Could transient hypoxia be associated with rhythmic masticatory muscle activity in sleep bruxism in the absence of sleep‐disordered breathing? A preliminary report

Sleep bruxism (SB) is a repetitive jaw‐muscle activity characterised by clenching or grinding of the teeth during sleep. Sleep bruxism activity is characterised by rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA). Many but not all RMMA episodes are associated with sleep arousal. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether transient oxygen saturation level change can be temporally associated with genesis of RMMA/SB. Sleep laboratory or home recordings data from 22 SB (tooth grinding history in the absence of reported sleep‐disordered breathing) and healthy subjects were analysed. A total of 143 RMMA/SB episodes were classified in four categories: (i) no arousal + no body movement; (ii) arousal + no body movement; (iii) no arousal + body movement; (iv) arousal + body movement. Blood oxygen levels (SaO₂) were assessed from finger oximetry signal at the baseline (before RMMA), and during RMMA. Significant variation in SaO₂ over time (P = 0·001) was found after RMMA onset (+7 to +9 s). No difference between categories (P = 0·91) and no interaction between categories and SaO₂ variation over time (P = 0·10) were observed. SaO₂ of six of 22 subjects (27%) remained equal or slight increase after the RMMA/SB onset (+8 s) compared to baseline; 10 subjects (45%) slightly decreased (drop 0·01–1%) and the remaining (27%) decreased between 1% and 2%. These preliminary findings suggest that a subgroup of SB subjects had (i) a minor transient hypoxia potentially associated with the onset of RMMA episodes, and this (ii) independently of concomitant sleep arousal or body movements.     

Influence of the microbiological component of Cariogram® for evaluating the risk of caries in children

Objective: To compare the risk for caries in children as determined by Cariogram^® software (CS; Stockholm, Sweden) with and without its microbiological component and by a form based on Cariogram^® (FBC).

Methods: Children (n?=?28) aged 3–9 years were included. Data were collected clinically and from anamnesis. The salivary levels of Streptococcus mutans (SM) were evaluated. A linear regression model was used to determine which variables were predictive for each type of risk analysis. Caries risk was the dependent variable and the independent variables were caries experience, related disease, plaque amount, diet frequency, salivary levels of SM, fluoride sources and clinical judgment. A paired Student t-test was used for the following comparisons: (a) CS with and without SM; (b) CS without SM and FBC; (c) CS with SM and FBC.

Results: The mean dmft/DMFT was 5.56?±?2.51. There was no difference between the methods (p?p?=?.889). Caries experience, plaque amount, diet frequency and fluoride sources were predictors of caries risk in all assessment methods. Clinical judgment was a significant predictor in CS.

Conclusions: Caries experience, plaque amount, diet frequency and fluoride sources are valuable predictors of caries risk; microbiological tests are not necessary for evaluating caries risk in children, which can be assessed similarly by CS without SM and FBC.     

TGFβ1 gene polymorphisms may increase risk for gingival overgrowth in transplant patients

J Evid Base Dent Pract 2002;2:68-69     

The facial flow concept: An organic orofacial analysis—the vertical component

Orofacial analysis has been used by dentists for many years. The process involves applying mathematical rules, geometric principles, and straight lines to create either parallel or perpendicular references based on the true horizon and/or natural head position. These reference lines guide treatment planning and smile design for restorative treatments to achieve harmony between the new smile and the face. The goal is to obtain harmony and not symmetry. Faces are asymmetrical entities and because of that cannot be analyzed using purely straight lines. In this article, a more natural, organic, and dynamic process of evaluation is presented to minimize errors and generate harmoniously balanced smiles instead of perfect, mathematical smiles.     

Do mandibular miniplates increase the risk of complex fracture in facial trauma recurrence? Case series

Whether to conserve or remove miniplates, widely used in oral and maxillofacial surgery, has not been agreed on in the literature. Complications such as pain, infection, and screw exposure or loosening have already been largely described. We present the consequences of a trauma recurrence on a mandible with miniplates. The data of 13 patients who had a mandibular fracture previously surgically treated with miniplates (ten mandibular fractures and three mandibular osteotomies) were analysed. All the patients were male; the average age was 32 years (range, 20–64 years). The mechanism of the second trauma was assault in most of the cases. The average time between the first osteosynthesis and the new fracture was 35 months (range, 6–128 months). The fractures occurred at a distance from the miniplates in all the cases except two. No plate fracture was reported. We hypothesised that miniplates reinforced the underlying bone, protecting it from fractures, and transmitted the forces to areas anterior or posterior to the miniplates or to the condyle. Thus, the risk of mandible trauma recurrence should be taken into account in the indication of plate removal, and the biomechanical consequences of the conservation of the miniplates should be studied.     

