Salivary levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory biomarkers in periodontitis patients with and without acute myocardial infarction: implications for cardiovascular risk assessment.

Background: Periodontitis is initiated by a dysbiotic activity and furthermore leads to a chronic inflammatory response. The presence of pro-inflammatory markers plays an important role in the inflammatory load. Macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are pro- inflammatory biomarkers that quantify clinical and subclinical inflammation in cardiac ischemia in cardiac inflammation and disease. Adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory marker associated with good health. The susceptibility of periodontitis patients to cardiovascular events needs to be evaluated. Objective: This study aims to assess the levels of biomarkers in periodontitis patients with and without acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared to controls. Material and methods: Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory analytes were examined by collecting unstimulated saliva from three groups (n = 20/each): healthy individuals, individuals with stage III periodontitis, and post-myocardial infarction patients with stage III periodontitis. The samples were collected within 48 h of AMI. Results: Adiponectin levels were significantly lower in patients with periodontitis with and without AMI compared to controls, while CRP and MIP-1α were significantly higher in patients with periodontitis with and without AMI compared to controls. The highest titers for MIP-1α and CRP were detected among patients with periodontitis with and AMI. Conclusion: Our study provides possible evidence of the association between periodontitis and salivary analytes that occur in tandem with cardiovascular disease. The lower levels of Adiponectin and higher levels of CRP and MIP-1α in patients with periodontitis indicate that this condition is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The findings emphasize the importance of early detection and intervention for periodontitis patients to prevent cardiovascular events.

Evaluation of occlusal bite force distribution by T-Scan in orthodontic patients with different occlusal characteristics: a cross sectional-observational study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of orthodontic treatment, apart from esthetic and functional corrections, is uniform force distribution. Hence Occlusal analysis using a T scan gives scope for a precisely targeted treatment plan. The T-scan evaluation of occlusal force, time, and location of contacts from initial occlusal contact to maximum intercuspation enables the orthodontist to sequentially balance the occlusal forces on the right and left sides through specific treatment plan options. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to determine the force distribution in the different individuals by using a T-Scan as well as the net discrepancies of forces generated at a maximum intercuspation position in the first molar region between the left and right sides of the mouth. METHODS: This is a descriptive-correlational study that was carried out in Ras Al Khaimah College of Dental Sciences clinics and Ajman University clinics from January 2020 to September 2022 by using the convenience sampling technique. The T-scan III Novus was employed in this investigation to record multi-bite scans for several patients. T-scan was utilised to examine various malocclusions. RESULTS: The present study consisted of 158 participants. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed that there is a statistically significant difference in the percentage of force between the three types of malocclusions (I, II, and III) on the right molar side (B-16 and B-46) (p < 0.05). Moreover, the overall discrepancy showed a statistically significant difference in the three types of malocclusion classifications (p < 0.05). On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of force between B-26 and B-36 (p > 0.05). Post hoc analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the percentage of force between malocclusion classes I and III on the right molar, with a mean difference of 4.11190 (p < 0.05). Similarly, there was a statistically significant difference in B-46 between Malocclusion Classes I and II, 4.01806 (p < 0.05). Additionally, post hoc analysis showed a statistically significant difference between malocclusion classes I and III, with a mean difference of -4.79841 (p < 0.05) on the right molar. CONCLUSION: The T-Scan is a useful tool for assessing occlusal discrepancies and can be helpful during treatment planning and follow-up, especially for orthognathic surgery patients. A T-scan could be used in orthodontic therapy in a simple and efficient way. Also, it turned out to be a useful tool for diagnosing problems and gave us new information about how therapies work. In this study, T-Scan showed that it can measure occlusal forces in timing in an objective, accurate, and repeated manner. The current study found that T-Scan was better able to report the difference in the percentage of force on the right molar side than on the left side.

Students Perception toward Effectiveness of Online Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic among University Dental Students in India and United Arab Emirates: A Multi Centric Study.

