role remains unclear. This meta‐analysis assesses the effectiveness of SRP in improving glycemic and metabolic control in patients with CP and DM2. Methods: A literature search of electronic databases was performed for articles published through May 16, 2012, followed by a manual search of several dental journals. A meta‐analysis was conducted according to the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA). Weighted mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and high‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL and LDL, respectively). All outcomes were evaluated as changes from baseline to the end of follow‐up. Heterogeneity was assessed with the χ²‐based Cochran Q test and I² statistic. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: After the study selection process, five randomized clinical trials were included. Results of the meta‐analysis indicated that SRP was effective in the reduction of HbA1c (MD = 0.65; 95% CI 0.43 to 0.88; P <0.05) and FPG (MD = 9.04; 95% CI 2.17 to 15.9; P <0.05), but no significant differences were found in the reduction of TC, TG, HDL, or LDL. No evidence of heterogeneity was detected. Conclusion: The meta‐analysis results seem to support the effectiveness of SRP in the improvement of glycemic control in patients with CP and DM2; however, future studies are needed to confirm these results.     

The Role of Factors Associated With Apoptosis in Assessing Periodontal Disease Status

Background: Little is known about the release of apoptotic proteins during periodontal breakdown. This pilot study investigates the presence of factors associated with apoptosis in serum, saliva, and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and their association with periodontal disease severity and activity. Methods: GCF, whole saliva, and serum were obtained from 47 adult patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and 10 healthy controls. Clinical measurements, including probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and radiographs, were used to classify patients into healthy, mild, and moderate/severe CP groups. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure apoptosis or DNA fragmentation in GCF and active caspase‐3, soluble Fas (sFas), and sFas ligand (sFasL) in saliva and serum. Western immunoblotting was used to detect Fas, FasL, sFasL, and caspase‐3 expression in GCF. Results: DNA fragmentation was positively correlated with PD and CAL regardless of patient disease status (P <0.001). sFas and sFasL were present in saliva and serum, but there were no differences between groups. In GCF, the greater odds of detecting Fas, sFasL, and caspase‐3 increased with increasing PD and CAL (P <0.05). In addition, sites with inflammation and PD ≥5 mm had significantly greater odds of exhibiting Fas, sFasL, and caspase‐3 expression compared with sites without inflammation and PD <5 mm (P <0.05). Caspase‐3 was not detected in saliva or serum. At the patient level, only FasL and disease status were significantly correlated (P <0.05). Conclusion: Factors associated with apoptosis were detected in GCF in patients with CP.     

Tunnel Technique With Collagen Matrix Compared With Connective Tissue Graft for Treatment of Periodontal Recession: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: The aim of this study is to compare efficacy of the tunnel technique for root coverage using collagen matrix (CM) versus connective tissue graft (CTG) for treatment of multiple recessions of Miller Classes I and II over a short period of time. Methods: Twenty‐eight patients were enrolled in the study. Patients in the control group were treated with the tunnel technique using CTGs, whereas patients in the test group were treated with the tunnel technique using xenogeneic CM. Clinical recordings were obtained at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. Percentages of average recession coverage (ARC) and complete recession coverage (CRC) were evaluated 3 and 6 months after surgery. Results: Significant decreases were recorded in both groups of recession parameters compared with baseline measurements. Mean recession depth (0.21 versus 0.39 mm) and recession area (0.31 versus 0.53 mm²) after 6 months were significantly higher in the test group (P <0.05). Mean keratinized tissue width (KTW) increased at a similar rate in both groups (1.0 versus 0.8 mm for control and test groups, respectively). ARC after 6 months was 95% in the control group and 91% in the test group (P <0.05), and CRC was 71.4% (10/14) in the control group and 14.3% (2/14) in the test group (P <0.05). Conclusion: Xenogeneic CM combined with tunnel technique leads to satisfactory ARC and increase in KTW similar to CTG, but yields lower unsatisfactory CRC.     

Machine-assisted Agitation Reduces Postoperative Pain during Root Canal Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis from Randomized Clinical Trials

Introduction

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess whether machine-assisted agitation resulted in less postoperative pain (PP) compared with syringe irrigation with needle alone in adult patients undergoing root canal treatment.

Periodontal disease and Helicobacter pylori infection in oral cavity: a meta-analysis of 2727 participants mainly based on Asian studies

Clinical Oral Investigations - To assess the association between periodontal disease and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in oral cavity. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science,...     

