Performance of Artificial Intelligence Models Designed for Automated Estimation of Age Using Dento-Maxillofacial Radiographs-A Systematic Review.

Automatic age estimation has garnered significant interest among researchers because of its potential practical uses. The current systematic review was undertaken to critically appraise developments and performance of AI models designed for automated estimation using dento-maxillofacial radiographic images. In order to ensure consistency in their approach, the researchers followed the diagnostic test accuracy guidelines outlined in PRISMA-DTA for this systematic review. They conducted an electronic search across various databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and the Saudi Digital Library to identify relevant articles published between the years 2000 and 2024. A total of 26 articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria were subjected to a risk of bias assessment using QUADAS-2, which revealed a flawless risk of bias in both arms for the patient-selection domain. Additionally, the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. AI technology has primarily been utilized for automated age estimation through tooth development stages, tooth and bone parameters, bone age measurements, and pulp-tooth ratio. The AI models employed in the studies achieved a remarkably high precision of 99.05% and accuracy of 99.98% in the age estimation for models using tooth development stages and bone age measurements, respectively. The application of AI as an additional diagnostic tool within the realm of age estimation demonstrates significant promise.

Association of Electronic Cigarette Usage with the Subsequent Initiation of Combustible Cigarette Smoking among Dental Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Longitudinal Study.

The use of electronic cigarettes, or "e-cigarettes", among youths has sparked worries about the possibility of nicotine dependence as a serious public health issue. Dental practitioners play a critical role in helping their patients quit smoking. Dental schools across the globe have policies encouraging their students to help patients quit smoking. Current research, however, indicates that a significant portion of dental students smoke combustible cigarettes and use e-cigarettes. According to studies, using e-cigarettes has resulted in the subsequent initiation of combustible cigarette smoking among its users. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the use of electronic cigarettes and the subsequent initiation of combustible cigarette smoking among dental students who were not attitudinally susceptible to smoking combustible cigarettes. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted among 121 study participants who were never combustible cigarette users and were attitudinally non-susceptible to smoking at baseline. At baseline, 66 (54.6%) study participants were categorized as e-cigarette users who were attitudinally non-susceptible to combustible cigarette smoking, and 55 (45.4%) study participants were categorized as non-users who were attitudinally non-susceptible to combustible cigarette smoking. The initiation of combustible cigarette smoking was assessed at 6- and 12-month intervals. Binomial regression analysis of the outcome at the end of one-year follow-up, when analyzed with independent variables, revealed a significant influence of e-cigarette use on taking up combustible cigarette smoking [Relative Risk: 9.395; 95% CI: 3.03-29.04]. Chi-squared analysis of independent variables revealed e-cigarette use to be significantly associated with fathers' education level (p = 0.00), parental cigarette smoking status (p = 0.00), cigarette smoking among friends (p = 0.00), and family income (p = 0.00). E-cigarette users are more likely to believe it to be healthier (p = 0.00) than combustible smoking. In the present study, e-cigarette usage demonstrated a significant influence on taking up combustible cigarette smoking among its users. Educational institutions should implement stringent policies and regulations to prevent health professionals from using these products.

Development of Artificial Intelligence Models for Tooth Numbering and Detection: A Systematic Review.

Dental radiography is widely used in dental practices and offers a valuable resource for the development of AI technology. Consequently, many researchers have been drawn to explore its application in different areas. The current systematic review was undertaken to critically appraise developments and performance of artificial intelligence (AI) models designed for tooth numbering and detection using dento-maxillofacial radiographic images. In order to maintain the integrity of their methodology, the authors of this systematic review followed the diagnostic test accuracy criteria outlined in PRISMA-DTA. Electronic search was done by navigating through various databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and the Saudi Digital Library for the articles published from 2018 to 2023. Sixteen articles that met the inclusion exclusion criteria were subjected to risk of bias assessment using QUADAS-2 and certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE approach.AI technology has been mainly applied for automated tooth detection and numbering, to detect teeth in CBCT images, to identify dental treatment patterns and approaches. The AI models utilised in the studies included exhibited a highest precision of 99.4% for tooth detection and 98% for tooth numbering. The use of AI as a supplementary diagnostic tool in the field of dental radiology holds great potential.