Tooth wear in the deciduous dentition of 5–7-year-old children: risk factors

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution and severity of tooth wear in deciduous dentition and its relationship with possible risk factors. A stratified cluster sample of 243 5-7-year-old children was examined using the tooth wear index of Smith and Knight, and their exposure to intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors was retrospectively investigated through a structured questionnaire. The severity of wear was quantitatively estimated by the number of surfaces with affected dentine and by the cumulative score of the sextants, based on the Basic Erosive Wear Examination scoring system. Only 1.6% of the children were tooth wear free, whereas 45.6% had moderate to severe wear involving dentine. Maxillary canines were the most affected teeth (83.2%), and occlusal/incisal the most affected surfaces (52.7%). The likelihood of tooth wear involving dentine was greater in boys than girls (OR = 1.72), in immigrants than in Greeks (OR = 1.93), and in 6- and 7-year olds than in 5-year olds (OR = 2.78 to 2.93). After adjustment for age, gender, and nationality, exposure to several dietary factors and especially to soft drinks was found to significantly affect the prevalence (OR = 1.27) and the severity of tooth wear. Every additional serving/week of consumption of soft drinks increases the number of surfaces with dentine affected by 0.03 per year (p < 0.05) and the cumulative score of sextants by 0.04 (p < 0.05). The cluster of children with the higher prevalence and severity of tooth wear had an average exposure to soft drinks of 10 servings/week for a duration of 4 years. The cumulative score of sextants was better predicted by the assessed risk factors, in comparison with the number of surfaces with affected dentine. Tooth wear is a common condition in children, related both to the physiological process of aging of dentition and to the erosive effect of dietary factors. Strategies to reduce the intake of soft drinks in children are expected to have multiple benefits preventing tooth wear in childhood and in later life, as well as many other general and oral health diseases.     

Caries progression as a risk factor for increase in the negative impact on OHRQOL—a longitudinal study

Clinical Oral Investigations - The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between caries lesions progression and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among Brazilian preschools,...     

The accuracy of soft tissue movement using virtual planning for non-syndromic facial asymmetry cases—a systematic review

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - The 3D prediction of post-operative changes is an inevitable tool for the surgical correction of facial asymmetry. The objective is to execute an evidence-based...     

Air gun pellet remaining in the maxillary sinus for 50 years: a relevant risk factor for the patient?

The authors report the case of a 62-year-old man referred to the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery because of a clinical suspicion of palate carcinoma. Incidentally, diagnostic radiology showed a metallic foreign body in the left maxillary sinus. Anamnestic data revealed that a shot from an air gun accidentally hit the patient's left cheek in 1957. The lead-containing air gun pellet was removed by endoscopic antrostomy and the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma was confirmed by histopathological examination. 50 years after the pellet's impact, toxicological blood analysis showed no increased blood lead level. It remains unclear whether the air gun pellet has a potential toxicological effect or is related to the development of the patient's oral carcinoma. In this context the article reviews the literature and discusses the necessity of removing metal-containing foreign bodies, the role of lead in chronic toxicity and its possible carcinogenic effect in humans.     

Malocclusions in young children: Does breast-feeding really reduce the risk? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Researchers have purported that breast-feeding can decrease the risk of malocclusions. The authors studied the relationship of breast-feeding on malocclusions in young children by means of conducting a systematic review of association (etiology).

The E-cigarette ban in India—A step in the right direction?

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are a popular method to help quit tobacco smoking. However, there is a paucity of data in the literature on their safety and efficacy. Recently, the Indian Government has called for a ban on all e-cigarettes and taken steps to restrict access to vaping products from the market. This major decision was an attempt to safeguard the younger population from using e-cigarette and their possible longer-term addiction together with its promotions by domestic industries. In this article, we evaluate the role of e-cigarettes to help stop smoking tobacco cessation and consider the factors that have facilitated the ban on e-cigarettes in India.     

Are mutans streptococci detected in preschool children a reliable predictive factor for dental caries risk? A systematic review

Research suggests that mutans streptococci play an important role in cariogenesis in children but the usefulness of bacterial testing in risk assessment is unknown. Our objective was to summarize the literature assessing the association of mutans streptococci and dental caries in preschool children, (Pre)Medline (1966-2003), Embase (1980-2003), the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (2003, issue 3), and reference lists of included studies were searched. All abstracts found by the electronic searches (n = 981) were independently scrutinized by 2 reviewers. Minimal requirements for inclusion were assessment of preschool children without caries at baseline, reporting of mutans streptococci present in saliva or plaque at baseline and assessment of caries presence after a minimum of 6 months of follow-up. Participants' details, test methods, methodological characteristics and findings were extracted by one reviewer and cross-checked by another. Homogeneity was tested using chi2 tests. Results of plaque and saliva testing were pooled separately using a fixed effects model. Methodological quality of reports was low. Out of 9 studies included, data from 3 reports on plaque test assessment alone (n = 300) and from 4 reports on saliva test assessment alone (n = 451) were available for pooled analysis. The pooled risk ratio (95% CI) was 3.85 (2.48-5.96) in studies using plaque tests and 2.11 (1.47-3.02) in those using saliva testing. Presence of mutans streptococci, both in plaque or saliva of young caries-free children, appears to be associated with a considerable increase in caries risk. Lack of adjustment for potential confounders in the original studies, however, limits the extent to which interpretations for practice can be made.     

Germectomy. The germ of the third mandibular molar in children: remove or preserve?

Third molars are often removed in order to prevent complications and various other problems associated with impacted third molars and their removal. Abortion of mandibular third molars is a procedure carried out at an early age in those subjects where there is insufficient room for the eruption of the third molars. On the other hand one can also decide to remove the second molars and to annexate orthodontically the third molars in the arch.