ABSTRACT
Background: Several endodontic difficulty assessment forms are available to help dental students and general dentists estimate the difficulty of the case before initiating the endodontic treatment. Objectives: This study aimed to assess if the American Association of Endodontics (AAE) case difficulty assessment form affects the dental student's perception of the difficulty encountered while performing root canal treatment (RCT). Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional online survey. After obtaining IRB approval, an electronic questionnaire was sent to dental students enrolled in the 4th and 5th years at King Saud University (KSU) and King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was divided into informed consent, demographic data, the use of the AAE case assessment form, RCT steps, diagnosis, local anesthesia administration, tooth isolation, and endodontic procedure. Results: A total of 195 dental students participated in the study. There were 101 (52%) females, and 139 (71%) were from KSAU-HS. A positive association was found between students who used the AAE assessment form and who did not with their ability to reach the correct diagnosis (p=0.005), tooth isolation (p=0.03), and endodontic procedure difficulty score (p=0.018). Conclusion: The use of the AAE form by dental students enabled them to differentiate between complicated and uncomplicated cases, thus lowering the difficulty encountered during RCT.
ABSTRACT
Background Psychological stress is a known risk factor and modulator for several oral diseases. It is among the critical etiological factors of bruxism and several other disorders. The quantum of bite force is one of the prime determinants of wear resistance and the clinical performance of restorations. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between the maximum voluntary bite force (MVBF) and the amount of perceived stress experienced by an individual. Materials and methods Patients (n=111) fulfilling the exclusion and inclusion criteria were divided into high, medium, and low-stress groups based on their stress scores deduced from the Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire (PSS). Bite force measurement was recorded in Newtons (N) for each subject using a portable customized bite recording FlexiForce sensor (B 201). The data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and independent samples t-test. Results Among the females, the bite force in the medium and high-stress groups was greater compared to the low-stress level group. On the other hand, there was no difference in bite force between any of the stress level groups among male participants. Conclusion The results show that higher MVBF is associated with higher perceived stress scores in adult females. Practical Implications Psychological counseling can be included in the dental treatment plan of individuals with a high-stress score to counteract their stress-related higher occlusal forces, parafunctional jaw movements, and risky oral health behaviors, thereby potentially reducing the incidence of adverse outcomes such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction and restoration failure by careful choice of restorative materials.