Knowledge of and Self-Expressed Stigma for COVID-19 Vaccination among Pre-University Students in a College in South India: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious infection characterized by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). Safe and effective vaccines are game-changers in the global vision of marking an end to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, vaccine hesitancy due to perceived stigma and misinformation is a grave cause of concern. Objectives: To assess pre-university students' self-expressed stigma regarding COVID-19 vaccination and its association with their knowledge. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was adopted for this research. A structured questionnaire approach was used to gather data from 384 students purposively at the selected pre-university college. The structured questionnaire consisted of three sections that explored the socio-demographic characteristics of the study participants, knowledge of vaccination, and self-expressed stigma, respectively. A total of 384 respondents took part in the study. Results: The study observes a low positive relationship (r = 0.25, P < 0.01) between knowledge and self-expressed stigma toward vaccination. Further, it was observed that participants from rural backgrounds had lower knowledge and self-expressed stigma scores than participants from urban settings. It is pertinent to note that participants with other sources of information had higher knowledge than those who used the internet, friends/peers, or newspapers. Both of the aforementioned findings are statistically significant. Conclusion: The interventions should revive trust in national health authorities, structured awareness campaigns by government agencies, and media coverage about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. In addition, it is also important to support citizens in ensuring that they have access to the right information from authentic sources in times of crisis.

Unveiling the Impact of Electronic Cigarettes (EC) on Health: An Evidence-Based Review of EC as an Alternative to Combustible Cigarettes.

Cigarette smoking has been considered a major public health concern due to its serious impact on health. However, smokers intending to quit may find long-term abstinence challenging. When smoking an electronic cigarette (EC), users can experience a sensation and taste similar to that of smoking a combustible cigarette. Therefore, manufacturers promote these products as a viable substitute for combustible cigarettes. However, several researchers report the serious health impacts experienced by EC users. Therefore, this review aims to examine the health impacts of EC use. Based on the findings of the research papers reported in the literature, the role of EC as a smoking cessation tool is unclear. Several researchers have also reported a significant association between EC usage among non-smokers at baseline and the future initiation of combustible cigarette smoking. EC use significantly impacts user health. The nicotine that is present in EC e-liquids can elevate blood pressure, resulting in blood vessel constriction and an increase in heart rate, ultimately leading the body to an ischemic condition, resulting in myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and increased arterial stiffness. Researchers report a higher likelihood of prediabetes among EC users; its usage was associated with higher OR of having asthma attacks and higher OR of reporting depression and has an impact on birth outcomes among pregnant women. Men using EC are more likely to report erectile dysfunction than non-users. EC also has a significant impact on oral health, which includes periodontal diseases, mucosal lesions, irritation in the mouth and throat, reduced salivary flow, and an increased risk of developing cancer. The physical injury resulting from exploding EC is another health concern. The frequently burned areas included the hands, face, genitalia, and thighs. Marketers promote EC as an alternative to combustible cigarettes and a tool for quitting smoking. However, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved them for smoking cessation. EC can have a serious impact on the health of their users; hence, the findings of this paper have several implications, including the need for regulation of the sales and marketing of these products and educating the users on the impact of these products on their health and safety.

MD simulations indicate Omicron P132H of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro is a potential allosteric mutant involved in modulating the dynamics of catalytic site entry loop.

