The contribution of genetics to dental caries, oral habits and occlusal traits in Turkish twins: A comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to investigate and compare the prevalence of dental caries and the frequency of oral habits, molar relationships and occlusal traits between children of multiple births, and singletons, and to determine the relative contributions of genetics and environmental factors to these parameters by using twin study design. METHODS: The study group consisted of 345 multiple births (34 monozygotic and 122 dizygotic twin pairs, 11 sets of triplets) and 345 singletons between the ages of 2 and 17. The prevalence of dental caries, and the frequency of tooth brushing, the children's oral habits, molar relationships, and occlusal traits were recorded. RESULTS: The percentage of children who brushed their teeth more than twice daily was statistically significantly higher in multiple births than in singletons. Higher correlation coefficients were found in dental caries index, except for decayed, filled (df) (2-5 age group) and filled (f) (6-11 age group), in the monozygotic twin pairs compared to those in the dizygotic twin pairs. In children between the ages of 6 and 11 years, mouth breathing, bruxism, lip biting, and pencil biting were higher in singletons than in children of multiple births. There were statistically significant differences between children of multiple births and singletons, with increased overjet in the 2-5 year age group being observed. CONCLUSION: When analyzing these parameters, environmental factors must also be investigated. Due to the low incidence of twin births, longitudinal follow-up studies with more twin pairs are necessary to determine whether these results are generalizable.

The clinical success of ART restorations and Hall technique in primary molars: a randomized 18-month follow-up study.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic success of the Hall technique (HT) and atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) restorations using high-viscosity glass-ionomer cement for the management of occlusal carious lesions in primary molars. Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical study observed 40 children (aged 5-6 years). For each child, one tooth was treated with HT and one with ART. The primary outcome measures for HT restorations were successful, minor, and major failure rates. Clinical evaluations of ART restorations were performed according to the modified United States Public Health Service criteria during 18-month follow-up. McNemar test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Thirty of 40 (75%) participants returned for 18 months of follow-up. In the clinical evaluations of teeth that were treated with HT, the patients did not have complaints of pain or other symptoms, all crowns remained in the oral cavity, the gums were healthy, and the teeth were functional in all evaluations. At the end of the 18-month follow-up, the surface texture and marginal integrity criteria of ART restorations were recorded as 26.7% and 33.3%, respectively. In the radiographic evaluation of 30 patients treated with ART and HT, all restorations were considered successful. Conclusions: The 18-month clinical and radiographic results after treatments applied to single-surface cavities in anxious children showed that both treatment methods were successful.

'Game changer' method lets scientists peer into mice.

Imaging technique uses standard cell-specific antibodies.

Effectiveness of pediatric rotary, rotary and reciprocating instrumentations on bacterial load reduction in primary molars: an ex vivo comparative study.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intracanal Enterococcus faecalis reduction using pediatric rotary (EndoArt Pedo Kit Blue, EasyInSmile X-Baby and Denco Kids), rotary (ProTaper Next) and reciprocating (WaveOne Gold) file systems through microbiological analyses in primary molars. Seventy-five mandibular primary second molars were selected and divided into five instrumentation groups and a negative control group. After incubation, five roots were used to confirm biofilm formation on the root canals. Before and after instrumentation, bacterial samples were collected. The bacterial load reduction was statistically analyzed by using Kruskall-Wallis and Dunn post hoc tests at a significance level of 0.05. Denco Kids and EndoArt Pedo Kit Blue promoted higher bacterial reduction than EasyInSmile X-Baby systems. There was no difference in bacterial reduction between ProTaper Next rotary file systems and other groups. Among the single-file techniques, instrumentation with the Denco Kids rotary system showed a more significant bacterial load reduction than WaveOne Gold (p < 0.05). All systems used in the study reduced bacterial counts from root canals in primary teeth. Further studies are required to generate more information about the use of pediatric rotary file systems in clinics.

Analyzing the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Turkish dental professionals.

BACKGROUND: Due to the working conditions, while performing dental procedures, dental professionals may experience a sense fear and anxiety about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the levels of fear and anxiety about COVID-19 among dental professionals by using the Turkish version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), and to explore the risk factors associated with the intensity of fear and anxiety. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 16 and October 23, 2020, during the normalization process, by sending an online survey to 813 dental professionals working in public and university hospitals in Turkey. The questionnaire contained questions about socio-demographic characteristics as well as epidemic-related questions. The levels of fear and anxiety were assessed by means of FCV-19S and CAS, respectively. RESULTS: The sample's mean scores were 18.48 ±5.47 for FCV-19S and 2.17 ±3.08 for CAS. Female participants expressed higher levels of fear of COVID-19 than male participants (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The fear and anxiety levels in dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic were found to be high.

