Anatomical and Histological Characteristics of Prematurely Erupted Teeth in Newborns.

Purpose: To assess the characteristics of dental hard and soft tissue structures of prematurely erupted teeth in newborns. Methods: Extracted natal and neonatal teeth were assessed in ground sections for evaluation of enamel, dentin, dentino-enamel junction and cementoenamel junction. Soft tissue harvested was histologically analyzed for cellularity, vascularity and other characteristics of the dental pulp. Results: This study included 15 teeth from nine neonates, of which seven erupted at birth, eight erupted within the first month of birth. All erupted in the mandibular anterior region. The demineralized ground section revealed enamel cracks, a straight dentinoenamel junction, and S-shaped dentinal tubules along with the enamel lamellae, and enamel spindle. None of the samples showed enamel tuft or cementum. Histology of soft tissue revealed enhanced cellularity, vascularity without any fibrosis, calcification and inflammation when compared with the young healthy pulp in permanent teeth. Conclusion: The prematurely erupted teeth in newborns were almost exclusively rootless and exhibited the characteristic anatomical findings pertaining to enamel, dentin, dentinoenamel junction and cementoenamel junction. The histology of their dental pulp was characterized by increased cellularity and vascularity compared.

Silver diamine fluoride modified atraumatic restorative treatment compared to conventional restorative technique on carious primary molars-A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the success of silver diamine fluoride-modified atraumatic restorative technique (SMART) with that of the conventional drill and fill method in restoring carious lesions in primary molars. METHOD: Children (4-8years old) reporting to a tertiary care hospital setting with asymptomatic cavitated dentinal carious lesions in primary molars were randomly allocated to two groups; SMART and Conventional; and subsequently restored with Glass Ionomer Cement (GIC). Follow-up evaluations were carried out by blinded independent evaluator at 6-months intervals to assess the status of restorations. Primary outcome was the success of restorations at 24 months and the secondary outcome was the child's behaviour and acceptance of the treatment at the time of interventions. Two sample Z-test of proportion, logistic regression analysis and Chi-square test were used to compare the outcomes in two groups. RESULTS: A total of 226 children (SMART group, 112 and conventional, 114) were included with 280 and 282 GIC restorations placed by the SMART and the conventional method respectively. At 24-months, 459 (81.6 %) primary molars were available for evaluation. Success rates of restorations was 38.4 % and 45.8 % % in SMART and conventional groups respectively (p = 0.105). The rate of acceptability of treatment in the SMART and conventional group was 79 % and 56 % (p<0.001) respectively. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in the success rates of GIC restorations by SMART and conventional technique in carious primary molars at 24 months. SMART was better accepted by children as compared to the conventional restorative technique. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: SMART can be an alternative option to treat the asymptomatic carious lesions in primary molars and is well accepted by children than the conventional drill and fill technique thus implying that it has a useful role in un-cooperative children.

Prevalence of sports-related traumatic orofacial and dental injuries in Asian countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The head and face, due to their prominent positions, are at risk of intentional and unintentional injuries in the majority of competitive sports. There are regional preferences for sports and differences in infrastructural facilities. The majority of the recommendations for sports have been based on the studies conducted in the western world. Hence, this systematic review aimed to estimate the prevalence of sports-related orofacial and dental injuries in professional-sportspersons living in Asian countries. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A protocol was prepared as per the best practices of evidence-based medicine and registered (PROSPERO-CRD42021252488). Search strategy was based on the research question and conducted in six databases using text words and MeSH terms. Scrutiny of title and abstracts and later full-texts were done as per eligibility criteria. Data extraction was done using a pre-piloted sheet and the risk of bias (ROB) was assessed. Qualitative synthesis and meta-analyses were performed and the strength of evidence was assessed by using GRADE-approach. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Twenty-three studies published between 1998 to 2021 and from nine countries were included. The highest numbers were from Türkiye (N.=7). The total number of professional sportspersons assessed in all the included studies was 14,457. The highest prevalence of orofacial and dental injuries observed was 66.18% and the highest prevalence of dental injuries was 39.81%. Low risk of bias was seen only in four studies. The changes were observed during the sensitivity analysis with all the meta-analyses showing significant publication bias and heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: The pooled prevalence of the combined orofacial and dental injuries was found to be 40.6%, while that of orofacial injury was 17.1% and dental injuries was 15.9%. There were 23 studies included in this review which covered 27 different sports from nine Asian countries. A high level of heterogeneity and the high ROB were observed in the majority of the studies. Further studies on the basis of the recommendations provided in the systematic review will improve the quality of evidence in this area in future.