The SARS-CoV-2 main protease Mpro, essential for viral replication is an important drug target. It plays a critical role in processing viral polyproteins necessary for viral replication assembly. One of the predominant SARS-CoV-2 Mpro mutations of Omicron variant is Pro132His. Structurally, this mutation site is located ∼22 Å away from the catalytic site. The solved crystal structure of this mutant in complex with inhibitors as well as its reported catalytic efficiency did not show any difference with respect to the wild type. Thus, the mutation was concluded to be non-allosteric. Based on microsecond long MD simulation of the Pro132His mutant and wild type, we show that Pro132His mutation affects the conformational equilibrium with more population of conformational substates having open catalytic site, modulated by the dynamics of the catalytic site entry loop, implying the allosteric nature of this mutation. The structural analysis indicates that rearrangement of hydrogen bonds between His132 and adjacent residues enhances the dynamics of the linker, which in turn is augmented by the inherent dynamic flexibility of the catalytic pocket entry site due to the presence of charged residues. The altered dynamics leading to loss of secondary structures corroborate well with the reported compromised thermal stability.

Sociocultural Framework for Psychiatric Case Formulation.

ABSTRACT: A Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) field trial in India, widely reported racist violence in the United States, and casteist and religious communal conflicts in India highlighted inattention to structural issues affecting mental health problems in the Outline for Cultural Formulation (OCF) and the CFI in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition). Consequently, we revised the OCF as a sociocultural formulation (SCF) to better consider structures of society and culture. We studied and compared clinicians' ratings of SCF case formulations from a constructed assessment instrument (SCF Interview [SCFI]) and the CFI. Socio-cultural formulations from SCFI interviews were rated higher for details of societal structural impact, and overall interrater agreement was better. CFI interviews were rated higher for clinical rapport. Revision of the CFI should enhance consideration of structural issues and incorporate them in SCFs that better integrate assessment process and case formulation content. The need to acknowledge structural sources of mental health problems is clear, and our study indicates how a sociocultural framework may be used for that.

Cigarette Smoking and Nicotine Dependence Among Dental Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Dental professionals have a vital role in promoting tobacco cessation interventions in dental care settings, and despite being aware of the detrimental effects of tobacco products on individuals' health, they are still engaged in using tobacco products. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of cigarette smoking and the level of physical and social nicotine dependence among undergraduate dental students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, using standardized tools to develop appropriate tobacco cessation interventions. METHODOLOGY: Dental students from six dental colleges located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were invited to participate in this study. A total of 430 dental students agreed to participate by providing written informed consent. Physical dependence on nicotine was assessed using the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and social dependency was assessed using the Kano Test Social Nicotine Dependence (KTSND). RESULTS: Among the 430 participants, 120 (27%) reported smoking. The level of nicotine dependence assessed for the 120 (27%) participants who had reported smoking using FTND showed 24 (20%) with high nicotine dependence and 18 (15%) with very high nicotine dependence. When compared between the genders, five (16%) of the female participants displayed high nicotine dependency, and two (6%) displayed very high nicotine dependency. Among the male participants, 19 (21%) displayed high nicotine dependency, and 16 (18%) displayed very high nicotine dependency. The study participants also displayed high KTSND scores, male participants with a mean score of 18.20 and female participants with a mean score of 17.97. CONCLUSION: Dental students, despite being the facilitators in tobacco prevention and cessation programs, have displayed a high prevalence of cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence. These findings should be considered for designing specific tobacco cessation programs for dental students, along with effective stress management programs. Emphasis should be placed on developing and implementing policies for creating supportive environments in educational institutions. Dental students should be trained and engaged in tobacco prevention and cessation intervention programs for their patients.

