Caspian Journal of Dental Research
Volume:12 Issue: 1, Mar 2023

 After the third molars, the maxillary canines are the most frequently impacted teeth. Sella turcica bridging (STB) can be used as a predictive factor to help orthodontists in early diagnosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between palatal canine impaction (PCI) and STB.

 In this case-control study, in available lateral cephalograms and panoramic radiographs of 53 patients with PCI and 53 controls with normal dentition and no impacted canines the dimensions of STB were measured and graded. Grade I (no calcification): The length of the sella is greater than ¾ of its diameter.Grade II (partial calcification): The length of the sella is equal to or less than ¾ of its diameter.Grade III (complete calcification): A separation bridge is clearly visible on the radiograph. The patients and controls were between 12 and 20 years of age. The relationship between STB and PCI was analyzed using the Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test, and Fisher’s exact test. A value of P<0.05 was considered significant.

 There was a significant relationship between STB and PCI (P<0.001). A significant relationship was also found between STB severity grade and PCI (P<0.001). The probability of the presence of Grade II STB in patients with PCI was three times higher than in those with normal dentition. The probability of the presence of Grade III STB in patients with PCI was approximately 46 times higher than in individuals with normal dentition. The length: diameter ratio of the sella turcica was not significantly different between the two groups of patients and controls. No significant relationship was found between gender and STB. 

 The relationship between STB and PCI could be used as diagnostic early indicator to confirm PCI.

Considering that nutrition plays a prominent role in the health of the elderly, oral health and the associated quality of life are very important for a healthy diet. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among the elderly in Amirkola.

 This study was part of the second phase of the Amirkola elderly cohort study conducted on 750 older people who underwent a special oral and dental examination in 2016-2020 using the Oral Health Questionnaire. The frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed with the  Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency  Questionnaire (SQFFQ), OHRQoL was assessed with the  General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), and information on age, sex, history of systemic diseases, and the number of teeth was extracted from the full data set completed by specialists for each patient. Data were analyzed with SPSS 20 using the chi-square statistical test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient. A value of p<0.05 was considered significant.

 Non-smokers and people with a higher level of education had a better OHRQoL (P=0.022 and P=0.036, respectively). There was no significant relationship between the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and OHRQoL, but a significant relationship was found between the frequency of fresh herb consumption and OHRQoL (p=0.005). In men, there was a significant relationship between the number of teeth and frequency of vegetable consumption as well as between OHRQoL and frequency of fresh herb consumption in men (P=0.048, r=0.096).In women, a significant relationship was observed between the frequency of total vegetable consumption and OHRQoL (p=0.021, r=0.129).

According to the results of the present study, it was found that the amount of fruit and vegetable consumption has no effect on improving the OHRQoL among the elderly of Amirkola city.

Nifedipine (NF) is a calcium channel blocker that accelerates wound healing and subsequently relieves pain and discomfort. The aim of the present study was to investigate the local effect of this drug on the wound-healing process of the palate.

In this triple-blind clinical trial study, 31 patients who were referred to the Periodontology Department of Babol Dental School (14 in the experimental group and 17 in the control group) were examined. They were candidates for gingival surgery and needed a palate transplant. Mucotom was used to create identical wounds in the palate (transplant donor). After a free gingival grafting, the active ingredient of 0.3% NF was applied as a mucosal adhesive (made of chitosan) in the area of the graft (palate). Patients were examined and recorded on days 2, 4, 7, 14, and 30 after surgery for wound closure and healing criteria (Landry & Manchester scar scale) and pain (VAS). Sutures were removed on day 7 of the study. Data were analyzed with SPSS 20 and chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The significance level was set at 0.05.

Based on Landry and Manchester criteria, the wound healing process in the two groups was not significant (p=0.125). There was no significant difference between mean wound size reduction and VAS in both treatment and control groups (p=0.253).

Topical NF has no effect on the natural process of healing oral mucosal ulcers and reducing pain.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) broke out in December 2019 and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. The anxiety caused by COVID-19 is extremely critical as it causes delays in dental visits. The aim of this study was to determine dental anxiety during COVID-19.

 This descriptive study was conducted online in February 2022 using a self-designed questionnaire consisting of three sections: questions about dental anxiety, questions about fear of COVID-19, and questions about dental anxiety during COVID-19. The content validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed among the studied subjects. The forms were filled out by all 502 patients. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27. The Chi-square test was used to determine the significance levels of the number of positive responses for each question. A p-value of 0.05 was considered significant. 

 Due to the present pandemic, this study found that patients had a great fear of visiting the dentist because they were afraid that they might contract the disease at the dentist or in a dental office. These results showed that the dentist's explanation of the dental work process was critical in reducing the fear of contracting COVID-19 from the dentist or dental team (p-value < 0.05) and may increase the number of patient visits for dental problems.

 This study illustrates that people's complaints from COVID-19 and other similar conditions are serious. We must always define how we can better serve patients and protect staff because this disease is not the first pandemic and cannot be the last.

The composite resin bond strength to the enamel can be affected by contamination with various agents. Protective gloves are one of the factors which can cause contamination and disruption of the composite resin bond strength to the tooth structure. The aim of this study was to investigate the shear bond strength (SBS) of orthodontic brackets bonded with composite resin to enamel after contamination with powderless latex and nitrile gloves.

A total of 208 orthodontic brackets were bonded on the mesial and distal of 104 intact extracted premolar teeth. The teeth were randomly divided into latex and nitrile groups. Each group was divided into test and control subgroups. In the test groups, the composite resin was placed with latex or nitrile gloves, and in the control group without contact with the gloves on the bracket base. The SBS of the samples was measured in a compressive test machine at a strain rate of 0.5 mm/min. The data were analyzed by independent t-test. The significance level was set at p<0.05.

There was no significant difference in SBS between the latex and nitrile subgroups with or without gloves. There was no significant difference between the latex and nitrile groups and their control groups.

The use of powder-free latex gloves and nitrile gloves does not affect the SBS of composite resins; therefore, they are recommended for dental procedures.

The outcome of orthodontic treatment depends on the malocclusion and the ratio of the size of the upper and lower teeth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the discrepancy of tooth crown size in different groups of malocclusions.

In this cross-sectional study, 165 patients referred to the Orthodontic Department of Babol School of Dentistry were randomly selected. The samples were divided into three skeletal malocclusion groups (55 in each group) according to the ANB angle. The level of anterior and total Bolton ratio in the cases was calculated, and the deviation from normal value of anterior and posterior Bolton was calculated. The results were analyzed using the ANOVA and chi-square test. The significance level was set at p <0.05.

 The sample consists of 80 males and 85 females aged 12 to 25 years. The mean and standard deviation of the anterior tooth ratio were 79.06 ± 2.87 in Cl I, 79.23 ± 3.18 in Cl II, and 80.16 ± 3.71 in Cl III, and there was no significant difference between the mean anterior ratio between the malocclusion groups. The mean and standard deviation of the total Bolton ratio (TBI) were 91.3 ± 2.39 in Cl I, 91.6 ± 2.49 in Cl II, and 92.49 ± 2.64 in Cl III and the difference between the mean total ratio among the groups was statistically significant.

 Based on the results of this study between different groups of malocclusion, clinicians should consider the detailed examination of dental proportions in the diagnosis and treatment planning stage.