Objectives: The rationale of this study was to compare the efficiency of online learning and the differences in outcome between the two universities in India and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a validated questionnaire among dental students of a dental college in India and a dental college in the UAE. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 22, and comparison was done using the Chi-square test, ANOVA, correlation, and regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: A total of 491 students responded to the questionnaire, of which 314 were from India and 177 from UAE. The awareness of online learning among students had increased after COVID-19, and Zoom was the most common platform (30.9%). The satisfaction ratio was 78.4%, and smartphones were commonly used by students. Based on the satisfaction of online learning, study participants from UAE had a higher mean attitude score (2.72 ± 0.98) as compared to Indian students (2.47 ± 0.77) (P < 0.027*). Conclusion: The study results show that online learning was comparable to traditional method of learning. Although poor network connectivity was a deterrent for online learning among students from India and UAE, future teaching methods could inculcate online teaching methods and hence encourage blended learning as part of the teaching curriculum.

Preoperative administration of amoxicillin is not recommended in healthy patients undergoing implant surgery.

Design A multicentre, prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial reported the early implant failure and postoperative infections of healthy or relatively healthy patients receiving 2 grams of amoxicillin one hour preoperatively from their scheduled dental implant placement. The registration of the study protocol in EudraCT and Clinical Trials.gov (#NCT03412305) followed the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and the CONSORT guidelines for clinical trials.Case selection Several trial drugs expired before recruiting the intended 1,000 patients calculated based on previous trials reporting 2% and 5% early implant loss, with and without antibiotic prophylaxis. Thus, the study cohort (age >18 years, not planned for immediate loading, not requiring substantial bone augmentation, with an absence of severe diseases or immunosuppression or immunodeficiency) received 757 implants in total between November 2014 and April 2018, consisting of the prophylactic antibiotic therapy group (patients n = 235) and the placebo group (patients n = 235), with a fair sex distribution and a mean age of 57.4 ± 13.9 years. A computer-generated list of random numbers assisted the randomisation (test or control group) with a block-size six. For the clinical procedures, bone augmentation was limited to autogenous bone chips and bone debris. One- and two-stage surgery protocols were used in maxillary or mandibular single or multiple dental implants. The utilised implant systems were Straumann SLA (Straumann Implants, Switzerland), Astra Tech Dental Implant Systems (Dentsply Sirona, Sweden), Nobel Biocare (Sweden) and Southern Implants (Ltd, South Africa). Chlorhexidine 0.2% was prescribed preoperatively and/or postoperatively. Implant failure was the main measured outcome, whereas postoperative infections and adverse events were the secondary outcomes postoperatively assessed at 7-14-day (first follow-up) and 3-6-month (second follow-up) intervals.Data analysis The sample size calculation (type one error: 0.05; power: 80%) estimated 500 patients in each group. Proportional differences and relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Implant failure was the dependent variable for the multiple logistic regression (MLR) model examining the indicator variables smoking (yes or no), and age (<50 years; 50-64; and ≥65), as well as the independent variables bone augmentation (yes or no), number of implants (1, 2-3 and ≥4), and treatment group (antibiotic prophylaxis or placebo). P-values <0.05 or 95% CIs for ratios not including one were deemed statistically significant. The analyses were carried out using statistical software for data science (STATA).Results Overall, six (2.5%) and seven patients (3.0%) from the amoxicillin and placebo groups had implant failures, respectively. Thus, the intergroup difference was not significant (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.29-2.48, p = 0.75). Absolute risk reduction was 0.46%, with a number needed to treat (NNT) of 219. In other words, one in every 219 patients will benefit from receiving prophylactic antibiotics. In addition, no variable was associated with implant failure. Two (0.8%) and five patients (2.1%) from the amoxicillin and placebo groups, respectively, had postoperative infections at the first follow-up interval. Thus, the intergroup difference was not significant (RR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.08-2.01, p = 0.25). Five (2.1%) and seven patients (3.0%) from the amoxicillin and placebo groups, respectively, had postoperative infections at the second follow-up interval. Thus, the intergroup difference was not significant (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.23-2.18, p = 0.54). No adverse events were reported.Conclusion Prophylactic antibiotic treatment for dental implant surgery to prevent implant loss may not be appropriate. Each dose must be prescribed based on evidence-based guidelines to avoid overuse and misuse of antibiotics promoting resistant bacteria.