Is there any difference in length measurement methods for pulpectomies in primary teeth?-A double-blind, controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Working length is an important step in primary teeth pulpectomy. AIM: To evaluate whether there is a significant difference in the accuracy of electronic apex locators compared to the conventional radiography in working length measurements. DESIGN: Sixty-four children (192 canals) between 5 and 9 years of age with indication for pulpectomy of a primary molar were included after eligibility criteria. A radiographic measurement was obtained from pre-operative radiography from the cusp tip to the apex or resorption of the root. The electronic measurement was obtained from a complete measurement of the canal with an electronic device up to the apex. Data were analysed with Bland-Altman plots and Wilcoxon test. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ .05. RESULTS: Statistically, there is not any significant difference between radiographic and electronic measurements for the palatal canal or distal canal, as well as mesiobuccal canals (P > .05). Statistically, there, however, is a significant difference between the measurements for the distobuccal canal and mesiolingual canal measurements (P < .05). High internal consistency for both radiographic and electronic methods was achieved (α â‰… 1). CONCLUSIONS: Electronic and radiographic methods are similar in determining the length measurement of the root canals in primary teeth pulpectomies, except in distobuccal or mesiolingual canals.

Poor sleep quality and prevalence of probable sleep bruxism in primary and mixed dentitions: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of probable sleep bruxism (SB) in the primary and mixed dentitions using non-instrumental approach and evaluate whether sleep quality is associate with probable SB in different age ranges. METHODS: School-based cross-sectional study with children aged 2-5 (primary dentition, n = 372) and 8-10 years old (mixed dentition, n = 563) enrolled in public schools at Florianopolis and their parents. The sleep characteristics, socioeconomic status, and presence of probable SB were assessed using questionnaires. Seven trained examiners (Kappa > 0.7) assessed tooth wear. Children were selected following a stratified sample (2-5); and a system of the proportionality, first the schools of the sanitary districts and after the classrooms (8-10). Unadjusted and adjusted Poisson regression was performed with probable SB as a dependent variable. Independent variables were as follows: family income, parent schooling, drooling, tooth wear, and sleep quality. The independent variables presenting p value ≤ 0.20 were included in the adjusted model. RESULTS: The prevalence of probable SB was 22.3% in primary and 32.7% in mixed dentition. Probable SB was significantly associated with poor sleep quality (p < 0.001) in mixed dentition (PR 1.80; 95% CI 1.34-2.44) adjusting for age and drooling. In the primary dentition, the adjusted regression did not show association between analyzed characteristic and probable SB. Sex, socioeconomic, head of the household educational status, drooling, and tooth wear were not associated with probable SB in both dentitions. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of probable SB is higher in mixed than in primary dentition and poor sleep quality is associated with probable SB in children aged 8-10 years.

Pulp necrosis and crown discoloration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The association between pulp necrosis and crown discoloration in traumatized primary teeth has not been clearly determined yet. AIM: The study verified whether there is an association of pulp necrosis and crown discoloration in traumatized primary teeth through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed/Medline, Lilacs/BBO, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library databases, and grey literature. A methodological quality assessment appraisal was independently conducted by two researchers. Random-effects models were employed, and heterogeneity was tested (I2 index/P ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: Eight studies with low risk of bias were included in the analysis. A total of 1,494 traumatized primary teeth participated in the pooled meta-analysis. Diagnosis of pulp necrosis was evaluated in 1,414 teeth through clinical and/or radiographic analyses, and the analysis demonstrated a positive association (P = 0.0005/OR 8.37 [2.51, 27.90], I2  = 87%). Eighty teeth were diagnosed with pulp necrosis through endodontic access, and there was no statistically significant association (P = 0.36/OR 2.46 [0.36, 16.94], I2  = 54%). The pooled meta-analysis showed a positive association (P = 0.0003/OR 5.93 [2.24, 15.72], I2  = 83%). CONCLUSION: The positive association between pulp necrosis and crown discoloration should be considered with caution once the diagnosis of pulp necrosis was performed by limited criteria.

