Digital nasoalveolar molding through presurgical orthopedics in newborns/infants with cleft lip and palate: A comprehensive review and case study.

AIMS: This study aims to provide a comprehensive review and case study about the advantages and disadvantages of the application of digital technologies in presurgical orthopedics in newborns/infants with cleft lip and palate (CLCP). Positive changes in the nasal anatomy, maxillary arch, and cleft width could be achieved. METHODS: Three representative cases of newborns/infants with CLCP were managed using the presurgical newborn/infant orthopedics (PSIO) approach. The patients were diagnosed and treated. Detailed descriptions of the impression procedures and PSIO appliance construction and placement were provided for each case. RESULTS: Case 1 utilized traditional impression techniques, Case 2 employed a semi-digitalized approach with intraoral digital scanning, and Case 3 utilized a completely digitalized method for appliance construction. Positive changes in maxillary arch dimensions and cleft width reduction were observed in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The management of CLCP in newborns and infants poses a complex challenge with profound implications. The PSIO approach not only facilitates reconstructive surgery but also enhances overall quality of life. Digital tools, like specialized optical scanners and 3D printing, revolutionize the PSIO process, making it more efficient and patient-friendly. Clinical benefits include improved facial morphology, esthetics, feeding, speech, and optimized future surgical results. Despite ongoing efficacy debates, global adoption as the initial surgical approach underscores its value. The integration of digital technologies offers new hope for patients and families, promising a brighter future for those affected by this congenital condition.

Clinical interventions for caries management through minimal intervention procedures in young children: an updated evidence-based review.

This review aimed to summarize the preventive, non-restorative and restorative minimal intervention dentistry (MID) interventions for managing dental caries during the primary dentition stage, after selecting the highest quality evidence. A comprehensive literature search for relevant studies was performed in PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar, published between 2007 and 2022. Only clinical randomized controlled trials, clinical guidelines with literature review, systematic reviews and meta-analyses conducted in the primary dentition were included. One hundred fifty-three MID-associated references were found, and 63 of them were considered for the present review. Of these, 24 were clinical randomized controlled trials, 21 were systematic reviews, 3 umbrella reviews and 11 practice guidelines with a literature review. The retrieved evidence was divided into (and discussed) three general caries management strategies: (i) carious lesion diagnosis and individual risk assessment; (ii) preventive measurements and non-cavitated lesions management; and (iii) cavitated lesions management. MID is an attractive alternative management that promotes prevention rather than intervention to achieve a long-lasting oral health in young children through easy and cost-benefit preventive, non-invasive, minimally invasive or conservative invasive restorative measures. This philosophy of management is suitable for treating young children, considered friendlier and less anxiety-provoking than traditional methods.

Assessment of Pediatricians' Knowledge, Practices, and Attitudes on Oral Health/Care in Children in the Last Decade: A Systematic Scoping Review and Critical Reflection.

Pediatricians are primary health care professionals who supervise the growth and development and treat infants and children during the first years of life. Thus, they should possess knowledge regarding oral health care, to provide anticipatory guidance, as well as dental education to parents in order to make appropriate clinical decisions. For many years, several surveys have been performed worldwide to assess the pediatricians' knowledge, awareness, and experience regarding oral health care and prevention. This work aimed to scope the existing literature and summarize the most relevant evidence about knowledge, practices, and attitudes on oral health/care among pediatricians worldwide. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source were explored. Under a structured PCC question and eligibility criteria, for relevant clinical trials and observational studies, published during the last decade. Titles and abstracts were screened. Full-text articles were critically reviewed for bias risk and a data charting table was constructed. A total of 44 references were initially identified, and 37 titles remained for abstract screening after removing duplicates; then, 27 potential full-text articles were carefully reviewed. Finally, 25 relevant and most informative studies were included. The selected studies were conducted in India, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Paraguay, Europe, Australia, Qatar, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Taiwan, Canada, and the USA. Through included surveys, researchers have reported different levels of knowledge, practice involvement, and attitude on children's oral health among pediatricians. In general, unsatisfactory knowledge of oral health was reported. The main impediments for a better professional involvement or practice include inappropriate education, poor auto-confidence, and lack of time. So, it has been suggested that some oral health training or clinical guidelines should be included in the current medical curricula.

Clinical Efficacy of Two Topical Agents for the Remineralization of Enamel White Spot Lesions in Primary Teeth.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the remineralizing clinical efficacy of fluoride plus hydroxyapatite (Remin Pro®; RP) and fluoride plus casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate fluoride (Mi Paste Plus®; MPP) for the treatment of white spot lesions (WSLs) in primary tooth enamel. Methods: This study was a randomized double-blind clinical trial. It included patients with at least one primary maxillary anterior tooth with a WSL on the enamel surface. They were randomly assigned to receive either the twice-daily at-home topical application of RP or MPP or fluoride (NaF) paste (Colgate Total®; CT). The remineralization degree was quantified by the change in the number of units of fluorescence (UF) measured with laser fluorescence pen device (DIAGNOdent™) from the baseline and at days 10 and 21. Results: UF decreased significantly in all groups (P<0.001). Both RP and MPP resulted in significantly higher standardized mean difference (SMD) UF than CT (P<0.05); however, the difference between RP and MPP was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions: Topical application of Colgate Total®, Mi Paste Plus®, and Remin Pro® resulted in a remineralizing effect against white spot lesions on primary tooth enamel. Both MPP and RP were statistically superior to CT.

