Laser applications in dentistry: A review of the literature

While there are many applications of lasers in dentistry, few have advantages over existing technology. To date, lasers should be considered to be an adjunct to conventional techniques. There are also considerations of cost and rapid obsolescence of current laser equipment. The possible adverse effects of lasers on the tissues adjacent to those being irradiated, to users and to patients must also be considered.     

Teaching paediatric dentistry by multimedia: a three-year report

Clinical cases can now be simulated utilising multimedia and used to teach case management to dental students. The modules developed should provide intellectual stimulation, user-interaction and immediate feedback, in addition to being intuitively navigated and user-helpful. Five paediatric dental case modules (early childhood caries, anterior trauma, anterior coronal fragment, anterior crossbite and dentigerous cyst) were created, installed in a multimedia presentation tool, PathFinder (from Westmead Hospital Dental Clinical School, New South Wales, Australia), and used to teach three classes of fourth year dental students at The University of Melbourne. Questionnaires, focus groups and a review were conducted by an external educational expert. Students responded anonymously to general learning questions and case specific questions using a five-point Likert scale (strongly agree to strongly disagree). Student responses indicated they were very enthusiastic about learning via multimedia, although a few students disliked this educational approach. Focus groups and external review indicated that the modules were navigated readily and were suitably interactive.     

Use of mouthwashes against COVID-19 in dentistry

The proximity to the patient during dental care, high generation of aerosols, and the identification of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva have suggested the oral cavity as a potential reservoir for COVID-19 transmission. Mouthwashes are widely-used solutions due to their ability to reduce the number of microorganisms in the oral cavity. Although there is still no clinical evidence that they can prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, preoperative antimicrobial mouth rinses with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), povidone-iodine (PVP-I), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) have been recommended to reduce the number of microorganisms in aerosols and drops during oral procedures. This paper therefore aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current recommendations on the use of mouthwashes against the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of most conventional antiseptic mouthwashes used in dentistry.     

Accuracy and practicality of intraoral scanner in dentistry: A literature review

PurposeThe digitization of the dental field has been vigorously promoted in recent years. An impression using an intraoral scanner is considered to significantly change future dental treatment. The purpose of this review is to evaluate accuracy and practicality of various intraoral scanners and verification method of intraoral scanners.Study selectionThis review was based on articles searched through the MEDLINE and PubMed databases. The main keywords that were employed during the search were “Oral Scanner, Intraoral Scanners, Desktop Scanner, and Digital Impression”.ResultIt was reported that illuminance and color temperature affected trueness and precision of intraoral scanners. The repeatability of intraoral scanners indicated the possibility of producing fixed prostheses within the range of being partially edentulous. It is considered difficult to use intraoral scanners in fabricating cross-arch fixed prostheses. However, with intraoral scanners, it may be considered possible to fabricate mouth guards and dentures equivalent to those of desktop scanners. Current intraoral scanner scans are considered more comfortable than traditional impressions that use irreversible hydrocolloid and elastomeric impression materials.ConclusionSince the intraoral scanner is an evolving device, further improvement in accuracy is expected in the future. In addition, verification of the accuracy of intraoral scanners must be conducted accordingly.     

微创牙科学:文献回顾与最新进展

微创牙科学是指采用生物学方法而不是传统的牙体手术处理龋病,以最大限度地减少对牙体结构的破坏。这种新的龋病处理方法,将过去强调的视龋损为“洞”而反复充填的理念,转变为视龋损为口腔生态失衡而促使生物膜产生生物学变化。微创牙科学的目的在于阻止龋病进程,然后修复缺失的牙体结构和功能,最大限度地发挥牙体的愈合潜能。微创牙科学的处理方法可概括为3个步骤:(1)判定患者的患龋风险;(2)再矿化,即防止龋损形成并逆转未形成“洞”的浅龋;(3)修复,即控制龋活性,使愈合潜能最大化并修复龋损。龋病并非仅仅是牙体脱矿,而是一个因生物膜与牙界面生态和化学平衡失衡而致的反复的脱矿过程(生态菌斑学说)。饮食和生活方式(尤其是碳水化合物的摄入频次)、饮水、吸烟是导致生物膜生态和致病性的重要因素。椅旁评价菌斑和唾液的方法的问世,使得龋病危险评估和监测患者的顺从性成为可能。唾液的再矿化特性,可以通过使用能够释放Ca2 、P5 、F1-的再矿化剂(CPP-ACPandCPP-ACFP)而予强化。使用某些化学制剂(氟、氯已定和木糖醇),可改变菌斑的致病性。采用微创治疗方案,可修复早期龋损,增进患者的理解力和顺从性。本文从3个方面,详细论述了微创牙科学的概念、理论基础和操作方法。     

