Text mining analysis of scientific literature on digital intraoral scanners in dentistry: Bibliometric analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to provide valuable insights into the current research status and gaps in digital intraoral scanner literature in dentistry. Methodology: Scopus Search Query TITLE-ABS-KEY (intraoral AND scanners AND (dentistry OR digital AND dentistry)). The search query used in Scopus for the bibliometric analysis was "TITLE-ABS-KEY (intraoral AND scanners AND (dentistry OR digital AND dentistry))." This query indicates that the analysis focused on documents in which the title, abstract, or keywords contained the terms "intraoral," "scanners," and either "dentistry" or "digital dentistry." Results: The analysis covers a timespan from 1998 to 2023 and includes 331 documents sourced from 136 publications. The annual growth rate of research in this field is reported to be 15.9%, indicating a steady increase over time. Among the top sources, the "Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry" and the "Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry" have the highest number of articles, indicating their significance in the field. Some notable authors and their corresponding statistics include WÖSTMANN B, with 15 articles and a fractionalized value of 3.16, and SCHLENZ MA, with 14 articles and a fractionalized value of 2.91. The United States has the highest number of articles, indicating a significant presence in research publications. Germany closely follows this, demonstrating a notable contribution to the scientific community. Conclusions: This bibliometric analysis of intraoral scanners used in dentistry provided valuable insights into the current state of research and scholarly publications in this field. This analysis sheds light on the trends, patterns, and advancements in the use of these scanners in dental practice.

The knowledge regarding the impacts and management of black triangles among dental professionals and laypeople.

This study aimed to assess the knowledge regarding impacts, causes and management of black triangles (BT) among participants from different educational backgrounds including dental students, dentists and laypeople. This descriptive cross-sectional observational research included 435 participants who comprised 4 groups: pre-clinical (3rd year) dental students, clinical (4th and 5th year) dental students, dentists, and laypeople. A constructed self-reported questionnaire was utilized to assess participants' demographic data and their knowledge of the impacts, causes and management of BT. The VAS scale was used to assess participants' ratings for the impacts of BT on esthetics, with 0 meaning no impact and 10 meaning very severe negative impacts. The most reported treatments for BT were "cannot be treated" 99.3% and "non-surgical periodontal treatment" 67.1%. Meanwhile, the least reported was "modify the porcelain" 41.8%. The most reported cause of BT was "periodontal disease" 85.1%. However, the least reported were "parafunction" and "deep implants" 33.1% each. Dental professionals had better knowledge of the causes (t = 8.189, P < 0.001) and management (t = 8.289, P < 0.001) of BT than the non-dental participants. The dentists had the best knowledge, while the laypeople had the least knowledge of the causes (F = 62.056, P < 0.001) and treatment (F = 46.120, P < 0.001) of BT. The knowledge of the causes (t = 0.616, P = 0.538) and treatment (t = 1.113, P = 0.266) for BT was not significantly different between males and females. Age was not significantly related to the total knowledge about the causes (r = -0.034, P = 0.475) or treatment (r = -0.034, P = 0.482) for BT. Dental professionals had better knowledge of the impacts, causes and management of BT than the non-dental participants. The dentists were the best, while the laypeople were the worst in this regard. Age and gender had no relationships with the knowledge of causes or management of BT.

Biometric analysis of furcation area of molar teeth and its relationship with instrumentation.

The anatomy of furcation favours the bacterial retention and makes periodontal debridement as well as oral hygiene procedures difficult. Teeth that have lost attachment to a level of the furcation are said to have a furcal invasion or furcation involved.Involvement of furcation in a multi-rooted tooth poses a very different type of clinical situation in terms of establishment of diagnosis, determination of prognosis and of course planning the treatment modality.The present study was carried out on 200 selected extracted human first and second permanent molar teeth based on a predefined criteria. Teeth with prosthetic crowns, fused or fractured roots, those not fully developed, grossly carious or heavily restored at the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) were excluded from the study. The morphology of the root trunk was recorded by measuring various dimensions of the root trunk,including furcal angle and root trunk volume was calculated by using a custom made special apparatus. The furcation areas were debrided with different types of curettes in the market in order to see how best the instrument could be maneuvered in the furcation area. The data so obtained was statistically analysed using SPSS version 22. The highest root trunk volume and the longest root trunk length were found to be in the maxillary second molar. 48.60% furcations didn't allow instrument engagementof furcation area with standard area specific curettes. The proposal of inclusion of root trunk length (mm) is suggested in addition to classification of FI to have assess prognosis and appropriate treatment for of the involved tooth.

