The effects of chronic pain on oral health related quality of life in patients with anterior disc displacement with reduction.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chronic pain on oral health related quality of life (oral QoL) in patients with anterior disc displacement with reduction (DDwR). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients who had disc displacement with reduction (DDwR, F/M: 23/14, median age: 29, range: 23-49) were selected. These patients had chronic pain and had not been undergoing any treatment protocols for the previous six months. Age- and gender-matched healthy subjects healthy control, F/M: 23/14, mean age: 33.0 +/- 15.7 years) were used as a control group. Data were collected by means of a clinical examination and a questionnaire about pain status which included a jaw disability checklist RDC/TMD (Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders). Pain status was scored between 0 (no pain) and 10 (poor pain status) by the patients. Oral health related quality of life (oral QoL) over the previous six months was evaluated by an oral health impact profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire. RESULTS: OHIP-14 score was significantly higher in patients with DDwR (median:17, min-max:6-39) than healthy controls (9, 0-18) (p = 0.000). The median duration of orofacial pain was 12 (range 7-120) months. Statistically significant correlations were observed between OHIP-14 score and the worst pain intensity in the past six months (7, 0-10) (r = 0.5 p = 0.007) and average pain intensity in the past six months (5.5, 1-10) (r = 0.4 p = 0.018). In addition, an increase in OHIP-14 score was observed in patients experiencing difficulty in smiling/laughing, cleaning their teeth or face, swallowing or talking, according to the jaw disability checklist (p = 0.042, p = 0.001, p = 0.023 and p = 0.007, respectively). CONCLUSION: Poor oral QoL was related to chronic pain and limitations in jaw function in patients with DDwR.

A composite index for determining the impact of oral ulcer activity in Behcet's disease and recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

BACKGROUND: Although number, frequency and healing time of oral ulcers and pain are generally used for clinical practice and studies in Behcet's disease (BD) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), no standardized activity index is currently present to monitor clinical manifestations associated with oral ulcers. The aim of this study was to develop a standardized composite index (CI) to assess oral ulcer activity in BD and RAS. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 121 patients with BD and 45 patients with RAS were included. Sixty-five percentage of BD and 68.9% of RAS patients were in active stage during the previous 3 months. The developed CI included the presence of oral ulcers, ulcer-related pain and functional status and was evaluated in patients with both active and inactive disease for content validity. RESULTS: Composite index score was observed to be higher in active patients with RAS (6.94 + or - 2.19) compared with active BD patients (6.01 + or - 2.04) (P = 0.04). The number of oral ulcers and healing time of oral ulcers were significantly higher in RAS compared with BD (P = 0.018, P = 0.001 respectively). CI score correlated with the number of oral ulcers in both BD and RAS (P = 0.000, P = 0.002 respectively). CI score was '0' for inactive patients without oral ulcer in BD and RAS. CONCLUSIONS: The presented CI as an oral ulcer activity index seems to be a reliable and suitable tool for evaluating the clinical impact and disease-specific problems in BD and RAS.

Spiral computed tomographic demonstration of C-shaped canals in mandibular second molars.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of C-shaped canals in single rooted mandibular second molars with spiral computed tomographic imaging in detail. METHODS: One hundred and twelve single-rooted mandibular second molar samples were selected from 491 extracted mandibular second molars. The teeth were scanned by spiral computed tomographic technique to examine canal configurations. RESULTS: The evaluation criteria of the shape of roots was based on Manning's category as round, oval and C-shaped. The prevalence of C-shaped canals was found to be 8.1% in mandibular second molars. The evaluation of the root canal configurations of C-shaped mandibular second molars with single roots (40 teeth) was based on Vertucci's classification. Vertucci type I canals were most frequently seen in C-shaped mandibular second molars (40%). Additionally, we disclosed three additional canal types. CONCLUSION: Results of this study demonstrated that high resolution visualization of the root canal shape can be achieved by spiral computed tomographic imaging.

