Current Approaches to Diagnosis of Early Proximal Carious Lesion: A Literature Review.

Integrating technological tools with clinical visual examination for caries detection and diagnosis can improve preventative measures in dentistry, resulting in decreased treatment expenses and reduced time and costs associated with testing potential anticaries agents. This article provides an overview of the conventional and new emerging modern technologies that can assist dental professionals in the early detection and diagnosis of dental caries. These technologies aid in assessing the progression of carious lesions and monitoring them quantitatively or qualitatively over time. Traditional techniques (visual, tactile, and radiographic) have limitations in diagnosing early proximal caries accurately. Novel methods like fluorescence and transillumination, as well as advanced tools like OCT (optical coherence tomography), laser fluorescence, and QLF (quantitative light-induced fluorescence), are effective for early caries detection. Optical methods like fluorescence and transillumination are particularly successful in identifying initial caries stages. Moreover, this review highlights the clinical relevance of these methods and discusses potential future technologies like terahertz imaging and artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches.

A Case Report on Surgical-Orthodontic Correction of Skeletal Class III Malocclusion with Severe Prognathic Mandible and Retrognathic Maxilla.

Mandibular prognathism combined with a retrognathic maxilla is a skeletal discrepancy that is difficult to correct. We report a case of a 25-year-old Saudi male patient with skeletal class-III malocclusion due to severe prognathic mandible who was referred to an orthodontist at Prince Sultan Military Medical City. Complete clinical examination, radiographic assessment, and study models revealed class-III malocclusion due to anteroposterior deficiency of the maxilla and severe prognathic mandible. Orthognathic surgery was performed 18 months after the presurgical orthodontic phase. A 10-mm LeFort I advancement of the maxillary arch, with impaction of 3 mm, was performed with a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) of 11 mm. Stable occlusion and superior aesthetics were observed at the 1-year follow-up. Surgical-orthodontic treatment endows an adult patient with a class-III malocclusion or mandibular prognathism with a stable occlusion and superior aesthetics.

Noise levels encountered in university dental clinics during different specialty treatments.

BACKGROUND: Noise levels encountered during the dental treatments in different departments have deleterious effects on the ears of dental healthcare providers and there is scarcity of data in the literature in Saudi Arabia. Hence, the aim of the study was to determine the noise levels resulting from the usage of different specialty instruments and equipment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to measure the level of noise produced by different specialty instruments and equipment within the dental clinics of the College of Dentistry, Riyadh Elm University (REU), Riyadh. The noise produced during the restorative treatments, endodontics and prosthodontics was recorded objectively using a decibel (dB) meter placed at a distance of 30 cm from the operator's ear. Mean noise levels were calculated and compared among the various specialty treatments using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Furthermore, Tukey's test was applied to perform a pairwise comparison between the groups. RESULTS: An overall noise of 73.83 ± 4.39 dB was found to be generated within the dental clinical setting. A highest sound level of 79.44 ± 2.10 dB was observed during restorative treatment followed by 74.14 ± 3.08, 73.22 ± 1.93, 71.39 ± 3.37 and 70.97 ± 4.70 dB for endodontic, periodontal, and prosthodontic treatments, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed in the noise levels produced from the different specialty treatments (P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The greatest noise level was recorded with the use of the amalgamator in restorative dental treatment. It was inferred that the noise emanating from all the specialty dental treatments was below the hazardous levels. Long-term exposure may, however, have adverse effects on auditory as well as general health.

Efficacy of photodynamic therapy, photobiomodulation and antimicrobial agent on the shear bond strength of composite restorations to hypomineralized teeth.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the adhesive bond strength and fracture analysis of resin based restorations to carious dentin of hypomineralized molars (HMs) after disinfecting with photodynamic therapy (PDT), Nd:YAG and chlorhexidine (CHX). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty carious HM molars were investigated. After removal of all carious infected tissue, the cavities were condition with methylene blue initiated PDT, a 1064 nm wavelength Nd:YAG laser or 2.0% CHX gel. Non-carious dentin from HM was used as a control without performing any disinfection or conditioning technique. All samples were bonded using a one-step one-coat adhesive bond over the dentin surface, packed with composite and light cured. All specimens were subjected to thermocycling at 5°C and 60°C with a dwell time of 30 s for 10,000 cycles. Bonded specimens were placed on a universal testing machine with a flat loading head. The debonded surface were viewed under light optical microscope to estimate the type of failure including adhesive, cohesive, and admixed. RESULTS: The highest mean SBS was seen in the non-carious HM (control group). The mean score for control group was 17.64 ± 2.96 MPa. The lowest bond strength value was displayed for Group-PDT (11.37 ± 3.66 MPa) and Group-Nd:YAG (12.69 ± 2.45 MPa). Affected dentin disinfected with the Group-CHX (15.71 ± 3.04 MPa) bonded with composite showed statistically significantly higher SBS values compared to the laser groups (p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was noted with specimens disinfected with PDT and Nd:YAG laser showed comparable SBS scores (p > 0.05). Fracture analysis showed equal incidence of adhesive and cohesive failures in control group and Group-CHX. Moreover, a significant number of failures in group-PDT were related to adhesive. Whereas in group 4, admixed type failures were common. CONCLUSION: Caries infected hypomineralized teeth demonstrated lower bond strength values compared to non-carious hypomineralized teeth. Adhesive bond strength of hypomineralized teeth was highest with chlorhexidine compared to other laser treatment strategies.