Sleep Bruxism and Anxiety Impacts in Quality of Life Related to Oral Health of Brazilian Children and their Families.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the impact of parent reported sleep bruxism, trait anxiety and sociodemographic/socioeconomic features on quality of life related to oral health (OHRQoL) of children and their families. STUDY DESIGN: Healthy children aged 3-7 years, with (n=34) and without (n=32) bruxism were select for this study. Data was collected by applying the following instruments: The Early Childhood Oral Health Scale (B-ECOHIS) and Trait-anxiety Scale (TAS). The sociodemographic/socioeconomic characteristics were obtained by interviews with parents. Multiple logistic regression tests were performed to observe the influence of sociodemographic/socioeconomic characteristics, bruxism and trait-anxiety on the children's OHRQoL. RESULTS: No association between sleep bruxism and all evaluated sociodemographic/socioeconomic conditions, with exception of being the only child (p=0.029), were observed. Mean B-ECOHIS and TAS scores were different (p<0.05) between children with (3.41 ± 4.87; 45.09 ± 15.46, respectively) and without (0.63 ± 1.28; 29.53 ± 11.82, respectively) bruxism. Although an association between bruxism and OHRQoL (p=0.015) was observed, it was dropped (p=0.336; OR=1.77) in the logistic regression model. Trait anxiety was the variable responsible for the impact on the OHRQoL of children (p=0.012; OR=1.05). CONCLUSION: Our results indicated anxiety as the main factor that interfered in the OHRQoL of children with sleep bruxism.

Influence of oral rehabilitation on the oral health-related quality of life of a child with ectodermal dysplasia.

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a rare congenital hereditary disorder among a group of syndromes characterized by abnormalities of ectodermic structures. The purpose of this report is to compare the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) before and after complete oral rehabilitation of a five-year-old boy with ED. Delivery of upper and lower dentures resulted in immediate improvement of the child's OHRQoL. Although ED affects patients physically and emotionally, the early oral rehabilitation of young patients is crucial to improve their social interaction and restore their speech and masticatory function.

Influence of the number of adhesive layers on adhesive interface properties under cariogenic challenge using streptococcus mutans.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that the number of adhesive layers influences the adhesive interface properties under cariogenic challenge conditions using a Streptococcus mutans model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bovine teeth (n = 90) were sectioned into blocks of 5 mm and divided into two groups for microleakage testing (n = 60) and tensile bond strength testing (n = 30). In each group, the samples were subdivided into subgroups according to the number of adhesive layers applied on the dentin: one (SB1), two (SB2), and three adhesive layers (SB3). The samples of the control groups were placed in BHI broth medium supplemented with 2% sucrose without microorganisms, and the experimental groups were submitted to Streptococcus mutans American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) for 5 days. For the tensile strength test, samples were sectioned into 1-mm-thick slices and submitted to a constant load of 0.5 mm/min in a universal testing machine. Fractured surfaces were analyzed and characterized as adhesive, cohesive, or mixed. The microleakage test was performed with silver nitrate solution. RESULTS: In experimental groups, the tensile test revealed a statistically significant difference between the one- (18.59 ± 5.3) and three-layer (11.28 ± 5.0) groups (p < 0.001; ANOVA and Tukey's test). The adhesive failure mode was slightly more frequent in the one- (60%) and three-layer (80%) adhesive application groups. On the other hand, the microleakage levels of all experimental groups were statistically similar (Kruskal-Wallis; p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The experimental conditions influenced tensile properties and failure modes of different adhesive interfaces; however, they did not influence microleakage.

Influence of topical fluoride application on mechanical properties of orthodontic bonding materials under pH cycling.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in vitro the influence of topical fluoride application on the mechanical properties of orthodontic cements containing fluoride under pH cycling conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Edgewise brackets for maxillary central incisors were bonded to 192 bovine incisors using Transbond XT (G1), Transbond Plus Color Change (G2), and Fuji Ortho LC (G3) (n  =  64 for each group). The specimens of each group were subdivided (n  =  16) into different subgroups. Subgroup A received no topical fluoride application during pH cycling, while the experimental subgroups received topical fluoride treatments as follows: B, application three times per day of fluoride dentifrice (1450 ppm F); C, application one time per day of fluoride mouth rinse (250 ppm F); and D, combination of fluoride dentifrice and fluoride mouth rinse. After 14 days of pH cycling, the shear bond strength and Adhesive Remnant Index were evaluated statistically. RESULTS: Polarized light microscopy showed that pH cycling induced mineral loss in all specimens. The topical application of fluoride did not have an influence on shear bond strength, although the association of fluoride dentifrice and mouth rinse increased the shear bond strength of the resinous cement without fluoride (P < .01). Regarding the Adhesive Remnant Index, no statistical differences were found within the groups G1 (P  =  .23), G2 (P  =  .47), and G3 (P  =  .74). CONCLUSION: Topical fluoride treatments improved the shear bond strength of resinous cement, regardless of the material's fluoride-releasing capacity, and reached the adhesive fractures.