Comparative Evaluation of Dimensional and Occlusal Accuracy of Non-Working Antagonist Casts: A Study on Different Impression Materials and 3D Printing.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess and compare the vertical/horizontal dimensions and occlusal accuracy of non-working/opposing casts obtained from three different impression materials and 3D print cast. MATERIAL AND METHODS Dentulous Master models simulating a case of a fixed dental prosthesis were mounted on an articulator (control group). Opposing mandibular casts obtained from three different impression materialsand 3-dimensional print constituted test groups , ,and , respectively. Three points, anterior vertical (AV), posterior vertical (PV), and anteroposterior (AP) were compared for dimensional accuracy among casts. Occlusal accuracy was analyzed on Medit Link software at 3 teeth (#13, #17, and #27). After calculating means for each group, the differences were calculated at probability value of P≤0.05 using the single-sample t test, ANOVA, and Tukey test. RESULTS The dimensions were significantly different from those of the mounted master models except in Gp AL(E) and Gp AL(F) at AV dimension and Gp AL(E) at AP dimension (P>0.05). A statistically significant difference of the error of means among the 4 tested groupswere detected only at 2 dimensions (AV and PV) between the Gp AL(E) and Gp 3D-C and between Gp AL(F) and Gp 3D-C groups. Other groups showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS The opposing casts obtained from the extended-pour alginate and alginate alternative impression materials showed higher occlusal accuracy compared to conventional alginate and 3D printed casts.

Comparative Analysis of Properties in Chairside Silicone Denture Liners versus Heat-Cured Molloplast-B: An In-Depth In Vitro Evaluation.

BACKGROUND We investigated the bond strength, tensile strength, and water absorption properties of 4 widely used chairside silicone long-term denture soft lining materials and compared properties with those of heat-cured silicone material. MATERIAL AND METHODS Four chairside materials (GC Reline Soft, Mucopren Soft, Sofreliner Soft, and Elite Soft Relining) and a heat-cured silicone material (Molloplast B) were investigated. For tensile and shear bond strength and tensile strength, samples were prepared according to the manufacturers' instructions and the testing machine used. For water absorption, IOS 1567 was followed to prepare specimens. Bond strengths were measured using a Lloyd Instruments materials testing machine. Ten specimens for each test were prepared for each soft liner, except for water absorption and solubility tests, for which only 5 specimens were prepared. ANOVA, Bonferroni, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare values of materials and assess changes over time. RESULTS There was strong evidence of differences in the properties between materials. GC Reline Soft showed comparable tensile bond (1.4±0.6 MPa), shear bond (1.1±0.4 MPa), tensile strength (5.44±0.98), water absorption (0.92±0.2 µg/mm³), and solubility values (0.3±0.2 µg/mm3) to that of Molloplast B (1.4±0.4; 1.6±0.5; 4.53±0.9 MPa, 1.7±0.3, and 1.0±0.3 µg/mm³, respectively). The water solubility of Sofreliner Soft was significantly lower (1.5±0.8 µg/mm³) than that of Molloplast B. CONCLUSIONS There were significant differences between some properties of 4 chairside denture soft lining materials and that of Molloplast B, which had higher shear and tensile bond strength than chairside denture silicone soft lining materials but had the highest water solubility.

Effect of partial ferrule on fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth: A meta-analysis of in-vitro studies.

PURPOSE: The present meta-analysis aimed to answer the following research question: In endodontically treated teeth (ETT), what is the effect of partial ferrule (PF) on fracture resistance compared to complete ferrule (CF) and/or no ferrule (NF)? STUDY SELECTION: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies published until May 20, 2022. In vitro studies that compared the effect of partial ferrule with that of complete ferrule and/or no ferrule on fracture resistance of ETT were included. The studies were assessed for risk of bias, and a meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: Seventeen in vitro studies comprising 807 teeth were included. Nine studies were at a high risk of bias and eight presented a moderate risk of bias. Overall, the results showed that CF was superior to PF in increasing fracture resistance (SMD= 0.93, CI95%= 0.57-1.29, P< 0.0001), with no change in the effect based on the type of teeth (P< 0.001). However, the subgroup analysis found that PF 2 mm buccal, lingual, and buccal and lingual ferrule were comparable to CF (P= 0.06). Additionally, the PF group showed significantly higher fracture resistance than the NF group (SMD= 2.02, CI95%= 1.54-2.49, P< 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Although CF design provided the highest fracture resistance to restored ETT, PF can still be a viable option for restoring ETT in cases where CF is not feasible.

