Salivary Nitric Oxide Levels in Adults with Different DMFT Scores in a Selected Iranian Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: Due to the emphasis on the protective and antimicrobial role of Nitric Oxide against gastrointestinal diseases, investigating its relationship with dental caries is a right topic. Therefore, this research has investigated the amount of saliva Nitric Oxide in different volumes of DMFT indicator in adults. Material and Methods: In this descriptive- analytical cross-sectional study, 80 participants (20-35 years old), without a history of systemic disease and drug use participated as research samples, (53.8% of the participants in the study were women). Participants were selected from patients who had visited dental Department. The participants were divided in four groups based on DMFT (DMFT=0, 1≤DMFT≤3, 3

Comparison of the pharyngeal airway in snoring and non-snoring patients based on the lateral cephalometric study: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Normal airways are a key factor during the craniofacial growth of the young. Therefore, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) without treatment can have harmful consequences for development and health. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the cephalometric characteristics in non-snoring individuals and snoring subjects, and investigate differences in the pharyngeal airway space between the 2 groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This case-control study included 70 patients aged over 18 years, selected from a radiology center. The patients were divided into 2 groups: case (35 patients with a history of habitual snoring); and control (35 healthy patients). The Berlin sleep questionnaire was administered to the parents of the patients. The nasopharyngeal airway was measured according to the analysis of Linder-Aronson (1970), and 4 indices were measured and analyzed in each of the lateral cephalometric radiographs. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed in the pharyngeal measurements between the 2 groups, although all means in the control group were higher than in the experimental group. However, there was a significant relationship between gender and the Ba-S-PNS and PNS-AD2 indices. CONCLUSIONS: Although the patients with nocturnal snoring had smaller airway dimensions, their pharyngeal measurements were not significantly different from the control group.

Forensic Gender Determination by Using Mandibular Morphometric Indices an Iranian Population: A Panoramic Radiographic Cross-Sectional Study.

Gender determination is the first step in forensic identification, followed by age and height determination, which are both affected by gender. This study assessed the accuracy of gender estimation using mandibular morphometric indices on panoramic radiographs of an Iranian population. This retrospective study evaluated 290 panoramic radiographs (145 males and 145 females). The maximum and minimum ramus width, coronoid height, condylar height, antegonial angle, antegonial depth, gonial angle, and the superior border of mental foramen were bilaterally measured as well as bicondylar and bigonial breadths using Scanora Lite. Correlation of parameters with gender was analyzed by univariate, multiple, and best models. All indices except for gonial angle were significantly different between males and females and can be used for gender determination according to univariate model. Condylar height, coronoid height, and superior border of mental foramen and ramus were still significantly greater in males than in females after controlling for the effect of confounders (p < 0.05). Based on the best model, a formula including five indices of bicondylar breadth, condylar height, coronoid height, minimum ramus width, and superior border of mental foramen was used for gender determination. Values higher than 56% indicate male gender, while lower values indicate female gender, with 81.38% specificity for correct detection of females and 88.97% sensitivity for correct detection of males. Despite the satisfactory results, future research should focus on larger populations to verify the accuracy of the present findings.

Relationship between Posterior Permanent Dentition Pattern and Radiographic Changes of the Mandibular Condyle.

This study assessed the relationship between posterior permanent dentition and radiographic changes of the mandibular condyle. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 panoramic radiographs of patients over 40 years of age (188 females and 112 males). Panoramic radiographs were evaluated for condylar changes such as flattening, subcortical sclerosis, subcortical cyst, erosion, osteophytes, and generalized sclerosis. Presence of muscle pain and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and sounds, and history of TMJ trauma were also assessed. The occlusal scheme of posterior teeth was analyzed according to the Eichner's index. The frequency of condylar changes was calculated in the right and left sides, and their association with posterior permanent dentition was analyzed by the Chi-square test (alpha = 0.05). The frequency of flattening, muscle pain, TMJ sounds, and erosion was 11.7%, 9.7%, 5.7%, and 3.7% in the right side, respectively. The frequency of flattening, muscle pain, erosion, and subcortical cyst was 12%, 9.3%, 5%, and 5% in the left side, respectively. The frequency of bilateral muscle pain, flattening, TMJ sounds, and TMJ pain was 18%, 16.7%, 11.7%, and 9.3%, respectively. Cases with TMJ trauma, generalized sclerosis, and osteophytes were few. According to the Eichner's index, most patients with condylar changes had classes A and B, and a smaller percentage had class C. No significant difference was noted between healthy individuals and those with condylar changes regarding dentition patterns. No relationship existed between condylar changes and posterior permanent dentition pattern.