Analysis of oral pathology in an Australian paediatric population: A retrospective study

PurposeThere are very few published epidemiological studies that investigate oral pathology in the paediatric population in an Australian cohort.MethodsThe purpose of this study was to analyze data from histopathological specimens received over a period of 23 years at the Institute for Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), and to report on the frequency of oral pathology in the Australian pediatric population. Results obtained from ICPMR, were imported into an electronic database and data such as age, gender and histopathological diagnosis were used to determine the frequency of commonly occurring pathology in children.ResultsA total of 935 oral pathology specimens collected from paediatric patients aged 16 and under were included in the analysis. The most common pathology was salivary gland pathology (21.1%), followed by mucosal pathology (15.8%) and miscellaneous pathology (14.9%). The most frequently encountered lesion was the mucocele (19.1%), followed by periapical granuloma (5.9%), dentigerous cyst (5.1%) and the giant cell fibroma (5%).ConclusionIn the paediatric population, oral pathology shows an increasing tendency with age, with the majority of pathology being benign in nature comprising mainly of mucoceles and dental pathology particularly, periapical granuloma's and dentigerous cysts.     

Paediatric dental care during and post-COVID-19 era: Changes and challenges ahead

BackgroundCOVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets and by physical contact from contaminated surfaces to the mucosa. Its route of transmission has caused a significant challenge in medical and dental healthcare.ObjectiveThis article aims to review the literature and information available on the provision of paediatric dental treatment during and post-pandemic and to provide specific recommendations on the safe provision of paediatric dental care.ResultsChildren infected by SARS-CoV-2 have no or milder COVID-19 symptoms and are potential vectors in spreading the disease. Routine dental treatment is suspended in many countries because of the increased risk of cross-infection in dental practices. Only emergency dental care is provided for urgent conditions. It is necessary to gradually reinstate regular dental care to paediatric patients and maintain their good oral health. To control the disease transmission and maintain the oral health of the population, minimally intervention techniques that minimise or eliminate aerosol generation, plus comprehensive oral health preventive measures should be practised to safeguard safety at dental practices in this unprecedented time.ConclusionsRobust infection control guidelines should be implemented in dental clinics to minimise the risk of infection and to ensure the safety of patients and staff during the pandemic. Three levels of preventive care should be practised to prevent oral diseases and improve children's oral health in this COVID-19 era. Treatment should be prioritized to patients in urgent needs and aerosol-generating procedures should be minimized.     

Oral health status of children seen at a paediatric neurology clinic in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

The study was carried out to determine oral health status and oral health needs of children presenting at the paediatric neurology clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Diagnosis of each child's disability was performed by the Consultant Paediatric Neurologist. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and previous history of trauma to the orofacial structures for each child were obtained and intraoral examinations were done using WHO guide lines. Sixty-one children were diagnosed within the period of study and highest proportion (44.3%) had epilepsy while 41.0% had cerebral palsy. Prevalence of dental caries and trauma were 11.5% and 39.3% respectively while 72.1% had good oral hygiene. Despite the relatively good oral health of the children under study, periodic dental recall appointments will be beneficial in order to supervise and evaluate oral health when early detection and prevention of lesions can be instituted.     

Applications,functions, and accuracy of artificial intelligence in restorative dentistry: A literature review

Objective

The applications of artificial intelligence (AI) are increasing in restorative dentistry; however, the AI performance is unclear for dental professionals. The purpose of this narrative review was to evaluate the applications, functions, and accuracy of AI in diverse aspects of restorative dentistry including caries detection, tooth preparation margin detection, tooth restoration design, metal structure casting, dental restoration/implant detection, removable partial denture design, and tooth shade determination.

Overview

An electronic search was performed on Medline/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. English-language articles, published from January 1, 2000, to March 1, 2022, relevant to the aforementioned aspects were selected using the key terms of artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, artificial neural networks, convolutional neural networks, clustering, soft computing, automated planning, computational learning, computer vision, and automated reasoning as inclusion criteria. A manual search was also performed. Therefore, 157 articles were included, reviewed, and discussed.

Conclusions

Based on the current literature, the AI models have shown promising performance in the mentioned aspects when being compared with traditional approaches in terms of accuracy; however, as these models are still in development, more studies are required to validate their accuracy and apply them to routine clinical practice. Clinical Significance: AI with its specific functions has shown successful applications with acceptable accuracy in diverse aspects of restorative dentistry. The understanding of these functions may lead to novel applications with optimal accuracy for AI in restorative dentistry.     