Efficacy of Lycopene in the Treatment of Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

ObjectivesThe aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically evaluate the efficacy of lycopene in improving maximum mouth opening and other clinical symptoms in patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF).MethodsWe searched 5 databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and EBSCO. Randomized controlled trials were collected to evaluate the efficacy of lycopene in the treatment of OSF. Each database was searched from inception to April 30, 2019. The RevMan 5.3 software was used for this meta-analysis.ResultsThe included studies were 7 randomized controlled trials involving 758 patients with OSF. The results of this meta-analysis showed that lycopene was significantly more effective in improving maximum mouth opening in OSF patients than placebo treatment (mean difference [MD]: 3.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.19-4.10, P < .0001, I² = 0%). Compared with control groups, lycopene could significantly increase the maximum mouth opening in patients with OSF after 1 month of treatment (MD, 2.40; 95% CI, 2.22-2.58; P = .91; I² = 0%), 2 months of treatment (MD, 3.19; 95% CI, 2.87-3.51; P = .93; I² = 0%), and 3 months of treatment (MD, 4.89; 95% CI, 4.51-5.28; P = .86; I² = 0%). However, no significant difference was found in alleviation of burning sensation after 1 month (risk ratio [RR], 1.04; 95% CI, 0.89-1.23; P = .73; I² = 0%), 2 months (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.73-1.31; P = .69; I² = 0%), and 3 months of treatment (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.47-1.52; P = .81; I² = 0%); tongue protrusion (MD, −1.59; 95% CI, −4.15 to 0.97; P = .12; I² = 58%); and pain associated with the lesion after 1 month (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.92-1.21; P = .77; I² = 0%), 2 months (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.75-1.19; P = .35; I² = 0%), and 3 months (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.68-1.33; P = .14; I² = 51%) in patients with OSF between lycopene and control groups.ConclusionsThe results of this meta-analysis showed that lycopene is more effective for improving symptoms of maximum mouth opening than placebo groups and control groups, but there were no significant differences in burning sensation, pain associated with lesion, and tongue protrusion in patients with OSF compared with control groups.     

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical,Immunological, and Microbiological Shift in Periodontitis After Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy With Adjunctive Use of Probiotics

ObjectivesThere is a lack of evidence regarding long-term effects of probiotics as adjuncts to nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) in the management of periodontitis. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to evaluate the clinical, microbiological, and immunological outcomes of probiotics applied as an adjunct to NSPT with at least 3 months of follow-up.MethodsElectronic searches of 5 databases were performed. Clinical trials that compared the adjunctive use of probiotics in NSPT with NSPT alone, reporting clinical or immunological or microbiological outcomes, were selected. The primary clinical outcome variables were clinical attachment level (CAL) and probing pocket depth (PPD). Meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of probiotics over different longitudinal intervals.ResultsTen randomized controlled trials were included, and high heterogeneity in methods was noted. Meta-analysis revealed CAL gain, and PPD reduction in the probiotics group was significant at 3 months and 12 months, but no significant difference was noted at 6 months and 9 months. There was no significant difference in periodontal pathogen levels between groups at 3 months. Immunological data were not sufficient for quantitative analysis. Ancillary sensitivity analysis indicated a subset of studies with severe mean baseline PPD (≥5 mm) at baseline showed significant and more CAL gain and PPD reduction at 3 months, with probiotics administration of 2-4 weeks.ConclusionHeterogenous evidence implied a long-term clinical benefit of probiotics as an adjunct to NSPT. Outcomes may be impacted by baseline disease severity. Limited microbiological and immunological data precluded any conclusive findings. Current evidence is insufficient to formulate clinical recommendations.     

Effectiveness of Intracanal Cryotherapy in Root Canal Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

IntroductionThe effectiveness of intracanal cryotherapy for reducing postoperative pain is unclear. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the effect of intracanal cryotherapy on postoperative pain after root canal therapy in patients with pulpal or periradicular pathosis.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library as well as the top 3 endodontic journals for relevant articles. We included randomized controlled trials that included adults. Our main outcome was postoperative pain intensity measured with a validated scale. We assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane criteria and the quality of the included studies using Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. We used a random-effects model for meta-analysis.ResultsEight studies involving 810 patients were included. The overall risk of bias was moderate. Seven of 8 studies used a visual analog scale to measure pain intensity. Compared with controls, intracanal cryotherapy significantly reduced postoperative pain at 6 (mean difference = −1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.61 to −2.14; P < .05; I² = 76%; moderate-quality evidence) and 24 hours after the procedure (mean difference = −1.43; 95% confidence interval, −0.70 to −2.15; P < .05; I² = 89%; moderate-quality evidence). There was no significant effect on pain at 48 and 72 hours and 7 days after the procedure.ConclusionsModerate-quality evidence suggests that intracanal cryotherapy (ie, using cold saline irrigation as a final irrigant) significantly reduces the intensity of pain at 6 and 24 hours after root canal therapy. Future clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of intracanal cryotherapy are advocated.     