The Impact of COVID-19 Quarantine Measures on Oral Hygiene Practices Among the General Public in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is most commonly associated with respiratory symptoms, which can vary from one individual to another. In addition, many patients can recover from this condition without undergoing any special treatment plan. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and, soon after, Saudi Arabia put in place strict quarantine measures in all cities across the country to protect its citizens from the spread of COVID-19. The key objective of the quarantine program was to prevent infectious transmission from individuals who were potentially incubating the virus. Quarantine can have a significant psychological impact on human lives. With their freedom restricted and everyday life affected, people can experience behavioral changes. If people are better informed regarding such unusual situations and their effects on their oral and general health, it could go a long way in motivating them to adopt healthy practices during quarantine periods. In light of this, the aim of this cross-sectional survey was to assess the impact of quarantine on oral hygiene practices among the general public living in Riyadh City. The effect of quarantine on any changes in oral health and hygiene was also assessed. Methodology A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out among 570 adult participants from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who were aged 20 years and above. The data were collected using an online, self-administered, and structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 18 questions divided into two sections: the first part comprised questions related to demographic details and the second part consisted of questions related to oral hygiene practices and oral health. Results The results of the survey showed that the quarantine had affected oral hygiene practices positively by increasing the awareness of the general public about hygiene practices. Conclusions COVID-19 has affected our lives in various ways. Based on our findings in this study, the general population in Riyadh displayed an improvement in awareness and care about their general and oral hygiene, especially those in the age group of 20-30 years. Also, the rate of toothbrushing witnessed a positive effect during the pandemic. Some parents focused more on their children's oral hygiene. These findings may well be attributed to the increased awareness gained through social media platforms and partly due to the fear of the potential unavailability of dental facilities during the quarantine period.

Parents and guardians perceptions of primary school students accessibility to dental health services in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

The success of healthcare delivery systems depends on accessibility. This study aimed to assess parental and guardian perceptions of dental health service accessibility among primary school students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among the parents and guardians of primary school students. A 23-item questionnaire was developed on the basis of previous studies. Demographic information, accessibility details, and barriers to dental services were recorded. A total of 385 participants responded to the questionnaire. Approximately 46.2 % of students encountered barriers to accessing dental services. Eighty (20.8 %) male students visited dental facilities more often than female students (72 [18.7 %]) within a 6-month period. Approximately 21 % of students had never visited a dental facility. The lowest number of preventive treatments were administered (15.4 %). Parents and guardians reported that private dental facilities were more accessible (185 [48 %]) than government dental facilities. There was an association between dental facilities and difficulties in accessing dental care services (χ2(4) = 42.753; p < 0.001). In conclusion, parents and guardians reported experiencing difficulties accessing dental services. However, parents and guardians must change their perspectives on accessibility, particularly for preventative care, because primary school children received the lowest.

Prevalence, Symptoms, and Triggering Factors of Panic Attacks among Dental Students in Riyadh Saudi Arabia-A Cross Sectional Survey.

Panic disorder by definition is an anxiety disorder of unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear. Panic attacks are usually diagnosed by four or more of a set of symptoms that include palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, and hot flushes. They usually interfere with daily life situations and also interfere with education. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of panic attacks, their symptoms, and triggering factors among dental students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from 394 students using a structured and validated questionnaire. The prevalence of panic attacks among dental students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was 42.9%. Most of the participants who experienced higher episodes of panic attacks were females (53.4%) when compared to males (24.5%). Third year students displayed greater (58.3%) episodes of panic attacks compared to their respective counterparts. The most reported symptom of panic attacks was rapid or pounding heartbeat followed by breathlessness, chest pain, and shaking or trembling. It was also noted that most of the participants (63.31%) encountered a panic attack for the first time after joining dental school. The situations where dental students frequently experienced panic attacks were during exams, clinic procedures, giving presentations, and especially while under a lot of stress. The high occurrence of panic attacks among dental students highlights the importance of providing support programs and implementing preventive measures to help students, particularly those who are most susceptible to higher levels of these psychological conditions. Dental students experiencing panic attacks should be provided with necessary counseling sessions or psychiatric consultation in order to overcome such scenarios. Dental schools should consider these findings when planning the dental curriculum. Hence, the role of the faculty members is essential in these situations to provide support for the affected students.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Cancer and Its Treatment Protocol on the Success of Orthodontic Treatment.