The assessment of dentofacial esthetics in restorative dentistry: a review of the literature

BackgroundThe authors conducted a literature review to determine how dentofacial esthetics can be evaluated in restorative dentistry and which quantifiable clinical parameters can be used for this assessment of dentofacial esthetics.Types of Studies ReviewedThe authors selected 35 studies that focused on assessment strategies for dental professionals. The primary inclusion criteria were intraoral and extraoral esthetic assessment methods and indexes or rating scales evaluating esthetics in restorative dentistry.ResultsThe studies' protocols and assessment methods were heterogeneous. The authors grouped the studies into six categories according to topic: golden proportion, soft-tissue measurement, smile and smile line assessment, orofacial indexes and scales, incisor proportion and angulation, and facial esthetics. These categories included various esthetic parameters, including the smile line, lip line, incisal offset, location of dental and facial midline, incisor angulations and width to height ratios of the maxillary anterior teeth, gingival contour, and root coverage and papilla height. These parameters should be considered when providing dental treatment in the anterior area, as they allow for quantification and objective judgment.Clinical ImplicationsThe findings of this review might increase interest in a comprehensive dental esthetic index that allows for objective quantification and intrastudy and interstudy comparison of dental treatment outcomes.     

The etiologies and considerations of dysgeusia: A review of literature

BackgroundDysgeusia is a prevalent qualitative gustatory impairment that may affect food intake and quality of life. The facial (VII), glossopharyngeal (IX), and vagus (X) nerves are the three cranial nerves responsible for sensing taste. Typically, dysgeusia is considered a general term for all taste disorders. In addition, dysgeusia may be a symptom of underlying systemic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, respiratory infections, and nutritional deficiencies. Various subjective and objective diagnostic approaches are available to aid clinicians, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks.HighlightsTaste impairment can lead to a lack of enjoyment while eating, food aversion, and malnutrition, resulting in a decrease in the quality of life and loss of muscle mass. Therefore, the present review aims to address the probable etiologies, diagnostic aids, and management of dysgeusia. A broad search for studies was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. In addition, relevant studies found in the references of the selected articles were also studied.ConclusionOral health care providers should be aware of the possible etiologies of dysgeusia, diagnostic tools, and treatment options. Accurate diagnosis of the cause of taste dysfunction has a significant impact on the management of taste impairment.     

A primer on outcomes in dentistry

Expectations for evidence of "value" on the part of dental care purchasers and growth in the evidence-based dentistry movement are beginning to demonstrate the narrow and incomplete nature of dentistry's knowledge of the outcomes of dental conditions and treatment. In this paper a classification scheme for dental outcomes is described that illustrates the broad range of outcomes information important to patients, health care providers, purchasers, and society. The uses for outcomes information are discussed and suggestions are offered for improving dentistry's knowledge of outcomes through the cooperative involvement of dental research, dental education, and dental practice.     

A review of paediatric oral biopsies in Turkey

OBJECTIVES: To determine the site and prevalence of oral lesions and the age and gender of a paediatric population in Turkey. DESIGN: A review of the archives of pathology departments. SETTINGS: Six pathology departments in Ankara, Turkey. METHODS: This study presents the findings of 472 oral biopsies from patients, up to 15 years of age, received over an eight-year period. The cases represent 5.5 per cent of the total number of reports examined (8,532). The data were revised and compiled for diagnosis site, age and sex. The patients were divided into three age groups according to dentition periods: primary dentition 0-5 years (Group 1), mixed dentition 6-12 years (Group 2), and permanent dentition 13-15 years (Group 3). The lesions were categorised into five major groups as: 1) reactive and inflammatory lesions 2) neoplastic lesions 3) cystic lesions 4) non-neoplastic lesions 5) dermatologic lesions. RESULTS: Inflammatory and reactive lesions formed the largest group of diagnoses (49 per cent) followed by neoplasms (36 per cent) and cystic lesions (12 per cent). Approximately 60 per cent of the biopsies were from the second group patients with an almost equal distribution among sexes. The predominant site of the biopsies was gingiva (28 per cent) followed by lips (19.2 per cent). CONCLUSION: The majority (49 per cent) of the lesions were in the category of reactive and inflammatory lesions with most occurring in the second age group (6-12 years) that represents mixed dentition. The results of the study suggest that the difficulties in maintaining oral hygiene or the presence of trauma may be the primary factor in mucosal lesions occurring in the mixed dentition period.