Bibliometric analysis and evaluation of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry from 1970 to 2019.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis to determine different aspects of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry is lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this bibliometric study was to analyze the characteristics of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry between 1970 and 2019. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Web of Science Core Collection was used to retrieve 9 categories of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, including keywords and terms used, cited documents published, the countries and organizations of the authors, references, and sources cited during this period. Data were exported to a software program and analyzed for each 10-year period and for the entire 50 years. The highest 10 in each category were reported. Co-occurrence, couthorships, and linkage were also reported. RESULTS: A total of 11 989 records were reached by the search on the Web of Science Core Collection database; of which, 10 638 (92.9%) were included in the analysis. Articles made up 91.1%, of all records, with 217 review documents (1.8%). The most productive decade was 1980 to 1989 with 2936 documents. The total number of citations of all documents (available period 1980 to 2019) including self-citations was 155 112. During the period 1970 to 2019, 14 837 terms were used. The total number of keywords was 4933 (available period 1990 to 2019). There were 15 382 authors, 82 countries, and 2113 organizations identified in articles published in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry during this period, with most from the United States. There were 43 027 authors, 95 324 references, and 14 594 sources cited in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry during the period surveyed. CONCLUSIONS: This bibliometric analysis provided a comprehensive overview of the impactful role of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry in contemporary dentistry, particularly in the field of prosthodontics.

Prevalence of Burnout in Healthcare Specialties: A Systematic Review Using Copenhagen and Maslach Burnout Inventories.

BACKGROUND This systematic review used the Copenhagen (CBI) and the Maslach (MBI) Burnout Inventories and its scales to assess and compare studies that involved students and workers in all medical specialties. MATERIAL AND METHODS PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Wiley Library, and Web of Science databases were searched using keywords and Medical Subject Headings. Identified studies were in English, published between 2008 and 2022, measured the burnout of healthcare workers and students by using CBI and MBI, and observed adverse patient outcomes. RESULTS A total of 38 studies were included in the current review. All included studies assessed and evaluated subjects and participants by observing clinical measures, personal and demographic data, countries where the study was conducted, and study type used. Fifty percent of CBI papers were conducted in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, whereas the majority of MBI papers (10) were conducted in Europe, followed by 9 studies conducted in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries and 6 studies conducted in the USA and Canada. The overall percentage of burnout in CBI studies (53%) was higher than that in MBI studies (35%). Also, the types and domains in CBI were marginally higher than those in MBI. CONCLUSIONS Studies that used CBI scales recorded higher burnout compared with studies that used MBI. Females, higher education levels, and marriage status of the tested subjects showed higher CBI and MBI scale scores in comparison to their counterparts. Higher significant differences percentages in burnout types and genders were recorded in CBI than in MBI.

Assessment of Conventionally and Digitally Fabricated Complete Dentures: A Comprehensive Review.