重度牙周炎病例牙周牙髓联合治疗与单纯牙周治疗的临床对比研究

目的：本研究比较了重度牙周炎病例牙周牙髓联合治疗法与单纯牙周治疗法治疗效果的差异，旨在探讨牙髓状态对牙周治疗效果的影响。方法：半年随访重度牙周炎病例14例，共计试验牙20颗，随机进入实验组(牙周牙髓联合治疗组)12颗，对照组(单纯牙周治疗组)8颗。于治疗后3个月、6个月通过牙周袋探诊深度(probing pocket depth，PDD)、相对附着水平(relative attachment level，RAL)，影像学指标釉牙骨质界到骨缺陷底的距离(cementum enamal junction to bottom of born，defects，CEJ-BD)，釉牙骨质界到牙槽嵴顶的距离(cementum enamal junctioa to alveolar crest，CEJ-AC)及计算机辅助骨密度影像分析值(computer assisted densitometric image analysis，CADIA)对比两组治疗效果的差异。结果：观察期内临床指标PPD、RAL及CEI-AC未出现显著性差异，而CEJ-BD及CADIA于治疗后3个月，6个月出现显著性差异。结论：重度牙周炎病例选择牙周牙髓联合治疗法较单纯牙周治疗法更有利于牙周骨组织的再生。     

Treatment Outcome in Patients With Peri‐Implantitis in a Periodontal Clinic: A Retrospective Study

Background: The number of placed implants has grown during the past decade, and the prevalence of peri‐implantitis has increased. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the treatment outcome of peri‐implantitis and to identify factors influencing the treatment success rate. Methods: The study was conducted as a retrospective longitudinal study on a referral population. The material included 382 implants with peri‐implantitis in 150 patients. Peri‐implantitis was defined as presence of pocket depths ≥5 mm, bleeding at probing and/or suppuration, and the presence of implant radiographic bone loss ≥3 mm or bone loss comprising at least three threads of the implant. Variance analyses, χ² analyses, and logistic regression analysis were used for data analyses. Results: The mean age of the participants at baseline was found to be 64 years (range: 22 to 87 years). The mean ± SD follow‐up time was 26 ± 20 months, and the mean time between implant installation and baseline was 6.4 years (range: 1 to 20 years). Periodontal flap surgery with osteoplasty was the most common type of therapy (47%), and regenerative surgery procedures with bone substitute materials were chosen in 20% of the cases. The mean success rate at patient level was 69%. The results of the logistic regression analyses showed that the success rate was significantly lower for individuals with the diagnosis of severe periodontitis, severe marginal bone loss around the implants, poor oral hygiene, and low compliance. Conclusion: The effectiveness of the peri‐implantitis therapy was impaired by severe periodontitis, severe marginal bone loss around the implants, poor oral hygiene, and low compliance.     

Prevalence of Apical Periodontitis and Conventional Nonsurgical Root Canal Treatment in General Adult Population: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Cross-sectional Studies Published between 2012 and 2020

IntroductionThis study aimed to summarize data on apical periodontitis (AP) and nonsurgical root canal treatment (NSRCT) prevalence and risk factors related to age, gender, and quality of restorative and endodontic treatment in the general population from cross-sectional studies published between 2012 and 2020.MethodsAn electronic search was performed in the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. The conducted literature search covered studies published between 2012 and 2020, without restrictions on language. The STROBE and NOS tools were used for quality assessment of the included studies.ResultsSixteen articles were included in the review. In total, 200,041 teeth were examined. On average, 6.3% of teeth had AP, and 7.4% had NSRCT. Forty-one percent of RCT teeth had AP, and 3.5% of untreated teeth had AP. Female patients were less prone to AP in endodontically treated teeth only, compared with male patients (P < .001). Variable stratification of age subgroups among included studies prevented us from conducting a meta-analysis. An increase in AP frequency was found in teeth with inadequate restorative and endodontic treatment (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively). Because of high heterogeneity, these results should be taken with caution.ConclusionsThere is an increased AP prevalence in the adult general population compared with data from 2012 (6.3% versus 5.4%) in both endodontically treated (41.3% versus 35.9%) and untreated teeth (3.5% versus 2.1%). In addition, AP developed less frequently in female patients with endodontically treated teeth and in teeth with inadequate compared with adequate restorative and endodontic treatment.