BACKGROUND: There are several significant gaps in current studies of the relationship between anti-cancer medications and orthodontic care that call for more investigation. As a result, the main goals of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to summarise and assess the information that was available regarding the effect of radiotherapy and anti-cancer medications on the overall successful completion of an orthodontic treatment plan. METHODS: A standardised data extraction form was devised in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis, with specific criteria implemented for selecting studies with low to moderate risk of bias. RESULTS: Five studies involving different methodologies were selected at the conclusion of the search strategy. The statistical analysis revealed an estimated odds ratio (OR) of 0.31 and relative risk (RR) of 0.48, indicating a statistically significant association between the use of radiotherapy and anti-neoplastic drugs and a noticeable reduction in the successful completion of orthodontic treatment. The heterogeneity analysis showed significant heterogeneity among the studies. CONCLUSIONS: This review emphasises that, although orthodontic therapies can still be beneficial for children receiving chemotherapy, the effectiveness of the therapy may be diminished in older populations. The findings further highlight how crucial it is to take cancer therapies into account when planning and managing orthodontic treatment in order to optimise results and reduce problems.

Over-representation analysis of angiogenic factors in immunosuppressive mechanisms in neoplasms and neurological conditions during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies emphasized the necessity to identify key (human) biological processes and pathways targeted by the Coronaviridae family of viruses, especially Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) caused up to 33-55 % death rates in COVID-19 patients with malignant neoplasms and Alzheimer's disease. Given this scenario, we identified biological processes and pathways involved in various diseases which are most likely affected by COVID-19. METHODS: The COVID-19 DisGeNET data set (v4.0) contains the associations between various diseases and human genes known to interact with viruses from Coronaviridae family and were obtained from the IntAct Coronavirus data set annotated with DisGeNET data. We constructed the disease-gene network to identify genes that are involved in various comorbid diseased states. Communities from the disease-gene network were identified using Louvain method and functional enrichment through over-representation analysis methodology was used to discover significant biological processes and pathways shared between COVID-19 and other diseases. RESULT: The COVID-19 DisGeNET data set (v4.0) comprised of 828 human genes and 10,473 diseases (including various phenotypes) that together constituted nodes in the disease-gene network. Each of the 70,210 edges connects a human gene with an associated disease. The top 10 genes linked to most number of diseases were VEGFA, BCL2, CTNNB1, ALB, COX2, AGT, HLA-A, HMOX1, FGF2 and COMT. The most vulnerable group of patients thus discovered had comorbid conditions such as carcinomas, malignant neoplasms and Alzheimer's disease. Finally, we identified 15 potentially useful biological processes and pathways for improved therapies. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the key mediator of angiogenesis in cancer. It is widely distributed in the brain and plays a crucial role in brain inflammation regulating the level of angiopoietins. With a degree of 1899, VEGFA was associated with maximum number of diseases in the disease-gene network. Previous studies have indicated that increased levels of VEGFA in the blood results in dyspnea, Pulmonary Edema (PE), Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). In case of COVID-19 patients with neoplasms and other neurological symptoms, our results indicate VEGFA as a therapeutic target for inflammation suppression. As VEGFs are known to disproportionately affect cancer patients, improving endothelial permeability and vasodilation with anti-VEGF therapy could lead to suppression of inflammation and also improve oxygenation. As an outcome of our study, we make case for clinical investigations towards anti-VEGF therapies for such comorbid conditions affected by COVID-19 for better therapeutic outcomes.

Application and Performance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Oral Cancer Diagnosis and Prediction Using Histopathological Images: A Systematic Review.

Oral cancer (OC) is one of the most common forms of head and neck cancer and continues to have the lowest survival rates worldwide, even with advancements in research and therapy. The prognosis of OC has not significantly improved in recent years, presenting a persistent challenge in the biomedical field. In the field of oncology, artificial intelligence (AI) has seen rapid development, with notable successes being reported in recent times. This systematic review aimed to critically appraise the available evidence regarding the utilization of AI in the diagnosis, classification, and prediction of oral cancer (OC) using histopathological images. An electronic search of several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and the Saudi Digital Library, was conducted for articles published between January 2000 and January 2023. Nineteen articles that met the inclusion criteria were then subjected to critical analysis utilizing QUADAS-2, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. AI models have been widely applied in diagnosing oral cancer, differentiating normal and malignant regions, predicting the survival of OC patients, and grading OC. The AI models used in these studies displayed an accuracy in a range from 89.47% to 100%, sensitivity from 97.76% to 99.26%, and specificity ranging from 92% to 99.42%. The models' abilities to diagnose, classify, and predict the occurrence of OC outperform existing clinical approaches. This demonstrates the potential for AI to deliver a superior level of precision and accuracy, helping pathologists significantly improve their diagnostic outcomes and reduce the probability of errors. Considering these advantages, regulatory bodies and policymakers should expedite the process of approval and marketing of these products for application in clinical scenarios.