CAD/CAM technology is gaining popularity and replacing archaic conventional procedures for fabricating dentures. CAD/CAM supports using a digital workflow reduce the number of visits, chair time, and laboratory time, making it attractive to patients. This study aimed to provide a comparative review of complete dentures manufactured using CAD/CAM and conventional methods. The PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases were searched for studies published in English within the last 11 years (from 2011 to 2021). The keywords used were "computer-engineered complete dentures", "CAD/CAM complete dentures", "computer-aided engineering complete dentures", and "digital complete dentures". The search yielded 102 articles. Eighteen relevant articles were included in this review. Overall, computer-engineered complete dentures have several advantages over conventional dentures. Patients reported greater satisfaction with computer-engineered complete dentures (CECDs) due to better fit, reduced chair time, shorter appointments, and fewer post-insertion visits. CAD/CAM allows for precision and reproducibility with fewer procedures compared to conventional dentures. Polymethyl methacrylate is used as the denture base material for conventional dentures. For CECDs, the resin can be modified and cross-linked to improve its mechanical properties. The advantages of CECDs include a reduced number of appointments, saving chairside time, a digital workflow allowing easy reproducibility and greater patient satisfaction with a better fit.

Effect of Miswak Derivatives on Color Changes and Mechanical Properties of Polymer-Based Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufactured (CAD/CAM) Dental Ceramic Materials.

BACKGROUND Miswak is a form of chewing stick used to clean teeth in different parts of the world, including Saudi Arabia. We present a description of the effects of miswak derivatives, namely toothpaste, mouthwash, and brushing sticks, on the mean color changes (DE00), compressive fracture resistance values, and fracture modes of polymer-based computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufactured (CAM) prosthetic materials. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighty-one rectangular-shaped samples were prepared from lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (IPS e.max CAD), zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (Vita Suprinity), and monochromatic tooth-colored feldspar (Vitablocs Mark II) CAD/CAM ceramics. The color parameters were recorded using spectrophotometer before and after exposing the specimens to the different miswak oral hygiene derivatives for 15 days. Compressive fracture resistance values and fracture types were also assessed, and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS Vita Suprinity and Vitablocs Mark II miswak sticks had the highest ΔE00 values. Moreover, miswak mouthwash had the lowest ΔE00 values, with significant differences among groups. IPS e.max CAD miswak sticks had the highest mean values of compressive fracture. Vitablocs Mark II had the lowest values for mouthwash and toothpaste. Significant differences were found within the IPS e.max CAD group. Reparable fractures were found in IPS e.max CAD, while semi-reparable fractures were seen in other groups. CONCLUSIONS Most ΔE00 values were within the acceptable clinical range, with IPS e.max CAD showing superior color stability. The mouthwash group showed minimal ΔE00. IPS e.max CAD had the highest mean compressive fracture resistance values with reparable fracture types.

A Radiographic Study of the Root-to-Crown Ratio of Natural Permanent Teeth in 81 Saudi Adults.

BACKGROUND The ratio between a tooth root and its crown is an essential diagnostic parameter that determines treatment options. This radiographic study used panoramic dental radiographs or orthopantograms to measure the mean root (R)-to-crown (C) ratios (R/C) of the permanent teeth in 81 Saudi adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 81 panoramic radiographs of Saudi adult patients (40 males and 41 females) previously treated in the College of Dentistry, Saudi Arabia, aged 16-35 years, were selected. The crown height and root length for each tooth were measured on the digital panoramic radiographs. The correlation coefficient (intra-class) was calculated to assess the intra-examiner reproducibility and a good agreement was achieved (ICC=0.79-0.89). RESULTS For both males and females, the highest mean R/C ratio was for maxillary canine (1.91) and for mandibular second premolar (2.0) while the lowest R/C ratio was for maxillary first molar (1.64) and for mandibular central incisor (1.59). Except for the maxillary second premolar, no significant differences in R/C ratios were observed for maxillary arch. In the mandibular arch, the R/C ratio for lateral incisor, both premolars, and molars differed significantly (P<0.05). Among males, statistically significant differences between teeth existed in R/C ratios for central and lateral incisors, second premolar, and both molars (P>0.05). For females, significant differences between teeth in R/C ratios were observed for both premolars and both molars (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study supports the findings from previous studies that orthopantograms can be used to calculate root/crown ratios, which varies between males and females and the dental arch among Saudi adults.

Sensitizing Family Caregivers to Influence Treatment Compliance among Elderly Neglected Patients-A 2-Year Longitudinal Study Outcome in Completely Edentulous Patients.