Does dental trauma have impact on the oral health-related quality of life of children and adolescents?

RESEARCH QUESTION: Does dental trauma have impact on the oral health-related quality of life of children and adolescents? RESEARCH PROTOCOL: Protocol was designed as per the best practices of evidence-based medicine, guidelines for umbrella reviews and registered in PROSPERO. LITERATURE SEARCH: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Sciences and Lilacs were searched for studies meeting the inclusion criteria from start of databases to 15th July 2021. Grey literature and registries of systematic review protocols were also searched. Hand searching of the references of included articles was also performed. The literature search was updated on 15th October 2021. Scrutiny of the titles and abstracts and later full text was done as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: Self-designed pre-piloted form was used by two reviewers. QUALITY APPRAISAL: AMSTAR-2 was used to assess the quality of systematic reviews, PRISMA was used to check reporting-characteristics and citation-matrix was used to evaluate study-overlap. Quality of evidence was assessed by using Kohler's-criteria. DATA ANALYSIS: Qualitative synthesis was performed for describing the study characteristics, details of sampling and the tool of OHRQoL used. The meta-analytic data was used for evaluating the evidence and its strength for each of the outcomes. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: A significant impact of all types of TDI on OHRQoL in children and adolescents was observed. The effect of uncomplicated TDI on OHRQoL in children and all ages showed no difference from controls. Though the quality of evidence in these interpretations was weak.

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and socioeconomic status: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are an independent risk factor for obesity and other non-communicable diseases. Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the key drivers for the purchase and consumption of SSBs among children and adults; however, there is a lack of strong evidence. This study aims to determine the association between SES and consumption patterns of SSBs across populations. RESULTS: The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, LILACS, Web of Science, Cochrane, and CINHAL databases were searched for relevant articles until 2022. Participants included children, adolescents, and adults who consumed different SSBs and were assessed based on their SES. The random-effects model was used to obtain the pooled odds ratio (OR). Twenty-one studies (152,070 participants) met the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa tool, with the majority of the studies indicating medium to high quality. Eight ORs from four studies (34,454 participants) were considered for meta-analysis. Results showed those belonging to high SES had 48% lower odds of consuming the SSBs (OR 0.52; 95% CI: 0.42-0.61; p = 0.017). The overall quality of evidence was ascertained using GRADE criteria, illustrating a moderate certainty of evidence between SSB consumption and SES. CONCLUSION: Meta-analysis suggests that SES influences the consumption pattern of SSBs, with high SES having lower odds of SSB consumption.

Effect of 940 nm diode laser irradiation and dentin bonding agent on permeability of furcation area in primary molars.

Purpose: Multiple accessory canals make furcation area of primary molars the most common port of entry of bacterial endotoxins to periradicular area. Reduction in permeability can improve prognosis of these teeth. Therefore, this study was designed to compare the effect of 940 nm diode laser and dentin bonding agent on the dye penetration of furcation area in primary molars. Material and Methods: Thirty teeth were divided into three groups, that is, Group 1 (control group), Group 2 (dentin bonding agent applied over floor of pulp chamber), and Group 3 (diode laser irradiated over floor of pulp chamber). The samples were prepared and seven from each group were tested by dye penetration and three were sent for scanning electron microscopy. Rise in temperature in the perifurcal area was also recorded at the time of laser irradiation. Dunn's pair-wise comparison analysis was used for the analysis for the difference in dye penetration among the group. Results: : The maximum rise in temperature recorded postirradiation was 6.90C. Dye penetration was significantly reduced in Group 2 Dentin bonding group (DBG) as compared to control group (P = 0.0025). Reduction in permeability was observed in Group 3 Laser group (LG) but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.197). Scanning electron microscope revealed open dentinal tubules in Group 1. There were no open dentinal tubules in Group 2, while Group 3 had sealed dentinal tubules with glass-like surface over the region. Conclusion: Dentin bonding agent led to substantial decrease in dye penetration of furcation area of primary molars. This method should be evaluated clinically to improve successful pulpectomy procedures of primary molars.

Root canal morphology of primary molars - A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) study.