Community detection in Epstein-Barr virus associated carcinomas and role of tyrosine kinase in etiological mechanisms for oncogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) affects more than 90% of global population. The role of the virus in causing infectious mononucleosis (IM) affecting B-cells and epithelial cells and in the development of EBV associated cancers is well documented. Investigating the associated interactions can pave way for the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for EBV associated lymphoproliferative (Burkitt's Lymphoma and Hodgkin's Lymphoma) and non-lymphoproliferative diseases (Gastric cancer and Nasopharyngeal cancer). METHODS: Based on the DisGeNET (v7.0) data set, we constructed a disease-gene network to identify genes that are involved in various carcinomas, viz. Gastric cancer (GC), Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and Burkitt's lymphoma (BL). We identified communities in the disease-gene network and performed functional enrichment using over-representation analysis to detect significant biological processes/pathways and the interactions between them. RESULT: We identified the modular communities to explore the relation of this common causative pathogen (EBV) with different carcinomas such as GC, NPC, HL and BL. Through network analysis we identified the top 10 genes linked with EBV associated carcinomas as CASP10, BRAF, NFKBIA, IFNA2, GSTP1, CSF3, GATA3, UBR5, AXIN2 and POLE. Further, the tyrosine-protein kinase (ABL1) gene was significantly over-represented in 3 out of 9 critical biological processes, viz. in regulatory pathways in cancer, the TP53 network and the Imatinib and chronic myeloid leukemia biological processes. Consequently, the EBV pathogen appears to target critical pathways involved in cellular growth arrest/apoptosis. We make our case for BCR-ABL1 tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKI) for further clinical investigations in the inhibition of BCR-mediated EBV activation in carcinomas for better prognostic and therapeutic outcomes.

Artificial Intelligence Its Uses and Application in Pediatric Dentistry: A Review.

In the global epidemic era, oral problems significantly impact a major population of children. The key to a child's optimal health is early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of these disorders. In recent years, the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has seen tremendous pace and progress. As a result, AI's infiltration is witnessed even in those areas that were traditionally thought to be best left to human specialists. The ultimate ability to improve patient care and make precise diagnoses of illnesses has revolutionized the world of healthcare. In the field of dentistry, the competence to execute treatment measures while still providing appropriate patient behavior counseling is in high demand, particularly in the field of pediatric dental care. As a result, we decided to conduct this review specifically to examine the applications of AI models in pediatric dentistry. A comprehensive search of the subjects was done using a wide range of databases to look for studies that have been published in peer-reviewed journals from its inception until 31 December 2022. After the application of the criteria, only 25 of the 351 articles were taken into consideration for this review. According to the literature, AI is frequently used in pediatric dentistry for the purpose of making an accurate diagnosis and assisting clinicians, dentists, and pediatric dentists in clinical decision making, developing preventive strategies, and establishing an appropriate treatment plan.

Developments and Performance of Artificial Intelligence Models Designed for Application in Endodontics: A Systematic Review.