Properties of a novel composite elastomeric polymer vinyl polyether siloxane in comparison to its parent materials: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of newly developed elastomeric polymer hybrid siloxane (PVES), which combines the properties of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) elastomers, has been a subject of interest in recent studies. This study aimed to assess the physical properties of hybrid PVES materials by analyzing existing data from recent studies on this topic. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted to retrieve peer-reviewed articles published up to February 5, 2023. The population, intervention, comparison, and pertinent outcomes were specified under the PICO framework. The primary data analysis was performed in Microsoft Excel, while statistical analysis used Meta-Essentials. RESULTS: Of the 1152 articles assessed, 14 met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis of the selected studies indicated that polyether (PE) and polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) were highly correlated (two-tailed p-values of 0.000 and 0.001, respectively) with the improved tensile strength of vinyl polyether siloxane (PVES) with a significantly positive effect size. Similarly, the hydrophilic characteristics of PVES were significantly improved compared to those of PE and PVS. PE was a significant contributor to the hydrophilic characteristics of PVES, with a two-tailed p-value of 0.000. The effect size was highly positive for hydrophilicity but showed high heterogeneity. It was also observed that the dimensional accuracy of PVES was comparable to those of PE and PVS, with no statistically significant differences among the three materials. CONCLUSIONS: PVES showed promising features, with improved tensile strength and hydrophilic characteristics compared to those of PE and PVS.

Using Functionalized Micron-Sized Glass Fibres for the Synergistic Effect of Glass Ionomer on Luting Material.

This laboratory experiment was conducted with the objective of augmenting the mechanical properties of glass ionomer cement (GIC) via altering the composition of GIC luting powder through the introduction of micron-sized silanized glass fibres (GFs). Experimental GICs were prepared through the addition of two concentrations of GFs (0.5% and 1.0% by weight) to the powder of commercially available GIC luting materials. The effect of GF in set GIC was internally evaluated using micro-CT while the mechanical attributes such as nano hardness (nH), elastic modulus (EM), compressive strength (CS), and diametral tensile strength (DTS) were gauged. Additionally, the physical properties such as water solubility and sorption, contact angle (CA), and film thickness were evaluated. Reinforced Ketac Cem Radiopaque (KCR) GIC with 0.5 wt.% GF achieved improved nH, EM, CS, and DTS without affecting the film thickness, CA or internal porosity of the set GIC cement. In contrast, both GF-GIC formulations of Medicem (MC) GIC showed the detrimental effect of the GF incorporation. Reinforcing KCR GIC with 0.5 wt.% silanized GFs could improve the physical and mechanical attributes of luting material. Silanized GF, with optimal concentration within the GIC powder, can be used as a functional additive in KCR GIC with promising results.

Role of Chitosan Hydrogels in Clinical Dentistry.

Biopolymers are organic polymers that can be treated into intricate designs with porous characteristics that mimic essential biologic components. Due to their superior biosafety, biodegradability, biocompatibility, etc., they have been utilized immensely in biomedical engineering, regeneration, and drug delivery. To obtain the greatest number of results, a literature search was undertaken in scientific search engines utilizing keywords. Chitosan is used in a variety of medical sectors, with the goal of emphasizing its applications and benefits in the clinical dental industry. Chitosan can be dissolved in liquid form and combined with other substances to create a variety of products, including fibers, hydrogels, membranes, microspheres, resins, sponges, pastes, tablets, and micro granules. Chitosan has been studied in a variety of dental applications. Chitosan is used in the prevention of caries and wear, in pulpotomy to accelerate osteogenesis in guided tissue regeneration due to its hemostatic property, and primarily to benefit from its antimicrobial activity by adding it to materials, such as glass ionomer cement, calcium hydroxide, and adhesive systems. With its antibacterial activity and biocompatibility, chitosan is leading the pack as a promising ingredient in the production of dental materials. The current review provides an update on the background, fundamentals, and wide range of uses of chitosan and its gels in dental science.

Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders among psychoactive substances abusers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on substance abuse patterns in recent times. Many people have experienced increased stress, anxiety, and social isolation, which has led to higher rates of substance abuse and addiction. It impacts on the orofacial region, particularly temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This review was undertaken to assess the association between substance abuse and temporomandibular disorders. (TMDs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Cochrane were searched for articles based of set PECO criteria. A comprehensive search using keywords of "Psychoactive substances", "Illegal substances", "substance abuse", "narcotics", "temporomandibular joint" and "temporomandibular joint disorders" yielded a total of 1405 articles. Modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies assessed the risk of bias of included studies. RESULTS: Two studies were reviewed. Samples recruited were either from rehabilitation centres or prisoners and fell in the second to fourth decade. A definite association was noted between psychoactive substance and TMDs. Moderate to low risk of bias was noted in all the studies evaluated. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed to better understand the nature of this relationship and the underlying mechanisms involved. It is important for healthcare providers to be aware of this potential association and to screen for substance abuse in patients with TMD symptoms.

An Investigation of the Fracture Loads Involved in the Framework of Removable Partial Dentures Using Two Types of All-Ceramic Restorations.

Retention and support are needed for removable partial denture stability. The stability can be achieved by clasps, occlusal and cingulum rests on healthy abutment teeth. However, implants or crowns can be used to support the removable partial denture instated on unhealthy abutment teeth. This study was conducted to investigate the fracture strength of two types of all-ceramic restorations used as abutments for the removable partial denture framework. The crowns were manufactured with two types of ceramic materials: zirconia and IPS e.max Press ceramics. The metal alloy (cobalt-chrome) was cast to form the removable partial denture framework. A universal testing machine was used to evaluate the fracture strength of both ceramic crown materials. The results presented no fractures in all-ceramic crowns, but deformation of the partial denture frameworks occurred. With the limitation of this study, it can be concluded that zirconia and IPS e.max Press ceramic can be used as abutments to provide adequate support to the removable partial denture.

Short-term influence of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy as an adjuvant to mechanical debridement in reducing soft-tissue inflammation and subgingival yeasts colonization in patients with peri-implant mucositis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this short-term follow-up study was to evaluate the influence of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as an adjuvant to mechanical debridement (MD) in reducing soft-tissue inflammation and subgingival yeasts colonization (SYC) in patients with peri­implant mucositis (PiM). METHODS: Individuals diagnosed with PiM were included. Demographic data was collected using a questionnaire. Peri-implant plaque index (PI), bleeding index (BI), probing depth (PD), crestal bone levels and SYC were measured at baseline. Therapeutically, these individuals were divided into test and control groups. In the control-group patients underwent MD and in the test-group patients underwent MD with adjunct single session of aPDT. Clinical peri­implant parameters and SYC were reassessed after 12-weeks. Correlation between age, gender and duration of implants with SYC and clinical peri­implant status was assessed using logistic regression models. P < 0.05 was selected as an indicator of statistical significance. RESULTS: The test and control-groups comprised of 24 and 23 individuals, respectively. In the test and control groups, toothbrushing twice daily was reported by 7 (29.2%) and 5 (21.7%) individuals, respectively. None of the individuals had ever used a dental floss. At baseline, there was no difference in peri­implant PI, BI, PD and CBL in the test and control groups. At follow-up, peri­implant PI (P < 0.01), BI (P < 0.01) and PD (P < 0.01) were significantly higher in the control compared with the test-group. At baseline, SYC in the test and control groups were 1865.3 ± 403.4 CFU/ml and 1963.7 ± 512.4 CFU/ml, respectively. At 90 days' follow-up, SYC in the test and control groups were 1472 ± 202.7 and 1538.4 ± 331.7 CFU/ml, respectively. There was no significant difference in SYC in both groups when baseline values were compared with 90 days' follow-up. CONCLUSION: One session of aPDT after MC with adjunct aPDT is effective in reducing soft tissue inflammation but not SYC in patients with PiM.