Prevalence of and factors associated with enamel fracture and other traumas in Brazilian children 8-10 years old

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and discriminate the associated factors between enamel fractures and other trauma/trauma sequelae in 8 to 10-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren. A representative sample of 1,201 children from public and private schools were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Questionnaires about sociodemographic characteristics were answered by parents. The outcome variable (traumatic dental injury, TDI) was multi-categorized. Independent individual variables were sex, age, number of residents in household, parents/caregivers' level of education, family income, dental caries, and overjet. Type of school was considered an independent contextual variable. Multilevel analysis, bivariate, and multivariate multinomial logistic regression models were performed. The prevalence of TDI was 14.0% (2.8% with other trauma/trauma sequelae). The multilevel analysis revealed no significant difference between the type of school and TDI. The multinomial logistic regression showed that boys (OR = 2.3; 95%CI: 1.1-4.8), older children (OR = 1.8; 95%CI: 1.1-3.0) and individuals with an overjet > 3 mm (OR = 2.5; 95%CI: 1.0-6.2) were more likely to present other trauma/trauma sequelae. Enamel fracture was not significantly associated with any variables. The prevalence of TDI in 8 to 10-year-old schoolchildren was 14% but only 2.8% of other trauma/trauma sequelae. Differences regarding the associated factors of TDI involving enamel fracture or other trauma/trauma sequelae were detected, suggesting that the different TDI classification cannot be evaluated as a single category.

Dental caries and social factors: impact on quality of life in Brazilian children

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of dental caries and social determinants in the Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of children in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. This is a population-based cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 1,204 children aged 8 to 10 years randomly selected from 19 public and private schools. The children were clinically examined at school by two trained and calibrated examiners (Kappa = 0.78 - 1.00). The Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth Index (DMF-T and dmf-t) was used for the diagnosis of dental caries. The social factors were determined by parents’/caregivers’ schooling, household income, number of people in the household, type of school, and by the Social Vulnerability Index. The Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire for ages 8 to 10 years was used to assess the impact on quality of life. A total of 278 (23.1%) out of 1,204 children had at least one cavitated carious lesion and 47.0% presented a negative impact on OHRQoL. In the final multivariate Poisson’s regression model, household income and presence of untreated dental caries were statistically associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL (p < 0.001).Children with dental caries and from low-income families had a higher negative impact on OHRQoL.

Evaluation of the dental structure loss produced during maintenance and replacement of occlusal amalgam restorations

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate four different approaches to the decision of changing or not defective amalgam restorations in first primary molar teeth concerning the loss of dental structure. Ditched amalgam restorations (n = 11) were submitted to four different treatments, as follows: Control group - polishing and finishing of the restorations were carried out; Amalgam group - the ditched amalgam restorations were replaced by new amalgam restorations; Composite resin group - the initial amalgam restorations were replaced by composite resin restorations; Flowable resin group - the ditching around the amalgam restorations was filled with flowable resin. Images of the sectioned teeth were made and the area of the cavities before and after the procedures was determined by image analysis software to assess structural loss. The data were submitted to ANOVA complemented by the Student Newman Keuls test (p < 0.05). The cavities in all the groups presented significantly greater areas after the procedures. However, the amalgam group showed more substantial dental loss. The other three groups presented no statistically significant difference in dental structure loss after the re-treatments. Thus, replacing ditched amalgam restorations by other similar restorations resulted in a significant dental structure loss while maintaining them or replacing them by resin restorations did not result in significant loss.

Academic trajectories of dental researchers receiving CNPq's productivity grants

The present study analyzed the profile of dental researchers receiving grants related to their productivity in research from the Brazilian National Research and Development Council (CNPq). Data collection was carried out in March 2008, using the Brazilian database for curriculum vitae (Lattes Format). There were 144 researchers registered in the database and linked to 25 institutions. These researchers published a total of 12,997 full-text articles, 6,927 of which were published in the last 5 years. Category 1 grant holders (n=77) were responsible for 53.5 percent of this production; Category 2 grant holders (n=65) were responsible for 45.1 percent; Senior grant holders (n=2) were responsible for 1.4 percent. Regarding institutional affiliation, 90.3 percent of the research grants holders develop activities at public institutions and 9.7 percent develop activities in private institutions. Furthermore, 84.0 percent of the researchers are linked to institutions located in the southeast region of Brazil and 75.0 percent of the researchers perform their activities in the state of São Paulo. This study performed a mapping of the distribution of CNPq researchers, revealing a concentration in the southeast region of the country, especially in the state of São Paulo. The findings of the present study also demonstrate the important contribution of grant holders to the scientific production in dentistry in Brazil.

Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar o perfil dos pesquisadores de Odontologia, bolsistas de produtividade em pesquisa, do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento e Pesquisa (CNPq). A coleta dos dados foi realizada em março de 2008, a partir da base de dados do curriculum vitae (Plataforma Lattes). Observou-se que estavam registrados 144 pesquisadores vinculados a 25 instituições brasileiras de ensino e pesquisa. Esses pesquisadores publicaram um total de 12.997 artigos completos, sendo 6.927 produzidos nos últimos 5 anos. Os bolsistas da categoria 1 (n=77) foram responsáveis por 53,5 por cento dessa produção, os da categoria 2 (n=65) por 45,1 por cento e os bolsistas seniores (n=2) por 1,4 por cento. Em relação ao vínculo institucional, 90,3 por cento dos pesquisadores bolsistas desenvolvem suas atividades em instituições públicas e 9,7 por cento em instituições privadas. Observou-se ainda que 84,0 por cento dos pesquisadores estão vinculados a instituições localizadas na região sudeste do Brasil, sendo que do total dos pesquisadores, 75,0 por cento atuam no Estado de São Paulo. Este estudo demonstrou a importante contribuição dos bolsistas para a produção científica da área. Ademais, possibilitou o mapeamento da distribuição desses pesquisadores, evidenciando a concentração dos mesmos na região sudeste do país, especialmente no Estado de São Paulo.