Caries incidence of the first permanent molars according to the Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment (CAST) index and its determinants in children: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There are limited information on caries incidence, especially from developing countries, the aim of the present study was to explore caries incidence in the first permanent molar teeth according to the CAST index in 7- to 8-year-old-children and its socio-demographic, oral health related and diet determinants. METHODS: A multi-stage cluster random sample of 7-8 years old children was applied in Tehran, Iran. The oral examination using the CAST index and the Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S) performed by trained dentists in 2017 and 2019 calibrated with an expert (Kappa of 0.89 and 0.76, respectively). A 3-day food record was used to record sugary snacks consumption. Oral health related knowledge of the parents was assessed using a valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 23.0 and descriptive and analytical statistics including the negative binomial regression was applied. RESULTS: Two hundred and ninety schoolchildren aged 7-8 years old were followed up for two years. All of them had complete data obtained via oral examination and questionnaires. The annual caries incidence rate was 0.16 and 53% (95% CI 47.4-58.9) of the children developed at least one new dental caries (enamel or dentine) during two years. Multi-variate analysis revealed that the children of mothers with high school education or diploma (IRR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.02-2.12; p = 0.04) and those with low socio-economic status (IRR = 1.86, 95% CI 1.27-2.73; p < 0.001) were more likely to develop caries. There was no significant association between gender, father's educational level, child birth order, housing area per person, OHI-S score, oral health knowledge of parents, and sugary snacks consumption per day and caries increment at an individual level. CONCLUSION: This 2-year longitudinal study on 7- to 8-year-old children showed that caries incidence according to the CAST index was associated with socio-economic status and mother education but not associated with having 2 or more sugary snack per day and oral hygiene status.

Does timing of implant placement affect esthetic results in single-tooth implants? A cohort evaluation based on mPES.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to use the mPES to assess various maxillary implant surgical results and placement timing in the esthetic zone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cohort study was conducted on 146 patients undergoing immediate, early, and late implantation. They received maxillary single-tooth implants in the anterior region during the past 5 years. Patients were clinically examined to determine their mPES and patient-/implant-related parameters. Simple and multiple nominal regression analyses were applied to show how such parameters correlated with mPES. RESULTS: The results were found to be in three categories namely the most clinically excellent, acceptable, and unacceptable. Although the most frequent clinically excellent results were noted in the late implantation (late 49.0%, early 25.6%, immediate 24.1%); early implantation was the group with the least frequent clinically unacceptable results (late 16.3%, early 4.7%, immediate 14.8%). The mean width of keratinized tissue was significantly more in patients with clinically excellent results (P-value = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, the author(s) drew the following conclusions: (a) the late implant placement was more likely to be reliable and esthetically acceptable, (b) early implant placement remained the safest method to prevent unaesthetic appearance, and (c) Width of keratinized gingiva (≥3 mm) was a significant factor to achieve implant esthetic results. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Maxillary single-tooth implants in the anterior region often have optimal osseointegration and functional performance, but esthetic plays a significant role in the success of these implants. So the aim of the present study was to employ mPES to assess the effect of placement timing and other patient and implant-related variables on esthetic outcomes.

Oral health of 6-7 year-old children according to the Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment (CAST) index.

BACKGROUND: The index of Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment (CAST) reveals a range of caries development from a non-cavitated status to advanced lesions. The aim of the present study was to explore the oral health status of 6- to 7-year-old children based on the CAST index in relation to oral health knowledge and background determinants. METHODS: A multi-stage cluster random sampling method was applied and after ethical clearance, clinical examination was performed (Kappa = 0.89). The status of caries and oral hygiene was recorded according to the CAST index and OHI-Simplified (OHI-S) index, respectively. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data of parental knowledge of oral health. SPSS version 22.0 was used for data analysis and p-value less than 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Seven hundred and thirty-nine children and their parents in 24 schools participated in this study (88%), of whom 48.6% were boys and the rest were girls. In permanent molars, a healthy status (code 0-2) was observed in 89.3-93.7% of the teeth. In primary molar teeth, dentinal lesions ranged from 25.3 to 31.2%, the prevalence of pulp involvement was between 2.9 and 10.5%, and less than 1% had abscess/fistula. Serious morbidity (codes 6 and 7) were more common in the first primary molars than the second ones. Multi-variable logistic regression analysis indicated that children with a low level of father's education were 2.45 times more likely to have a CAST score of 3 and higher (95% CI 1.35-4.46, p = 0.003) compared to children whose fathers had academic education. For each one-unit increment of OHI_S, the likelihood of a CAST score 3 and higher in primary dentition increased by 1.77 times (OR = 1.77; 95% CI 1.08-2.93, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The consequences of dental caries including abscess and fistula were more prevalent in the first and second primary teeth. There was a significant correlation between a CAST score of 3 and higher with father's education (as an indicator of social rank) and oral hygiene status. The CAST index is a useful and practical index in epidemiological surveys.

