The prevalence of oro-facial barotrauma among scuba divers.

INTRODUCTION: Barotrauma is a physical injury that results from ambient pressure changes during flying, diving or hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of oro-facial barotrauma among a sample of scuba divers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for the study were collected through a self-reported questionnaire that was distributed to 166 divers. The questionnaire was divided into two parts, in which the first part contained demographic data and the second part consists of multiple choice questions and a few open-ended questions discussing the different signs and symptoms of orofacial barotraumas. RESULTS: One-hundred-and-sixty-three divers responded. The most frequent symptoms during diving were dry mouth (51.9%), followed by clenching (32.5%) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain (19.5%), while the most frequent symptoms after diving were dry mouth (22.7%) followed by clenching and facial pain (16.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Clenching and dry mouth were common findings but are temporary in nature and do not warrant any dental intervention. TMJ and facial pain were also reported but were temporary. The use of commercial mouthpieces during diving may be related to more symptoms when compared with customized types.

Reliability of didactic grades to predict practical skills in an undergraduate dental college in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: This longitudinal study was aimed to investigate the association between didactic grades and practical skills for dental students and whether didactic grades can reliability predict the dental students' practical performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Didactic and practical grades for graduates from the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, between the years 2009 and 2011 were collected. Four courses were selected: Dental Anatomy, Operative Dentistry, Prosthodontics, and Orthodontics. Pearson product-moment correlation analyses between didactic and practical scores were conducted. RESULTS: There was only a significant correlation between didactic and practical scores for the Dental Anatomy course (P<0.001). There was also a significant correlation between all four subjects in the didactic scores (P<0.001). Only the scores of male students showed a significant correlation in the Operative Dentistry course (P<0.001). There were no correlations between Orthodontic grades. Moreover, a poor degree of reliability was found between didactic and practical scores for all subjects. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, the relationship between didactic grades and practical performance is course specific. Didactic grades do not reliably predict the students' practical skills. Measuring practical performances should be independent from didactic grading.

Reattachment of fractured teeth fragments in mandibular incisors: a case report.

The majority of dental trauma involves anterior teeth, especially the maxillary central incisors. A mandibular incisor fracture with or without pulp tissue involvement is considerably less common. Different approaches for treating these fractured teeth have been reported in the literature. The type of treatment rendered depends mainly on the extent of fracture, pulp involvement, radicular fracture, biologic width infringement or violation, and presence of the fractured piece. This case report illustrates reattachment of fractured fragments on two mandibular incisors without pulp exposure using a new proposed reattachment method using a combination of two different types of composite materials together with an orthodontic lingual retention wire. An 8-year-old female patient presented with fractured mandibular left incisors (Ellis class II fracture). Broken pieces were saved and brought in a closed container in water. Periapical radiographs revealed no evidence of pulpal involvement in either tooth and no periapical radiolucency was noticed. Fractured fragments and the broken teeth were prepared with circumferential bevels. Reattachment of the fractured fragments were done using two types of composite resin materials and a lingual orthodontic retention wire was also used. The patient was recalled after 8 months to follow up both teeth. Clinical examination revealed excellent composite restorations covering the fracture lines.