The Perceptions of Dental Professionals and Laypeople to Facial Aesthetics and Mal-Occlusion in Central India Population.

Introduction: Dental professionals play an important role in an individual's appearance which can affect the perception of others that can vary greatly depending on their educational and socioeconomic background. Aim and Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine an insight of recognizing ability of dental professionals and laypersons toward facial aesthetics with different types of orthodontic malocclusion. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based study was conducted on 90 dental professionals and 90 laypersons. The perceptions differences between groups were assessed using visual analogue scale on 11 photographs. Kolmolgorov-Smirnov was used for normality test. Results: The perceptions of facial aesthetics showing various malocclusions were significantly different between dental professionals and laypersons. Conclusion: The dental professionals and layperson perceptions regarding the facial particularly in central Indian population are significantly different for most of the malocclusion types.

Comparison of Fracture Resistance of Endodontically Treated Teeth With Traditional Endodontic Access Cavity, Conservative Endodontic Access Cavity, Truss Endodontic Access Cavity, and Ninja Endodontic Access Cavity Designs: An In Vitro Study.

INTRODUCTION:  Endodontic access cavity preparation plays a vital role as preservation of enamel structure is of utmost importance for a tooth's strength to be maintained. As teeth become fragile after a root canal therapy, this study was designed to compare in vitro the fracture resistance of root-filled and restored teeth with traditional endodontic access cavity, conservative endodontic access cavity (CEC), ninja endodontic access cavity (NEC), and truss endodontic access cavity (TEC). MATERIALS AND METHODS:  Control (intact teeth) and traditional endodontic access cavity as well as CEC, NEC, and TEC groups were each given a new human mandibular molar that was freshly removed. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of the cone beam showed the values of CEC, NEC, and TEC. After that the teeth were endodontically treated and repaired. To test the specimens, universal testing equipment was used. In order to avoid tooth breakage, the maximum load was determined. Statistical analysis was used in the form of Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Levene tests, which were used to examine data for typical dispersion and consistency in change. RESULTS:  Intact teeth showed the highest resistance to fracture compared with other groups. TEC showed significantly higher resistance to fracture compared to the CEC design. CONCLUSIONS:  It is possible, within the restrictions of this research, to infer that the TEC design enhanced tooth fracture strength in comparison with the CEC design.

Oral appliances for obstructive sleep apnea: Emerging issues, upcoming challenges, and possible solutions.

BACKGROUND: As per the current epidemiological studies, the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among the adult population is very high. Oral appliances (OAs) have emerged as the most recommended alternative treatment option for mild to moderate OSA. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to propose or develop a new design of OA named "customized maxillary oral appliance (CMOA)," for managing moderate OSA syndrome. METHODS: The design proposed in this article is first of its kind that is fabricated on the maxillary arch. CMOA is developed by combining the principles of the three most popular OAs used in OSA, namely, soft palate lifters, tongue retaining devices, and mandibular advancement devices. CONCLUSIONS: Given the potential impact of OSA on general and mental health and the side effects of existing appliances, there is a need for a new remedy to be introduced in the field of sleep medicine. This novel design can provide a new therapeutic option for patients with moderate OSA.