Effectiveness of single versus multiple sessions of photodynamic therapy as adjunct to scaling and root planing on periodontopathogenic bacteria in patients with periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present 6-months' follow-up study was to assess the influence of single versus multiple sessions of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as adjunct to scaling and root planning (SRP) on periodontopathogenic bacteria in patients with periodontitis. METHODS: Forty-five patients with periodontitis were included. The patients were randomly divided into 3 groups. In groups 1 (n = 15), 2 (n = 15) and 3 (n = 15), the patients under went SRP with PDT at (a) baseline; (b) baseline and after 1-month; and (c) baseline and after 1- and 3-months. Peri-implant plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and marginal bone loss (MBL) were measured at baseline and 6-months follow-up. Counts of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans were determined before SRP and at 4- and 6-months follow-up. RESULTS: All patients had grade-B periodontitis. There was no statistically significant difference in age and gender in all groups. At- 6-months' follow-up, patients that underwent SRP once showed significantly higher counts of periodontopathogenic bacteria in the oral biofilm compared with patients that received photobiomodulation twice or three times (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the periodontal parameters and counts of gram-negative bacteria in patients that received photobiomodulation 2 or 3 times. CONCLUSION: At least 2 sessions of PDT following baseline SRP is essential to achieve a significant reduction in the counts of subgingival bacteria in periodontitis patients over a 6-month follow-up period.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward COVID-19 in a Saudi Arabian Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Preventative measures are necessary to control a pandemic such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and different platforms to communicate guidelines have varying levels of effectiveness. Objective At the time of this study, there were no published studies investigating knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19 within the Saudi population. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap in current knowledge and provide baseline data to the government and other health associations for preventive measurements for future outbreaks. Methods This study was conducted among the Saudi population using an online questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed the awareness of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) incubation period, the known symptoms of COVID-19, the mode of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and infection control measures for prevention. Results The study included 6000 participants. Most respondents (84.93%) of the population reported awareness of the virus, 78.78% reported a belief that the virus leads to death, 89.47% reported a belief that 14 days is the incubation period, and 93.73% were aware of the possibility of asymptomatic carriers. Conclusions The Saudi population is aware of the attitudes and practices of prevention as well as the mode of transmission. The efforts by the Ministry of Health were effective in increasing awareness among the Saudi population toward COVID-19.

Impact of Oral Health Education on Oral Health Knowledge of Private School Children in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the early effect of oral health education on oral health knowledge of primary and intermediate school students of private schools by utilizing pre/post questionnaires data from oral health educational projects in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Second, to examine topic-specific knowledge differences between genders, nationalities, and educational levels of the students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional oral health educational data of private school students (n = 1279) in primary and intermediate levels were extracted from the King Salman Centre for Children's Health (KSCCH) projects undertaken by Riyadh Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy. Student's pre- and post-test data were analyzed for changes in oral health knowledge. Overall knowledge score and topic-specific knowledge scores were calculated and the differences between gender, nationality, and educational level were examined using Mann-Whitney U-test. Pre/post change in the oral health knowledge was evaluated by Wilcoxon's sign rank test. RESULTS: Immediately, after oral health educational session high knowledge score category showed an increase of 25.6%, medium and low knowledge score categories showed -3.2% and -22.3% decrease, and this change was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Comparison of correct responses between pre- and post-test showed statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in all the questions except for the timing of tooth brushing. Females, non-Saudi nationals and students in primary level of education showed significantly high mean knowledge (P < 0.001) at posttest assessment. CONCLUSION: Primary and intermediate private school student's overall, and topic-specific oral health knowledge improved immediately after educational intervention provided by KSCCH. High knowledge gain was observed among female non-Saudi primary school students.