The Study of Prescribing Errors Among General Dentists.

INTRODUCTION: In dentistry, medicine often prescribed to relieve pain and remove infections .Therefore, wrong prescription can lead to a range of problems including lack of pain, antimicrobial treatment failure and the development of resistance to antibiotics. MATERIALS & METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the aim was to evaluate the common errors in written prescriptions by general dentists in Kermanshah in 2014. Dentists received a questionnaire describing five hypothetical patient and the appropriate prescription for the patient in question was asked. Information about age, gender, work experience and the admission in university was collected. The frequency of errors in prescriptions was determined. Data by SPSS 20statistical software and using statistical t-test, chi-square and Pearson correlation were analyzed (0.05> P). RESULTS: A total of 180 dentists (62.6% male and 37.4% female) with a mean age of 8.23 ± 39.199 participated in this study. Prescription errors include the wrong in pharmaceutical form (11%), not having to write therapeutic dose (13%), writing wrong dose (14%), typos (15%), error prescription (23%) and writing wrong number of drugs (24%). The most frequent errors in the administration of antiviral drugs (31%) and later stages of antifungal drugs (30%), analgesics (23%) and antibiotics (16%) was observed. Males dentists compared with females dentists showed more frequent errors (P=0.046). Error frequency among dentists with a long work history (P>0.001) and the acceptance in the university except for the entrance examination (P=0.041) had a statistically significant relationship. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the written prescription by general dentists examined contained significant errors and improve prescribing through continuing education of dentists is essential.

Digital radiography with computerized conventional monitors compared to medical monitors in vertical root fracture diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION: Vertical root fracture (VRF) is a complication which is chiefly diagnosed radiographically. Recently, film-based radiography has been substituted with digital radiography. At the moment, there is a wide range of monitors available in the market for viewing digital images. The present study aims to compare the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of medical and conventional monitors in detection of vertical root fractures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this in vitro study 228 extracted single-rooted human teeth were endodontically treated. Vertical root fractures were induced in 114 samples. The teeth were imaged by a digital charge-coupled device radiography using parallel technique. The images were evaluated by a radiologist and an endodontist on two medical and conventional liquid-crystal display (LCD) monitors twice. Z-test was used to analyze the sensitivity, accuracy and specificity of each monitor. Significance level was set at 0.05. Inter and intra observer agreements were calculated by Cohen's kappa. RESULTS: Accuracy, specificity and sensitivity for conventional monitor were calculated as 67.5%, 72%, 62.5% respectively; and data for medical grade monitor were 67.5%, 66.5% and 68% respectively. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in detecting VRF between the two techniques. Inter-observer agreement for conventional and medical monitor was 0.47 and 0.55 respectively (moderate). Intra-observer agreement was 0.78 for medical monitor and 0.87 for conventional one (substantial). CONCLUSION: The type of monitor does not influence diagnosis of vertical root fractures.

Comparison of aloe vera mouthwash with triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% on oral lichen planus: a randomized double-blinded clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Corticosteroids are the mainstay for treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP) and have their own side effects. The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic effects of aloe vera (AV) mouthwash with triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% (TA) on OLP. METHODS: A total of 46 patients with OLP were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. Each group was treated with received AV mouthwash or TA. The treatment period for both groups was 4 weeks. The basement data were recorded for each patient. Patients were evaluated on days 8, 16 and after completing the course of treatment (visit 1-3). The last follow-up was 2 months after the start of treatment (visit 4). Visual analogue scale was used for evaluating pain and burning sensation and Thongprasom index for clinical improvement and healing. In addition, lesion sizes were measured and recorded at each visit using a grid. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics, including pain and burning sensation score, size and clinical characteristics of the lesions according to Thongprasom index, were not different between the 2 treatment groups. Both AV and TA significantly reduced visual analogue scale score, Thongprasom score and size of the lesions after treatment (P < 0.001) and after 2 months of discontinuation of the treatment (P < 0.001). In the AV group, 74% of patients and in the TA group 78% of patients showed some degrees of healing in the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: AV mouthwash is an effective substitute for TA in the treatment of OLP.