Journal of Research in Dental and Maxillofacial Sciences
Volume:8 Issue: 2, Spring 2023

As maternal periodontal disease can increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight, this study aimed to investigate the oral health status of pregnant women considering the circumstances during pregnancy and the necessity to keep the mother and baby healthy.  

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 pregnant women referred to perinatal clinics in Kerman city. The participants’ oral health behavior, decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) score, plaque index (PI) and community periodontal index (CPI) were assessed. Data were analyzed by the Chi-square test and multivariate linear regression model using SPSS 21.

Of all, 39.5% had dental problems during pregnancy. Only 5.4% of them presented to a dentist. The participants’ concerns regarding the risks of dental procedures during pregnancy was the most common reason for not seeking dental treatment. The mean PI and DMFT were 0.75±0.48 and 11.29±3.88, respectively.Multivariate analysis showed that the DMFT index score had a significant correlation with age (P=0.001) and educational level (P=0.03). The CPI and gestational age (in weeks) were also significantly correlated (P=0.005).

Due to poor oral health of pregnant women, healthcare planners should provide inter-professional, community-based, and preventive oral health interventions before and during pregnancy.

This study aimed to compare the effects of acetone and ethanolic extracts of Plantago major (P. major) on S. mutans.  

In this in vitro study, the antibacterial effects of eight different concentrations of the acetone and ethanolic extracts of P. major seed were examined on S. mutans, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extracts and the inhibition zone diameter were assessed.

The acetone extract of P. major seed showed a superior antibacterial effect compared with its ethanolic extract, demonstrating antibacterial effect on S. mutans at 1 mg/mL concentration by the cup plate method and a mean growth inhibition zone diameter of 6±0.2 mm. the MIC and MBC of this extract were 0.5 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL, respectively. The ethanolic extract of P. major seed had an antibacterial effect on S. mutans with a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL by the cup plate method with a mean inhibition zone diameter of 8.3±0.1 mm. The MIC and MBC of this extract were 2 mg/mL and 8 mg/mL, respectively. An increase in the diameter of inhibition zone was seen at higher concentrations of both extracts. The mean diameter of growth inhibition zone of chlorhexidine (CHX) was 24 mm.

The present results demonstrated the antibacterial activity of ethanolic and acetone extracts of P. major seed on S. mutans. The acetone extract was more effective than ethanol extract on S. mutans.

Considering the importance of oral health in children, it is important to find factors affecting it. Eating habits, body mass index (BMI), and educational level and socioeconomic status of the parents have been suggested as factors affecting oral health. Two important indices for evaluation of general and oral health of children are the BMI and DMFT/dmft, respectively. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between these two indices in children aged 6-12 years.  

In this descriptive analytical study, 300 children aged 6-12 years were selected among those referred to the Dental Branch of Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Science in 2019-2020 by simple random sampling. The BMI and dmft/DMFT were calculated, and the relationship between them and the effect of influential factors on dental caries score were evaluated. Data were analyzed by the linear regression model at a confidence interval of 95% and 0.05 level of statistical significance.

 The study sample consisted of 168 girls and 132 boys. The mean dmft was 4.66±3.39 and the mean DMFT was 1.44±1.57 Only 11.34% of the children were underweight and 12.66% were obese; while, 60.67% had a normal weight. Oral health and nutritional behaviors of children showed that 71.3% of them brushed their teeth at least once a day and only 22% used dental floss. A correlation was found between BMI and the rate of caries in permanent teeth (P=0.046).

No statistically significant association was observed between dmft/DMFT and BMI of children aged 6-12 years.

Denture stomatitis (DS) is a common oral condition which usually occurs under the maxillary removable complete dentures. Infection by Candida albicans (C. albicans) is considered as the main etiology of this lesion. The aim of the present study was to assess the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients with DS and its improvement after antifungal treatment.   

In the present quasi-experimental study, the patients were classified into three groups with natural teeth, complete denture wearers without DS, and DS group. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire was completed once by the first two groups and twice by the DS group (before and after prescription of 100 mg fluconazole daily for 14 days). Data analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA, Fisher’s exact test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient at a confidence interval of 95%.

A total of 85 patients were included with a mean age of 69.74±7.95 years. The mean OHIP score was significantly lower in the DS group in comparison with the other two groups (P=0.0001). OHRQoL significantly improved after prescription of fluconazole for DS patients (P=0.0001).

It appears that DS disrupts the OHRQoL of the affected patients, and systemic antifungal therapy has the potential to improve it.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) that caused the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is transmitted through close contact via respiratory droplets when an infected patient sneezes, coughs, or talks. Due to close contact with patients, dentists are at higher risk of COVID-19. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and practice of general dentists in Zanjan regarding the COVID-19.  

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 107 general dentists working in Zanjan city in September 2021, simultaneous with the fifth wave of the COVID-19, who were selected by census sampling. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and practice after assessing its reliability and validity. The effect of age, gender, work experience, and place of work on knowledge and practice of dentists was analyzed by one-way ANOVA, independent sample t-test, and Pearson’s correlation test (alpha=0.05).

Of all, 89 questionnaires were returned. The mean age of the participants was 35.9 years, and 77.5% of dentists acquired their knowledge about COVID-19 pandemic through the social networks. The mean knowledge and practice scores of dentists were 70.73±10.67 and 58.51±12.81, respectively (out of 100). Dentists with 5 to 15 years of work experience had the highest level of knowledge (P=0.018). The practice score significantly increased with age (P=0.003). Also, dentists with more than 15 years of work experience acquired higher practice scores (P=0.000)

Dentists' knowledge and practice regarding COVID-19 and its treatment was moderate to high (optimal). However, their knowledge and practice were still far from the ideal level, indicating the need for educational planning to enhance their knowledge and improve their practice to deal with COVID-19.