Objectives: To evaluate the root and canal morphology of primary maxillary and mandibular molars in an Indian population using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed, where CBCT scans of children less than 10 years of age taken for valid diagnostic purposes previously were considered and images were analyzed. The number of roots, root canals, and variations in morphology were recorded. Left-right symmetry was also noted. Results: A total of 433 deciduous maxillary and mandibular primary molars were studied. It was observed that two separate roots with three separate canals were common in primary mandibular first molars, whereas two separate roots with two canals in each root were common in mandibular second primary molars. In primary maxillary molars, three separate roots with one canal each were the most common. Maxillary first molars (17.21%) and 17.35% second molars had fused distobuccal and palatal roots. It was observed that primary maxillary molars showed more left-right symmetry (86.7% in first molars and 82.7% in second molars) compared to primary mandibular molars (54.05% in first molars and 68% in second molars). Conclusions: It was concluded that in both primary maxillary first and second molars, three separate roots, a mesiobuccal root, a distobuccal root, and a palatal root with one canal in each root, were the most common. Two separate roots with three separate canals were the most common in primary mandibular first molars, whereas two separate roots with two canals each in both roots were more common in mandibular second primary molars.

A Survey of Self-perceived Physical Discomforts and Health Behaviors Related to Personal Protective Equipment of Indian Dental Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic.

AIM: In the current situation of COVID-19 pandemic, personal protective equipment has to be mandatorily worn by dental professionals all times in the dental clinical settings. The aim of this study was to assess the physical discomforts and related health issues faced by dental professionals while wearing personal protective equipment in dental clinical settings during the pandemic. METHODS: This was an online cross-sectional survey conducted in November to December 2020 among dental professionals of various regions of country. A prevalidated questionnaire was sent through email/WhatsApp groups to 650 dental professionals. Informed consent was taken from all the participants. Information was collected about the demographics, type of dental set-up, average daily working hours, types of PPE worn, physical discomforts related to the various procedures in dentistry. Association was analyzed between demographics and the discomforts using Chi-square test. RESULTS: A total of 309 dental professionals (163 females, 146 males) from all parts of the country responded to the online questionnaire. Maximum respondents were postgraduates or pursuing MDS (79%), majority (42.1%) were pediatric dentists followed by general dentists. Sweating, difficulty in vision, difficulty in breathing, and headache were the common discomforts reported by majority of the respondents. Headache and difficult breathing were more significantly associated with female dental professionals (p < 0.05). N95 wear was associated with breathing difficulty (56%) while use of faceshield led to the discomforts in visual acuity in 46% respondents. CONCLUSION: The survey has depicted several challenges and various physical discomforts being experienced by the dental professionals during this pandemic. Although wearing PPE is associated with difficulties to dentists but it is extremely essential to wear PPEs for self-protection during the ongoing pandemic. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Bansal K, Saji S, Mathur VP, et al. A Survey of Self-perceived Physical Discomforts and Health Behaviors Related to Personal Protective Equipment of Indian Dental Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(6):784-789.

Comparison of oral micro-flora in caries active and caries free Indian children using culture techniques and PCR analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although Streptococcus mutans has been implicated as the major etiologic agent in the development of dental caries, however, this organism has not been found to be present in all children with caries. Thus it remains to be elucidated whether a single or specific consortium of bacteria is responsible for the caries process. The aim of this study is to evaluate the oral microflora of Indian children suffering from dental caries and to compare the same in children with no caries. METHODS: The study was carried out on 67 out-patient 2-14 years old children who reported to the department of Paediatric Dentistry. Dental plaque samples from superficial and deep carious lesions and caries free surfaces in caries active children (n = 35) were collected using a sterile excavator in storage vials and subjected to various conventional and molecular microbial techniques. Caries free children (n = 32), who did not have any carious lesion served as controls. The data obtained was subjected to Pearson's Chi Square/Fischer's Exact tests to determine the statistical difference between the microflora of groups. RESULTS: Main organisms isolated were: Streptococcal species mainly S anginosus, S salivarius, S gordonii: Lactobacilli spp; Coagulase negative Staphylococci, Staph epidermidis, Staph aureus. Other organisms such as Klebsiella spp, Acinetobacter, Enterococcus, E coli could also be found. There was a statistical difference in the frequency of isolation of non-mutans Streptococcal species (P = 0.008) and Lactobacilli species (P = 0.0001) in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that caries activity in this population of children is associated with a diverse microbial flora without detectable S mutans. Main organisms associated with dental caries in this population are: Gram-positive cocci and bacilli mainly the non-mutans Streptococcus and Lactobacilli. Frequent consumption of sugar containing food promotes the presence and growth of cariogenic organisms.