Healthcare workers have reported a certain segment of geriatric patients that are suffering from abuse/neglect, which in turn has been associated with anxiety, depression, and helplessness in the individual. Family caregivers (blood relations), being the most common perpetrators of elder abuse and neglect (EAN), have also been shown to respond to sensitization if the type of EAN and the interventions are appropriate. This study was aimed to comparatively analyze the influence of intervention (psychotherapeutic sensitization of FCG) upon long-term (24 months) treatment maintenance and satisfaction in elderly neglected patients. One hundred and fifty patients (aged 41-80 years) suffering from elder neglect (EN) (self-confession) and their respective FCGs, fulfilling the study criteria, participated in this longitudinal 2-year study. The patients were randomly distributed (simple random, convenient) in two equal groups (75 each), namely Group (GP) A (control) and GP B (test). A standardized, complete denture treatment was initiated for all the participants. Both the FCGs and the patients of GP B were sensitized (psychotherapeutic education) for EN, while there was no such intervention in GP A. The influence of such intervention was measured for denture maintenance [denture plaque index (DPI) scores] and treatment satisfaction (10-point visual analog scale). Absolute/relative frequencies and means were major calculations during data analysis. Differences between the groups for any treatment compliance parameter was done through the unpaired t-test, while Karl Pearson's test determined the level of relationship between variables (p-value < 0.05). Decrease in mean DPI scores (suggesting improvement) was seen among patients in GP A from 1 month (m = 2.92) to 24 months (m = 2.77). A negligible increase in DPI scores was observed among patients of GP B from 1 month (m = 1.38) to 24 months (m = 1.44). Differences in mean values between the two groups were statistically significant at 24-month intervals, while the relationship between the variables was nonsignificant. FCG sensitization through psychotherapeutic education shows a long-term positive influence on the treatment compliance (maintenance and satisfaction). Identifying the existence of EAN among geriatric patients, followed by psychotherapeutic education of FCGs is recommended for routine medical and dental long-duration treatment procedures.

Socket-shield Technique: A Systematic (Scoping) Review of Case Series and Case Reports.

AIM: The present study is aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the socket-shield technique (SST) and immediate implant placement (IIP) as the treatment of choice for the stabilization of soft and hard tissues at the extraction site and correlate with patient-related and implant-related factors. METHODOLOGY: An electronic search was performed on Cochrane, EBSCO host, Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Wiley Library, Google website search, and Web of Science databases from January 2010 to September 2021. The search terms used were "socket-shield technique," "modified SST," "root membrane technique," "pontic shield technique," and "immediate implant." Case report and case series, both retrospective and prospective in nature, where SST procedures were done with IIP after tooth extraction were considered for the study. However, clinical trials on animals and studies with less than 3-month follow-up after implant placement were not considered for the study. The studies were collected, analyzed, and tabulated for further analysis to evaluate the aim and objectives of the study. RESULTS: Preliminary search identified through databases resulted in 350 articles, which on further screening led to exclusion of 299 articles based on the selection criteria. Therefore, 51 articles were considered for the final analysis which comprised 11 case studies and 40 case reports. With a wide age-group, the maxillary anterior region was the site of choice for the SST with IIP when compared to the posterior region. Better adaptability, maintenance of ridge contour, and good success rate followed by limited complications were observed among case series and reports. CONCLUSION: SST was successful in providing stability, esthetics, with lesser marginal bone loss and higher pink esthetic scores. However, well-designed prospective case series are few in number; thereby insufficient data on its reliability and longtime stability limit its application. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: SST provides a promising result and better esthetic outcome with minimal requirement of soft tissue grafts, thereby increasing its popularity and its application. However, further studies with a larger sample size and effective clinical research designs with a follow-up period are a requirement to establish the procedure and its reliability.

Link between perceived oral and general health status among Yemeni adult dental patients.