Prevalence and distribution of oral lesions: a cross-sectional study in Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of oral lesions (OLs) in Turkish population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 765 residents (F/M: 375/390) were selected by the cluster sampling method and examined according to WHO criteria. RESULTS: Excessive melanin pigmentation (6.9%) was the most common lesion in the study population. The tongue lesions observed in this study were as follows: fissured tongue (5.2%), varices (4.1%), hairy tongue (3.8%), geographic tongue (1.0%), atrophic tongue papillae (0.7%) and ankyloglossia (0.3%). The denture-related lesions were denture stomatitis (4.3%), suction irritation (0.8%), denture hyperplasia and torus palatinus as bony lesion (0.5%) and traumatic ulcers (0.3%). In regression analysis, being 65 years old and over was found as a statistically significant risk factor for the occurrence of pigmentation, fissured tongue, varices, hairy tongue, denture stomatitis and petechiae (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pigmentation, fissured tongue and denture stomatitis were observed to be the most common lesions in Turkish population. Elderly population was a significant risk factor for occurrence of some OLs.

Effect of carbamide peroxide bleaching agents on the physical properties and chemical composition of enamel.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of two commercially available carbamide peroxides bleaching agents, Opalescence and Nite-White, in concentrations of 10, 15 and 16%, on enamel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Vickers hardness measurements (VH) were made at the surface and 110 microns below the surface on human enamel samples that were treated for 5 or 10 days, 6 hrs/day. Furthermore, infrared spectrophotometry (IR), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were performed after the VH measurements were completed. RESULTS: Using a one-way ANOVA, statistically significant differences in VH could be established between surface and subsurface VH values. For all groups, including the control group, the surface VH values were statistically significantly higher than subsurface VH. IR, FTIR and XRD established a change from hydroxyapatite to primary calcium ortho phosphate [Ca(H2PO4)2] for all experimental groups except for 10% Opalescense tested for 5 or 10 days.

Fusion of the permanent maxillary right incisor to a supernumerary tooth in association with a gemination of permanent maxillary left central incisor: a dental, genetic and dermatoglyphic study.

The relationship between fusion of the permanent maxillary right central incisor to a supernumerary tooth in association with gemination of permanent maxillary left central incisor and dermatoglyphics were investigated.

Root canal morphology of maxillary premolars.

The objective of this study was to investigate further internal anatomy of maxillary premolars. Six hundred recently extracted maxillary first and second premolar teeth were used in this study. One-half of the teeth were maxillary first premolars, the other half were maxillary second premolars. The teeth were stored in 10% formalin solution, and a standard clearing technique was applied with some modifications. Finally, ink-dyed root canal systems were evaluated by a dissecting light microscope. Each tooth was examined as to the number of roots and root canals and their types, ramifications of the main root canals, and location of apical foramina and transverse anastomoses. Examination of the root canal systems of the teeth was based on Vertucci's classification. The incidence of type I canals (one canal) for the maxillary first premolars was 8.66%, whereas 89.64% of the total samples demonstrated two canals (from type II to type VII). Only 1.66% of maxillary first premolars were type VIII or type IX (three canals). Regarding maxillary second premolars, the incidence of type I (one canal) was 48.66%, whereas it was 50.64% for type II to type VII (two canals). Type VIII (three canals) was found in 0.66% of the total sample.

The degrees and configurations of mesial canal curvatures of mandibular first molars.

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency, degree of curvature, and the configuration of mesiobuccal and mesiolingual root canals of mandibular first molars. The degree of curvature and configuration of root canals creates some technical difficulties to the clinician during biomechanical preparation. Therefore this knowledge is essential for successful endodontic therapy. Six hundred and ninety-seven freshly extracted mandibular first molars were used in this study. After introducing 0.8 to 15 K reamers into the mesial root canals, the teeth were radiographed in buccolingual (clinical) and mesiodistal (proximal) directions. All samples showed curvatures at varying degrees in both views. There was a significant correlation between the degree of primary curvature of mesiobuccal and mesiolingual canals in clinical directions for total samples. When the primary curvature values of the mesial root canals were evaluated in Vertucci classification, the mesiobuccal and mesiolingual canals in Vertucci type VI were found as significantly correlated (r = 0.7173, p < 0.05). A significant correlation was seen between the secondary curvature values of clinical and proximal views of mesiolingual canal in Vertucci type VI (r = 0.9891, p < 0.05). The secondary curvature values in the clinical views of mesiobuccal and mesiolingual canals were found as significantly correlated in Vertucci type II.