Improvement in Oral Health and Compliance in a Child with Congenital Hypothyroidism. Case Report / Progreso del cuidado oral y el comportamiento en un niño con hipotiroidismo congénito. Reporte de caso

ABSTRACT Congenital hypothyroidism is a metabolic disorder that requires special health care interventions. It has influence in overall growth and oral conditions in pediatric patients, and also can affect child cooperation during dental treatment because this metabolic condition is the most common preventable cause of mental retardation. The aim of this paper is to report the dental treatment of a child with congenital hypothyroidism who is four years and five months old, with many facial and oral characteristics of the metabolic condition, including severe early childhood caries and malocclusion. At first, it was observed a lack of cooperation of the patient with speech and learning impairment, but with the help of the Pedagogy team at the Pediatric Dental Clinic Playroom, he developed confidence and diminished anxiety every appointment. We present the follow-up during 15 months, where we could observe favorable outcomes in oral health and compliance of the child.

RESUMEN El hipotiroidismo congénito es una alteración metabólica que representa una necesidad especial en salud. Tiene influencia en el crecimiento general y las condiciones orales de los pacientes pediátricos, así como también puede afectar en el grado de cooperación del niño durante la consulta porque esta condición metabólica es la causa prevenible más común de retraso mental. El propósito de este artículo es reportar el tratamiento odontológico de un niño con hipotiroidismo congénito de cuatro años y cinco meses de edad, con varias características de la condición metabólica, incluyendo caries de la infancia temprana severa y maloclusión. Al principio se observó una falta de cooperación por parte del paciente, con dificultades para el habla y el aprendizaje, pero con la ayuda del equipo pedagógico de la Sala Lúdica, el niño desarrolló confianza con disminución de la ansiedad en cada cita. Presentamos un seguimiento a lo largo de 15 meses, donde hemos observado resultados favorables en la salud oral y en el comportamiento del paciente.

Early identification of permanent maxillary canine impaction: A radiographic comparative study in a Mexican population.

BACKGROUND: Opportune diagnosis, prediction, and interceptive treatment of permanent maxillary canine (PMC) impaction is fundamental for pediatric dentists and orthodontists. In children and young adolescents, diagnostic information obtained from a panoramic radiograph is valuable for the overview and prediction of a potential PMC ectopic eruption into the oral cavity. The aim of the present study was to calculate and compare the prevalence of impaction of PMC in a Mexican pediatric sample (7 to 13 years old), through the use of the Ericson & Kurol (EK/L) and the Power & Short (PS) measurement analyses performed on panoramic radiographs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This investigation was a cross-sectional study performed on 515 panoramic radiographs, which were evaluated to assess the intraosseous position of right and left PMC, from patients who had attended our clinic between 2010 and 2017. Both analytical methods were applied on the same radiography. Outcomes from both analysis methods were expressed dichotomously (impacted or non-impacted). Thus, prevalence was calculated from each method, and the difference between them was verified through the Pearson's Chi-square test. RESULTS: No statistical difference could be detected between both prevalence rates (p = 0.475). It was found a significant predilection of the condition to the female sex (p = 0.034). Further, the two radiographic methods employed here were highly concordant each other (kappa = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: Through the EK/L method a PMC prevalence of 5.64% (95% CI = 3.66, 7.62) was obtained, while the PS Method the prevalence was 8.83% (95% CI = 6.38, 11.28). In addition, a significant predilection of canine impaction to the female gender was found. Key words:Maxillary canine impaction, prevalence, radiographic analyses.

Clinical comparison of pain perception rates between computerized local anesthesia and conventional syringe in pediatric patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate pain perception rates in pediatric patients by comparing computerized injection device and traditional injection procedure. In a clinical trial, by using a crossover design, sixty-four patients were randomly assigned to receive, in consecutive sessions, dental anesthetic techniques with either traditional or computerized device. Visual Analogue Scale qualification and heart rate monitoring as physiologic indicator of pain response were used for the evaluation. Results showed that traditional syringe injections were more painful than computerized injection device (p < 0.001). Results suggested that computerized injection device reduces pain perception compared to the traditional syringe during the dental anesthetic management.

Lesiones de la mucosa bucal secundarias al uso de metotrexato en pacientes con artritis reumatoidea (AR) que recibieron ácido fólico / Oral mucosal lesions secondary to the use of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving folic acid therapy

El MTX es uno de los medicamentos más empleados en el tratamiento de la AR, al que por ser un antimetabolito de ácido fólico se asocia a reacciones secundarias que implican principalmente a los tejidos donde las células se producen rápidamente. Así, la mucosa bucal y el aparato gastrointestinal son susceptibles a estos efectos indeseables. Hay evidencias que sugieren que el ácido fólico disminuye el potencial efecto de este medicamento. Se revisaron 40 pacientes con diagnóstico de AR, de 46 años de edad en promedio y evolución de artritis reumatoide de 9 años, que recibieron dosis promedio de 12.5 de MTX y dosis total de 2.373 gr.; el fólico se administró a dosis de 5-10 mg./semana vía oral. El 42.5 por ciento de los pacientes presentaron úlceras múltiples en encía móvil y el 10.5 por ciento hemorragia gingival; esas manifestaciones se dieron en la mayoría de los pacientes aun ante la persistencia del medicamento. Así, las manifestaciones fueron transitorias y en general de poca magnitud. Se concluyó que los efectos indeseables del MTX en cavidad bucal son relativamente frecuentes, reversibles y leves, lo que seguramente en esta población se debe en parte a la administración conjunta con ácido fólico