Technological advancements in health sciences have led to enormous developments in artificial intelligence (AI) models designed for application in health sectors. This article aimed at reporting on the application and performances of AI models that have been designed for application in endodontics. Renowned online databases, primarily PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane and secondarily Google Scholar and the Saudi Digital Library, were accessed for articles relevant to the research question that were published from 1 January 2000 to 30 November 2022. In the last 5 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of articles reporting on AI models applied for endodontics. AI models have been developed for determining working length, vertical root fractures, root canal failures, root morphology, and thrust force and torque in canal preparation; detecting pulpal diseases; detecting and diagnosing periapical lesions; predicting postoperative pain, curative effect after treatment, and case difficulty; and segmenting pulp cavities. Most of the included studies (n = 21) were developed using convolutional neural networks. Among the included studies. datasets that were used were mostly cone-beam computed tomography images, followed by periapical radiographs and panoramic radiographs. Thirty-seven original research articles that fulfilled the eligibility criteria were critically assessed in accordance with QUADAS-2 guidelines, which revealed a low risk of bias in the patient selection domain in most of the studies (risk of bias: 90%; applicability: 70%). The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. These models can be used as supplementary tools in clinical practice in order to expedite the clinical decision-making process and enhance the treatment modality and clinical operation.

Dental Students' Experience, Impact, and Response to Patient Aggression in Saudi Arabia: A Nationwide Study.

Patient aggression and violence comprise a wide range of behaviors and actions that may include verbal aggression and physical aggression. The aim of this study is to report dental students' experience with, impact from, and response to patient aggression in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among dental students from various health universities representing each region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a self-administered, structured and validated questionnaire. A total of 375 participants responded to the questionnaire and 121 (32.3%) study participants reported experiencing patient aggression. Out of those, 91 (75.21%) experienced patients displaying anger or raising their voice toward them, 37 (30.58%) reported being insulted by a patient, 22 (18.18%) reported being threatened, 12 (6.2%) had experienced sexual harassment, and 65 (50.41%) had experienced verbal harassment. Furthermore, 91 (75.21%) participants reported being abandoned by patients because they were students. A total of 55 (45.45%) participants stated that aggressive patient behavior had an impact on their clinical performance, and 44 (36.36%) considered themselves stressed out. A total of 24 (19.83%) participants took time off due to incidents and 22 (18.18%) thought about quitting dentistry. Prevalence of patient aggression was significant among dental students in Saudi Arabia. These episodes of patient aggression negatively impacted students' academic performance and wellbeing, necessitating urgent attention. Educational institutions should conduct periodic workshops for students in order to address these issues. Policymakers should develop better policies in order to reduce violence and aggression against health care providers.

Application and Performance of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Detection, Diagnosis and Prediction of Dental Caries (DC)-A Systematic Review.

Evolution in the fields of science and technology has led to the development of newer applications based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that have been widely used in medical sciences. AI-technology has been employed in a wide range of applications related to the diagnosis of oral diseases that have demonstrated phenomenal precision and accuracy in their performance. The aim of this systematic review is to report on the diagnostic accuracy and performance of AI-based models designed for detection, diagnosis, and prediction of dental caries (DC). Eminent electronic databases (PubMed, Google scholar, Scopus, Web of science, Embase, Cochrane, Saudi Digital Library) were searched for relevant articles that were published from January 2000 until February 2022. A total of 34 articles that met the selection criteria were critically analyzed based on QUADAS-2 guidelines. The certainty of the evidence of the included studies was assessed using the GRADE approach. AI has been widely applied for prediction of DC, for detection and diagnosis of DC and for classification of DC. These models have demonstrated excellent performance and can be used in clinical practice for enhancing the diagnostic performance, treatment quality and patient outcome and can also be applied to identify patients with a higher risk of developing DC.

Extragingival pyogenic granuloma of the lower lip masquerading as a vascular lesion.

Pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a benign nonneoplastic mucocutaneous lesion. It occurs as a result of chronic irritation or due to hormonal changes. The most favorable site for this fairly common lesion is gingiva, but rarely, it can occur outside the oral cavity, later often difficult to diagnose, as a diverse group of the pathologic process can produce such lesions outside the oral cavity. The diagnosis is also challenging as the lesions appear as smooth or lobulated red nodules with easy bleeding, occasionally ulcerated mimicking malignancies. The purpose of this article is to report a rare case of extragingival PG of the lower lip simulating as a vascular lesion in young male of 30 years old diagnosed by ultrasound followed by histopathological examination.