Global status of knowledge for prevention and emergency management of traumatic dental injuries among school teachers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The majority of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in childhood and adolescence occur in schools. Since school teachers are often the first responders, their knowledge about the emergency management of TDI needs to be adequate. The aim of this systematic review was to assess and analyse the global status of this knowledge as reported in previous studies and to provide recommendations for future research. METHODS: The protocol was designed as per PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO. A broad-based search using text-words and MeSH terms was performed in established databases as per a predefined strategy. Cohort-studies, cross-sectional, case-control studies and randomized/non-randomized trials without any distinction of language and year of publication were included while those without details of sampling strategy, validity and reliability were excluded. Data extraction was performed, risk of bias assessment was done by the Joanna-Briggs-Institute's critical appraisal checklist and meta-analysis was performed for four question stems using a random effects model. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included for qualitative analysis. Most of the studies had been conducted in Asia from 2009 to 2019. Ten studies used case-based questionnaires, mostly adapted from previous studies. Moderate to high risk of bias was observed in 14 studies. Less than 50% of teachers had witnessed a TDI in 8 studies and >75% desired to know more about TDI management in most studies. Less than 50% of teachers in 5 out of 6 studies knew about immediate replantation of avulsed permanent teeth, <25% knew about storage of an avulsed tooth in 16 studies and <50% knew about cleaning of a dirty avulsed tooth in 8 studies. Meta-analysis revealed I2 values of >95% with 17% of teachers having previous dental-trauma first-aid training and 38% knowing about replantation within 30 minutes. CONCLUSION: The awareness level in several areas of the world is unknown. Studies lacked well-designed questionnaires and teachers exhibited low self-belief and knowledge level in the majority of studies.

Effect of inciso-cervical position of wire-composite splint on the mobility of an avulsed permanent tooth: A cadaveric model study.

INTRODUCTION: The wire composite splint as a general rule is placed on the middle third of labial surface of the tooth. This is due to ease of application, better isolation, and fewer chances of contamination. However, these assumptions are opinion-based, with no scientific evidence to support them. In addition, to best of our knowledge no research has been carried out to evaluate the effect of position of wire splints on the mobility of the affected tooth and anchor teeth. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the cervico-incisal position of splinting wire on the mobility of a replanted tooth and anchor teeth in a cadaveric model. METHODOLOGY: Three cadavers (one female, 45 years old and two males, each 40 years old) were included in the study. periotest S was used to assess physiologic-tooth-mobility in three cadavers at baseline and after "extraction-replantation-wire-composite" splinting-protocol. RESULTS: Greatest splint effect for horizontal-mobility was found to be 9.33 ± 0.57 for Cadaver-I (incisal-third), whereas it was highest (3.66 ± 2.51) for vertical-mobility in Cadaver-II (cervical third). CONCLUSION: Middle third position of wire composite splint have lowest splint effect on both horizontal and vertical mobility of replanted teeth, thus rendering the most favorable position for the establishment of physiologic mobility.

Smartphones: The new risk factor for traumatic dental and facial injuries in children.

Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) have emerged as a significant global public health concern. One major problem which is developing and yet unreported is the incidence of traumatic dental injuries and soft tissue facial trauma due to the inadvertent falling of smartphones on to the face during their use in rest time. This is related to the weight of the smartphones and their excessive use in all parts of the world. This paper aims to highlight this phenomenon as an emerging aetiological factor for dental and facial injuries in children.

Severe gingival enlargement with coexisting erosive lichen planus in severe chronic periodontitis patient.

Plaque induced gingival enlargement is most commonly seen and when encountered simultaneously with erosive lichen planus poses a challenge to the treating dentist. Prognosis of one condition may influence the prognosis of another condition. The presented case highlights the significance of proper diagnosis and the management of simultaneously occurring gingival lesions. A 49-year-old hypertensive female presented with painful enlarged bleeding and suppurating gums with burning sensation on eating food along with long-term usage of antihypertensive drug amlodipine known for its gingival enlargement effect. All these multiple factors led to diagnostic dilemma. Effective management of the gingival enlargement was done by using electrocautery to rehabilitate the functions and esthetics of the patient. Gingival condition was also complicated by the presence of coexisting lichen planus which was predominantly erosive for which topical corticosteroid, antifungal, and antimicrobial agents were prescribed. Eight-month follow-up did not show recurrence of gingival enlargement. Electrocautery is an effective tool for the gingivectomy in severe inflammatory type of gingival enlargement because of rapid postoperative hemostasis. For the management of erosive lichen planus, long-term use of topical corticosteroids is an effective approach. Maintenance of oral hygiene and regular follow-ups are essential for these conditions.