BACKGROUND: Self-perceived health is an essential measure of health status and even a paramount predictor of mortality. So long as it is said that oral health (OH) and general health (GH) are mirrors to each other. This study sought to determine how Yemeni adults rate their OH and GH, whether such a self-rating influenced by some potential risk factors, and whether both ratings (OH and GH) are correlated. METHODS: A sample of 587 Yemeni dental patients aged 20 years and over were consecutively recruited. A structured interview form was used covering the following variables: age, gender, marital status, educational level, presence of dental prosthesis (DP), smoking and Qat chewing habits as independent variables, along with questions on "perceived oral health (POH)" and "perceived general health (PGH)" as dependent variables. The bivariate and multiple ordinal regression analyses were applied at P-value < 0.05. RESULTS: Most of participants were women (73.6%), and married (71.4%), and more than half of them were young adults (58.2%), with high educational levels (53.3%), and not having DP. Only 310 participants responded to the questions on smoking and Qat chewing habits. Of these, 88.5% were non-smokers and 62.1% were Qat non-chewers. Up to 50% of the participants reported their POH as poor or fair, while lower proportions of participants (17%) reported their PGH as such. Younger age (compared to elders), high education levels (compared to primary education) and being single (compared to married) significantly revealed better levels of POH, while high education levels and being females significantly revealed better levels of PGH. Smoking and Qat chewing habits were found to have no effect on the perception of POH or PGH. POH and PGH were found to be significantly correlated (r = 0.486; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Higher levels of oral health problems can be anticipated among patients who perceive poor general health, and vice versa. The age, marital status and education were independent determinants of POH, while the gender and education were independent determinants of PGH.

Effect of Luting Cements On the Bond Strength to Turkom-Cera All-Ceramic Material.

BACKGROUND: The selection of the appropriate luting cement is a key factor for achieving a strong bond between prepared teeth and dental restorations. AIM: To evaluate the shear bond strength of Zinc phosphate cement Elite, glass ionomer cement Fuji I, resin-modified glass ionomer cement Fuji Plus and resin luting cement Panavia-F to Turkom-Cera all-ceramic material. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Turkom-Cera was used to form discs 10mm in diameter and 3 mm in thickness (n = 40). The ceramic discs were wet ground, air - particle abraded with 50 - µm aluminium oxide particles and randomly divided into four groups (n = 10). The luting cement was bonded to Turkom-Cera discs as per manufacturer instructions. The shear bond strengths were determined using the universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The data were analysed using the tests One Way ANOVA, the nonparametric Kruskal - Wallis test and Mann - Whitney Post hoc test. RESULTS: The shear bond strength of the Elite, Fuji I, Fuji Plus and Panavia F groups were: 0.92 ± 0.42, 2.04 ± 0.78, 4.37 ± 1.18, and 16.42 ± 3.38 MPa, respectively. There was the statistically significant difference between the four luting cement tested (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: the phosphate-containing resin cement Panavia-F exhibited shear bond strength value significantly higher than all materials tested.

Effect of Surface Treatments on the Bond Strength to Turkom-Cera All-ceramic Material.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of surface treatments on shear bond strength (SBS) of Turkom-Cera (Turkom-Ceramic (M) Sdn. Bhd., Puchong, Malaysia) all-ceramic material cemented with resin cement Panavia-F (Kuraray Medical Inc., Okayama, Japan). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty Turkom-Cera ceramic disks (10 mm × 3 mm) were prepared and randomly divided into four groups. The disks were wet ground to 1000-grit and subjected to four surface treatments: (1) No treatment (Control), (2) sandblasting, (3) silane application, and (4) sandblasting + silane. The four groups of 10 specimens each were bonded with Panavia-F resin cement according to manufacturer's recommendations. The SBS was determined using the universal testing machine (Instron) at 0.5 mm/min crosshead speed. Failure modes were recorded and a qualitative micromorphologic examination of different surface treatments was performed. The data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) tests. RESULTS: The SBS of the control, sandblasting, silane, and sandblasting + silane groups were: 10.8 ± 1.5, 16.4 ± 3.4, 16.2 ± 2.5, and 19.1 ± 2.4 MPa respectively. According to the Tukey HSD test, only the mean SBS of the control group was significantly different from the other three groups. There was no significant difference between sandblasting, silane, and sandblasting + silane groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, the three surface treatments used improved the bond strength of resin cement to Turkom-Cera disks. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The surface treatments used in this study appeared to be suitable methods for the cementation of glass infiltrated all-ceramic restorations.