Emergence stages of permanent teeth in twins: A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: The relative effects of genetic factors on the timing of tooth eruption can be demonstrated through twin studies; however, twin studies on the eruption time of permanent teeth were limited. AIM: To compare the emergence stages of permanent teeth in twins and non-twin children. DESIGN: A total of 480 patients aged from 5.0 to 13.11 years who attended to the Department of Pediatric Dentistry for any dental reason were included in the study. Twins were compared with the control group in terms of the emergence stages for all permanent teeth. RESULTS: At the age of 5 years, girls in the control group showed statistically significant differences related to the central incisors, the first molars in the mandibular dentition and the first molars in the maxillary dentition, showing more advanced emergence stages. In the 6- to 8- and 12- to 13-year-old age groups, no gender-related differences in emergence stages were observed. Gestation age was found to have a statistically significant effect on the emergence stages of permanent teeth. There were no statistically significant differences between birthweights and tooth emergence stages in twins. CONCLUSION: Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether there is a strong genetic effect on emergence stages of permanent teeth in twins.

Evaluation of Canine Transpositions and Related Dental Anomalies in a Turkish Pediatric Population

Abstract Objective: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of canine transpositions and to evaluate associated dental anomalies in a pediatric population. Material and Methods: This study was carried out by evaluating the panoramic radiographs of 11.750 patients ranging in ages from 6 to 17 presented to a pedodontic clinic over 5 years. The patients with canine transposition were included in the study. Age at diagnosis, gender, classification and location of transposition, presence of other dental anomalies were recorded. Differences were analyzed using the Chi-squared test. Results: Canine transposition was detected in 73 teeth from 69 patients (0.6%). Transpositions were more common in girls than in boys (55.1%). Transposed canine teeth were more frequently observed unilaterally (89%). The most commonly found transposition type was type 2 (42%). A total of 49.3% of 69 patients had retained primary canine teeth, 20.3% had congenitally missing teeth, and 11.6% had peg-shaped, microdont lateral incisors. Impacted teeth excluding third molars and taurodontism were also observed. Conclusion: Although the canine transpositions are generally asymptomatic in children in the period of growth and development, the importance of early diagnosis is crucial to prevent various clinical problems.

Changes in the aetiological factors of dental trauma in children over time: An 18-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Dental trauma causes significant aesthetic, functional and psychosocial problems that often require emergency attention in children. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the factors related to dental injuries in children. A secondary aim was to better understand how to improve the education given to children, parents and teachers in schools regarding dental trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of children who were referred to the Department of Pedodontics at Suleyman Demirel University were reviewed. A total of 1971 patients with a history of dental trauma who attended the clinic from 1999 to 2017 were evaluated. The following information was recorded: age, gender, year, aetiology, location, season and time elapsed after trauma. Results were evaluated using the Pearson chi-square test. RESULTS: The patients' average age was 8.56 ± 0.08. Dental injuries were frequent in the 7- to 12-year age group (55.9%). Children in the 0- to 6-year age group attended the clinic more frequently during the years 2013 and 2017 compared to previous years. Boys had a higher frequency of trauma than girls (P < 0.05). The most frequent cause of trauma was falls (46%). The accidents occurred predominantly in the street (41.8%). Trauma that took place at home increased in the later years of the study period, whereas the percentage of injuries occurring in schools decreased. The ratio of patients who attended the clinic within the first two days after trauma was 33.4% between 1999 and 2007, and this increased to 59.8% between 2013 and 2017. The majority of the injuries occurred during the summer. CONCLUSIONS: The aetiological factors related to trauma in children, and the number of patients who attended the clinic, have not changed over the 18-year period but the elapsed time to attend the clinic has changed. Education will increase the awareness regarding the importance of emergency intervention immediately following dental trauma.

Oral-Facial-Digital Syndrome Type 1: Oral Findings in a 6-Year-Old Girl.

Oral-facial-digital syndrome (OFDS) is a group of congenital anomalies with 13 different forms. OFDS type 1 (OFDS1) is a developmental genetic anomaly related to the X chromosome, that is often seen in girls, and affects the face, oral cavity, and extremities. In this study, we discuss the oral findings of a 6-year-old girl with OFDS1 and her situation after 2.5 years.