Journal of Islamic Dental Association of IRAN
Volume:30 Issue: 2, Spring 2018

Considering the importance of the clinical significance of the elongated styloid process, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and pattern of calcification and elongation of the styloid process on digital panoramic radiographs of an Iranian population.
This study was conducted on 500 digital panoramic radiographs of patients over 18 years old with visible styloid processes. The length of styloid processes was measured by software, and the length>30mm was considered as elongated. Prevalence and pattern of elongation and calcification were determined according to the classification proposed by Langlais. The associations of age, sex, and the jaw side of elongation was determined using generalized estimating equations with exchangeable matrix and binary logistic model.
Elongation of styloid process was observed in 177 (17.7%) of 1000 evaluated processes were elongated. The Type I pattern of elongation (n=80, 45%) and type A pattern of calcification (n=69, 39%) had the highest frequency. Although the prevalence of elongation seemed to be higher in males, the difference was not significant (P=0.11). No significant association was observed between the side of jaw and elongation (P=0.54). Elongation was more common in the 40-59-year-old group compared to The prevalence of elongated styloid process often considered as an anatomical variation and has been reported differently in the literature. Dentists should pay more attention to it during clinical examination especially in the case of pain in head and neck.

Implant site preparation with minimal trauma is an important factor in success of implant treatment and has a great effect on osseointegration. Piezoelectric bone surgery was introduced as a modern technique for micrometric osteotomy with precise, controllable action. Preservation of osteoblast cell viability is critical to achieve successful osseointegration. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of two implant site preparation methods on cell viability of bone particles collected during osteotomy.
In this clinical trial, 45 samples of bone chips were collected during implant site preparation by conventional drilling and 45 samples were collected by piezosurgery. Cell viability of bone chips collected by osteotomy was evaluated using MTS kit in both groups. Data were analyzed by t-test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test via SPSS version 21 software.
Findings showed that the percentage of cell viability in the piezosurgery group (54.40%±7.71%) was greater than that in the conventional drilling group (29.93%±6.08%) and this difference was statistically significant (P=0.000).
Findings of the present study show that bone particulates collected by piezoelectric system have greater potential for longevity than those collected by conventional rotary system and can enhance bone healing around implants and result in successful osteointegration.

Preeclampsia is a considerable complication of pregnancy. Chronic inflammations such as periodontitis may lead to a transient low-grade bacteremia in the maternal-fetal circulation, inducing systemic immune responses, placental abnormalities, and other clinical manifestations of preeclampsia. There are inconsistent findings regarding the correlation between periodontitis and preeclampsia. The aim of this study was to compare periodontal parameters in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women.
This case-control study was conducted among pregnant women visiting Akbarabadi Teaching Hospital, Tehran, Iran, for specialized care during 2015-16. From among 260 pregnant women, 100 with gestational hypertension were selected as the case group, and 100 without gestational hypertension were recruited as the control group. The examined periodontal parameters included Probing Depth (PD), Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL), Bleeding on Probing (BOP), and Plaque Control Record (PCR). The participant's demographic data, prenatal history, and family history were collected through interviewing and assessing their medical records. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test.
Although there were significant statistical differences between the groups with regards to the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of PD (P The present study did not support the theory of the relationship between periodontal parameters and preeclampsia.

Previous studies revealed improved enamel caries resistance after laser irradiation. Present in vitro study evaluated the effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser with or without topical fluoride application on microhardness of primary enamel after artificial demineralization.
In this in vitro study, 35 primary molars with sound surfaces were bisected and randomly divided into seven groups of 10 specimens. In group F, 5% sodium fluoride varnish was applied while in group L1 and L2, Er,Cr:YSGG laser with the energy level of 0.25 W and 0.5 W was used, respectively. In group F/L1 and F/L2, application of fluoride varnish was followed by utilizing the Er,Cr:YSGG laser with the energy level of 0.25 W and 0.5 W respectively. Whereas, in groups L1/F and L2/F, the order of fluoride varnish and laser was reversed. After treatment, specimens were kept in distilled water for 24 h followed by a pH-cycling. Microhardness of each specimen was measured before treatment and after pH-cycling. The Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used for statistical analysis.
The impact of different treatments on the microhardness value was not significant among the tested groups (P=0.89).
Our findings revealed that combination of Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation and application of topical fluoride have no superiority over either laser irradiation or fluoride application alone in increasing microhardness of primary teeth enamel, regardless of order of treatments or laser power.

Prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease is an important health priority. Oral health instruction can help to achieve this goal. This study sought to assess the effect of a short-term, targeted, well-structured comprehensive oral health instruction on the level of the knowledge and behavior of patients.
This study was conducted on 120 patients who were randomly divided into two groups of case and control (n=60). The control group received routine oral health instructions, while the case group received a two-session comprehensive, well-structured oral health instruction provided by trained dental hygienists. The level of the knowledge in the two groups was assessed before and after the intervention using a questionnaire. To assess the effect of the instructions on the oral health behavior of the patients, bleeding on probing (BOP) and periodontal pocket depth (PPD) were measured before and after the instructions. Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations (GEE).
The level of knowledge, PPD, and BOP were not significantly different between the two groups at the baseline (P>0.05). There were significant differences in the level of knowledge (P=0.02), PPD (P=0.03), and BOP (P=0.03) between the two groups after the intervention such that the patients in the case group experienced a reduction in PPD by 2 mm, while BOP decreased by 45%, and knowledge was enhanced by 16% in the case group, compared to the control group, two months after the intervention.
Well-structured, targeted, comprehensive short-term oral health instructions can greatly enhance the knowledge and change the behavior of patients.

Oral focal mucinosis (OFM) is the soft tissue counterpart of cutaneous fo-cal mucinosis (CFM) and is often misdiagnosed as an oral myxoma. OFM occurs during the fourth and fifth decades of life, predominantly in women (two females per male).
Case Report: A 22-year-old lactating female presented with a growing painless, sessile tumor with pale pink color and a lobulated surface with ulcers at the depths of interlobular fissures in the premolar-molar area of the left mandibular alveolar ridge, dating back one year. The tumor was completely excised. No recurrence was observed during the follow-ups over the next three years.
The current case appears to be the only one with an OFM reported during the breastfeeding period; therefore, the role of hormonal factors in the pathogenesis of the lesion should be taken into consideration.