Factors associated with furcation involvement and fixed prostheses: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to explore the relationship between horizontal and vertical furcation involvement (FI) in teeth with or without a single unit fixed prosthesis (FP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult subjects presenting to the periodontics department requiring cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) analysis were recruited for this study. 79 patients, with a total of 200 teeth, were split into two groups based on the presence or absence of FP within the same patient. Our analysis considered patient-level factors like smoking, diabetes, and periodontal severity and tooth-level factors including root trunk length (RTL), probing depth (PD), periodontal supracrestal tissue height (STH), supracrestal tissue attachment (STH-PD), interproximal bone distance (IPBD) to the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) (control) or crown margin (Test), and the distance from the furcation to the CEJ (control) or crown margin (Test). Subsequently, we developed a predictive model for FI. RESULTS: The presence of a prosthesis had a significant association with FI, with an odds ratio (OR) of 12.8 (p < 0.001). Other factors significantly correlated with FI were periodontitis (OR = 10.9; p = 0.006), buccal furcation site (OR = 5.70; p < 0.001), and PD (OR = 1.90; p = 0.027). FP placement increased IPBD by 1.08 mm (p < 0.001). The predictive model built for FI demonstrated a sensitivity of 92.9% and a specificity of 66.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Fixed prosthesis significantly influenced FI only in periodontitis patients. Factors such as periodontitis Stage, probing depth, and buccal site contribute to FI. The high sensitivity of the predictive model highlights the importance of considering these correlations during treatment planning. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Comprehending FI factors is vital for devising customised treatment plans to halt disease progression and enhance outcomes of periodontal regenerative therapies.

Virtual occlusal records acquired by using intraoral scanners: A review of factors that influence maxillo-mandibular relationship accuracy.

PURPOSE: This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of how much progress has been made in the field of virtual occlusal records (VOR) obtained with intraoral scanners (IOSs), their accuracy, and what factors influence their accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search was performed in MEDLINE via PubMed and Scopus databases in February 2023. Eligible articles were clinical or in vitro studies evaluating the accuracy of virtual occlusal records with intraoral scanners in completely dentate and partially edentulous arches. RESULTS: Virtual occlusal records have shown promising results in terms of accuracy, with some studies reporting a high level of agreement with traditional methods. Key factors influencing the accuracy of VOR through intraoral scanners were identified which encompass multiple parameters such as scanner brands, imaging technology, scan quality, best-fit alignment, software algorithms, intermesh penetrations, and the number of sections and dimensions of the virtual occlusal record. In partially edentate areas, the lack of landmarks in the edentulous area compromises the accuracy of VOR, thus limiting the use of IOS in patients with missing teeth. CONCLUSION: Understanding and recognizing these influencing factors will increase the predictability and reliability of dental treatments completed by using digital workflows.  However, certain challenges need to be addressed which can influence its accuracy and limit its use in daily practice. Future research should focus on improving these factors to enhance the clinical applicability of virtual occlusal records.

Efficacy of Aloe Vera and Clobetasol Propionate in the Management of Oral Lichen Planus: A Randomized Parallel Clinical Trial.

Objectives: The purpose of this randomized parallel clinical trial was to assess and compare the efficacy of 97% Aloe Vera (AV) gel and 94.7% AV juice against an active control (0.05% Clobetasol Propionate) in the treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP). Materials and Methods : Age and sex matched patients with histologically proven OLP were divided into two groups. One group received 97% AV gel for topical application and 10ml 94.7% AV juice to consume twice daily. The active control group received topical 0.05% Clobetasol Propionate ointment twice daily. Treatment lasted two months followed by four months of observation. Monthly evaluation of various clinical features of OLP was done using the OLP disease scoring criteria. Burning sensation was evaluated using Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Mann Whitney-U (followed by Bonferroni adjustment) and Wilcoxon's signed-rank tests were used for intergroup and intragroup comparisons, respectively. Interclass correlation-coefficient test was applied to assess the intra-observer variation (P<0.05). Results: In total, 41 females and 19 males participated in this study. The most common site was the buccal mucosa followed by the gingivobuccal vestibule. The reticular variant was most frequently encountered. Wilcoxon's signed-rank test showed significant differences in both groups between baseline and end-of-treatment for VAS, site-score, reticular/plaque/papular score, erosive/atrophic score and OLP disease score (P<0.05). Mann-Whitney revealed significant difference between both groups in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th months (P<0.0071). Conclusion: Clobetasol Propionate is more effective for OLP management but in our study AV proved to be a safe treatment alternative for OLP management.

Oral health perceptions, behaviors, and barriers among differently abled and healthy children.

AIM: To describe and compare the oral health perceptions, behaviors, and barriers for utilization of dental care among differently abled and healthy children. METHODS: Participants in this cross-sectional study were differently abled and healthy children belonging to the age group of 7-15 years. A questionnaire for measuring the children's perceptions, behaviors, and barriers was developed, validated, and applied to this study. Cronbach's α was calculated to test reliability, and test-retest reliability was assessed by Pearson's correlation test. Chi-square/Fisher exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, and factor analysis were also applied. Statistical significant differences were defined as P < 0.05, two-tailed. RESULTS: A total number of 300 children in each group participated in the study. The correlations of test and retest for the questionnaire ranged from 0.69 to 0.86 (P < 0.05) with Cronbach's α score of 0.862. More than half in both the groups were aware of the presence of fluoride in their toothpaste, and parents agreed that a child's dental health is satisfactory yet only one-third of them perceived dental problems as serious. Regarding brushing twice daily, the frequency was better in the study group (26.3% and 17.3%, P = 0.01), most of them changed their toothbrush between 3 and 6 months (67.3% and 82.0%, P < 0.001), and tongue cleaner were regularly used as an oral hygiene aid (62.3% and 88.5%, P = 0.01). Members of the study group appear to have visited the dentist (26.0%) more as compared to the control group (17.7%) (P = 0.01), and most of the respondents (50.0% and 41.5%) consulted the dentist on account of dental caries. In the study group, no priority care (8.82±2.81), difficulty in communicating with the dentist (7.85±1.92), treatment cost (6.90±1.98) and fear of dental instruments (6.90±1.98), respectively, were the barriers with the highest means of scores, whereas in the control group it was related to affordability and fear. Facilities in dental clinics excluding wheelchairs (76.3% and 76.7%) and corridor signs (66.3% and 61.7%) were lacking. CONCLUSION: Knowledge and attitude scores were adequate but there was a discrepancy present concerning oral health practices. Dental health was not viewed as a threat, and therefore, not many visited the dentist. Priority care and communication problems were the central issues among differently abled children, while among healthy children, the main factor was cost and fear.

A Case Report on Acanthomatous Ameloblastoma of the Anterior Mandible with Brief Review on Advanced Imaging Diagnosis.

Ameloblastoma is the most common benign odontogenic tumor of epithelial origin. It exhibits a locally aggressive behavior and high recurrence rate with multitude of factors involving in its molecular pathogenesis. This article reports a case of acanthomatous ameloblastoma involving the mandible in a 60-year-old male patient with peculiar imaging characteristics. The role of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosis of conventional ameloblastoma has been elaborately emphasized in the discussion. Although the final diagnosis is based on histopathological features, physicians should be aware of the role of advanced imaging for diagnosis of ameloblastoma and for better surgical management.