Effect of Intermixing Brands on the Dimensional Accuracy of Master Cast using Putty-wash Impression Technique.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intermixing brands of addition silicone impression materials on the dimensional accuracy of stone models using two-step putty-wash technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two common brands of addition silicone impression material (Express and Aquasil) were used in this study. A total of 40 impressions of a stainless steel model simulating a three-unit bridge were made, 10 impressions for each group. Accuracy was assessed by measuring two dimensions (inter-abutment and intra-abutment) on stone models obtained from impressions of the stainless steel model. Each sample was measured thrice and the mean value was calculated. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe's post hoc test. RESULTS: The results indicated that each of the inter-abutment and intra-abutment dimensions of the stone models was significantly higher than those for the stainless steel model (p < 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in each of the inter-abutment and intra-abutment dimensions of the stone models among the four tested groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results obtained were statistically analyzed and the values of the inter-abutment and intra-abutment dimensions were all within the clinically acceptable range. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Intermixing brands of additional silicone impression materials evaluated in this study did not affect the dimensional accuracy of obtained stone casts. This will help to minimize the wastage of materials due to lack of either light or putty consistency of the same brand of additional silicone impression material.

Dental prosthetic status and treatment needs of adult population in Jizan, Saudi Arabia: A survey report.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to evaluate and compare the dental prosthetic status and treatment needs of adult population in Jizan, Saudi Arabia, in relation to the age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1779 people aged 35-74 years from 4 survey areas (Hay al matar, Mahata khams, Dara ut tawhid, and Suq ad dakhili) selected through convenient sampling, around Jizan University, were surveyed, using the WHO survey criteria, 1997. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Number and percentages were calculated, and univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square test at 5% level of significance. RESULTS: Different forms of prosthesis were present among patients in the upper (19.9%) and lower (19%) arches, respectively. Prosthetic treatment need was recognized in subjects, 56.4% for the upper and 57.2% for the lower arches, respectively. The prosthetic status and treatment needs differed statistically with respect to age. CONCLUSION: More than half of the surveyed adult populations were in need of some or the other forms of prosthesis. This study provides data for an oral health-care provider program for Jizan.

"Education level" responsible for inequities in oral practices among 15-34-year-old individuals in Jizan, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Education plays an important role and is a second major (non-medical dimensional) factor influencing the health status. Individuals demonstrate oral practices that impact the oral health positively or negatively. This study analyzes how self-reported oral practices are influenced by different educational levels among young adults in Jizan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey was conducted in four areas around University of Jizan. The survey subjects, aged between 15 and 34 years, completed the self-administered, structured questionnaire. Inter-group comparison was done using Chi-square test. Level of significance was fixed at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Exactly 1597 subjects completed the survey. Of these, 644 (40.3%) had attained higher education, 884 (55.4%) had lower education, and 69 (4.3%) were illiterate. Statistical comparisons showed significant differences among the three groups with respect to the use of toothbrushes (χ(2) = 88.67, P < 0.001), use of interdental cleaning aids (χ(2) = 15.04, P < 0.001), siwak use (χ(2) = 16.31, P < 0.001), cigarette smoking (χ(2) = 14.28, P < 0.001), and khat chewing (χ(2) = 38.1, P < 0.001). Siwak use was more among those with low educational level and illiterates. Further, smoking and khat chewing were significantly more prevalent among illiterates. CONCLUSION: The subjects with low education and the illiterates exercise harmful oral practices. This study indicates that educational level is responsible for inequities in oral practices.