  This study assessed the effect of crown dimensions on stress distribution in the abutment screw upon loading using three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA).

Eighteen finite element models were designed using Mimics, 3D-Matic, Catia, and ANSYS software programs. Implant models were designed with 8.5-, 10- and 11.5-mm fixture heights, three different vertical cantilever heights of 8, 10, and 12 mm, and two horizontal cantilever lengths of 7 and 14 mm for the mandibular first and second molars. The interaction effect of of 120 N and 20 N loads on the implant and implant crown at the site of first molar, and the interaction effect of 150 N and 25 N loads on the cantilever at the site of second molar were analyzed.

By an increase in horizontal cantilever length, stress in the abutment screw, abutment, and fixture increased in all models. Stress decreased in the abutment screw and increased in the abutment and fixture by an increase in vertical cantilever. Minimum screw stress was recorded in implants with 8.5 mm fixture height, 7 mm horizontal cantilever, and 12 mm vertical cantilever. Maximum screw stress was noted in implants with 11.5 mm fixture height, 14 mm horizontal cantilever, and 8 mm vertical cantilever.

According to FEA, increasing the horizontal and vertical cantilever length may result in an increased risk of screw loosening and fatigue fracture due to increased stress values in the screw or in other components (abutment and fixture), respectively.

Transmission of infectious agents may occur in dental practice. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the knowledge and practice of general dentists, dental specialists, postgraduate students, and undergraduate 5th and 6th year dental students about infection control and prevention of cross-contamination in dental office.  

A total of 155 dental specialists, general dentists, and postgraduate and undergraduate 5th and 6th year dental students participated in this cross-sectional study. The self-administered questionnaire was composed of 2 parts (knowledge and practice). Data were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney tests, one-way ANOVA, t-test and Bonferroni test (alpha =0.05).

No significant difference was found in knowledge about the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS transmission, wearing a mask, and use of protective glasses, shields or gown for each patient, among the participants. A significant difference was found in the practice of study groups regarding the use of protective glasses, shields or gown (P=0.003).

In general, the knowledge of participants about infection control was poor; however, their practice was different and there is a need for further education to enhance the knowledge of dental healthcare providers about infection control.

Considering the significance of oral hygiene maintenance during orthodontic treatment, this study aimed to assess the oral hygiene awareness of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment and evaluate how compliant the patients are to the oral hygiene instructions given to them by dentists.   

 Two researcher-designed questionnaires were used for assessment of oral hygiene awareness. One was given to patients between 12-40 years undergoing orthodontic treatment to assess the oral hygiene awareness of patients, and the other questionnaire was given to general dentists and orthodontists to assess their awareness regarding the provision of patients with ideal oral hygiene instructions. Each questionnaire consisted of 15 questions, and the study was conducted from June 2021 to August 2021. The questionnaires were administered online to 200 orthodontic patients and 200 dentists of various colleges in Tamil Nadu. Both male and female patients were included. The validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by a content validity index of 0.73.

Averagely 40% of patients did not follow the instructions given by their dentists and hence were unaware of oral hygiene maintenance measures during orthodontic treatment. The majority of patients (77%) were compliant to regular monthly appointments. Also, females were more concerned and more aware of how to maintain a good oral health, as compared to males.

In the present study, most patients were compliant to their regular appointment schedules. A considerable number of patients did not follow the instructions given by their dentists and hence remained unaware of oral hygiene maintenance measures during orthodontic treatment.

Multiple studies have shown the common co-occurrence of tinnitus and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). This study assessed the effectiveness of a conservative treatment for TMD signs and symptoms of six patients with tinnitus-related complaints.  

Six patients with persistent non-pulsatile tinnitus were evaluated in this case series. The tinnitus characteristics evaluated included pitch and loudness matching (PMT-LMT), minimum masking level (MML), and residual inhibition (RI). In addition, the Persian versions of the 52-item Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and the Steigerwald/Maher TMD Disability Index (SMTDI) were used. The corresponding TMD treatment plan was subsequently implemented, taking into account the subtype of the disease. The data were statistically analyzed at 0.05 level of significance.

The mean SMTDI score significantly decreased after treatment (P=0.0001) and the symptoms of TMD effectively resolved. Comparison of visual analog scale (VAS) scores of tinnitus patients before and after TMD therapy indicated statistically significant changes (P<0.05) in intensity, irritation, and awareness. Comparison of the mean tinnitus evaluation test scores before and after TMD therapy in tinnitus patients indicated a significant change only in PMT (P=0.039). Comparison of THI and TQ scores before and after TMD therapy revealed significant changes in tinnitus patients (P<0.05).

In case of correct selection of patients with concurrent somatosensory tinnitus and TMD signs and symptoms, TMD therapy might alleviate this condition, according to the present findings. Consequently, a multidisciplinary approach may be useful in treatment of such cases.

Nowadays, facial esthetics has become the main concern for many people. Gummy smile (GS) is a common complaint that affects the esthetics and psychological status of patients. The aim of this study was to review GS treatment options.  

An electronic search was conducted in three databases of PubMed, Wiley and Cochrane Library from January 2015 up to August 2021. According to the eligibility criteria, a total of 41 relevant papers were retrieved and reviewed.

Based on the available data, several techniques have been reported for GS treatment, such as lip repositioning, crown lengthening, orthognathic surgery, laser application, botulinum toxin (BT) injection, hyaluronic acid injection, and micro autologous fat transplantation (MAFT). Combination of two or three of these techniques may yield a better result.

A wide variety of procedures are available based on the cause of GS. The new, less invasive, faster and safer alternative techniques were shown to be feasible with a long-lasting result and minimal postoperative sequelae. Such treatment options for various types of GS can lead to significant improvement in smile esthetics with high patient satisfaction.