Diagnostic Value of CRP, Procalcitonin, and Ferritin Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Children with Meningitis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Bacterial meningitis is a serious disease with high rate of mortality and morbidity in children. Invasion of pathogens causes brain and meningeal inflammation, which leads to the release of biomarkers into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Identification of these biomarkers can help the physicians to differentiate between bacterial and aseptic meningitis. In the current study, some of these biomarkers such as Procalcitonin, C reactive protein (CRP), and Ferritin, were compared in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with bacterial and aseptic meningitis. METHODS: In a prospective cross sectional study in a referral children hospital in Tehran during 2011- 2013, the CSF levels of Procalcitonin, Ferritin, and CRP were measured in 57 children with clinically suspected meningitis. The Mann-Whitney u test and the chi-square test were used to compare two groups, children with bacterial and aseptic meningitis. The cut-offs of biomarker levels for differentiation between the 2 groups were constructed by receiver-operating - characteristic curve (ROC). RESULTS: 57 subjects (30 bacterial and 27 aseptic meningitis), were enrolled in this survey. In comparing the two groups, the CSF levels of Ferritin, CRP, and procalcitonin in bacterial meningitis were significantly higher than in aseptic meningitis (P values=˂0.001, 0.001, ˂0.001respectively), with sensitivity/ specificity being 92.9% / 68%, 92.9% / 84%, and 96.4% / 80%, respectively. Positive Predictive Values (PPV) were, correspondingly, 96.4%, 92.8%, and 92.8% for procalcitonin, Ferritin, and CRP. Corresponding Negative Predictive Values (NPV) were, respectively equal to 95.4%, 70%, and 88%. CONCLUSION: CSF of children with bacterial meningitis contains higher levels of inflammatory mediators including Procalcitonin, Ferritin, and CRP, compared to aseptic meningitis The biomarkers provided high sensitivity (especially PCT) and specificity (especially CRP). Using these complementary biomarkers would be useful for early diagnosis of bacterial meningitis and selection of appropriate treatment.

Evaluation and Comparison of Occurrence of Tooth Discoloration after the Application of Various Calcium Silicate-based Cements: An Ex Vivo Study.

INTRODUCTION: Biodentine (Septodont, Saint Maur des Fossés, France), OrthoMTA (BioMTA, Seoul, Korea), and EndoSequence Root Repair Material (ERRM; Brasseler, Savannah, GA) have been developed to overcome the shortcomings of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). The purpose of this study was to compare tooth discoloration after the application of ProRoot MTA (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Products, Tulsa, OK) and 3 recently introduced calcium silicate-based cements in the presence and absence of blood. METHODS: In total, 104 human anterior teeth were prepared; 96 were randomly divided into 2 groups (blood and saline contamination). Each group was subdivided into 4 experimental subgroups (n = 12) of ProRoot MTA, Biodentine, OrthoMTA, and ERRM that were used to fill the pulp chambers. The remaining 8 teeth served as the saline and blood groups. Color analysis of tooth crowns was performed using a spectroradiometer before the application of materials and at 24 hours, 1 month, and 6 months after application. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effects of blood, material, and time on color change (ΔE*). RESULTS: Tooth color change in all experimental groups increased over time (P < .05). Blood contamination significantly increased ΔE* (P < .05), but no significant difference occurred between the 4 groups in this respect in the presence of blood. However, in the absence of blood, the ΔE* of Biodentine and ERRM was significantly less than that of OrthoMTA (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference between tooth discolorations with materials in the presence of blood. However, in the absence of blood, Biodentine and ERRM exhibited less tooth discoloration than OrthoMTA.

Psychosocial determinants of dental service utilization among adults: Results from a population-based survey (Urban HEART-2) in Tehran, Iran.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between dental service utilization and mental health in an adult population in the context of the socioeconomic status of the participants. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Multi-stage cluster random sampling was performed in Tehran, Iran, in 2011. Data were collected on dental service utilization, barriers of dental visit, self-perceived oral health, mental health, age, gender, education, and wealth status. The complex sample analysis method in SPSS and the survey data analysis menu in STATA were employed for statistical evaluation. RESULTS: Of 20,320 participants, 25-36% suffered from disorders in at least one of the domains of somatization, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression. Only 56% of the participants visited a dentist at least once during the last year. The main barriers to a dental visit were "no perceived need" and "high costs." Females, the richest participants, subjects aged 25-64-year-old, and those with poor self-perceived oral health, mental health disorders, and higher education had more visits. The participants who perceived the need but did not visit a dentist due to some reasons mostly comprised females, those aged 25-44-year-old, those with a poor perceived oral health, disordered people in all domains of mental health, and poorer participants. CONCLUSION: Dental service utilization was influenced by socioeconomic factors and the mental health status of the adult population after controlling for multiple confounders. Reducing financial hardship and providing health education on the importance of preventive visits may decrease barriers to regular visits in countries with developing oral health systems.

Photoactivated disinfection using light-emitting diode as an adjunct in the management of chronic periodontitis: a pilot double-blind split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

AIM: This split-mouth double-masked randomized controlled clinical study evaluated the effectiveness of photoactivated disinfection (PAD) using light-emitting diode (LED) as an adjunct in the management of patients affected by moderate to severe chronic periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients affected by moderate to severe chronic periodontitis were enrolled. After scaling and root planing (SRP), each quadrant was assigned to one of the following groups: LED group (625-635 nm, maximum power density: 2000 mW/cm(2) ), photosensitizer group (tolouidine blue O, 0.1 mg/ml), PAD group (photosensitizer and LED) and control group (no adjunctive treatment). The adjunctive treatments were repeated after 7 and 14 days. The clinical parameters of bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level were measured at baseline and 1 and 3 months after SRP. RESULTS: At 1 and 3 months, all groups showed significant improvements with regard to all clinical parameters compared to baseline (all p: <0.001). There were no significant differences among groups in terms of changes of clinical parameters in any time interval (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The application of PAD using LED with the current setting did not have additional effects on clinical parameters in patients diagnosed with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis compared with SRP alone.