Socket preservation with demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft and platelet-rich fibrin for implant site development: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM: This in vivo study compared clinical, histological, and radiological differences in bone formation in human extraction sockets grafted with demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), with nongrafted sockets and bone-implant contact (BIC) at 3 and 6 months after implant placement. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised thirty posterior teeth sockets in either arch in patients ranging from 25 to 60 years. The patients were divided into two equal groups - Group I: control group wherein no graft was placed and the extraction socket was left to heal normally and Group II: test group in which DFDBA and PRF were placed after extraction. 12-16 weeks after extraction, a trephine biopsy was done just prior to implant placement, followed by implant placement. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) at 3 and 6 months after implant placement was done to assess BIC. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Descriptive and Inferential statistical analysis was done. Parametric test: Independent t-test was used for intergroup analysis and dependent t-test for intra-group analysis. RESULTS: Lower buccal bone levels were seen in the control group versus test group at all intervals though moderately significant. Lingual bone levels significantly reduced at all the three intervals for the control group as compared to the test group. Ridge width in both groups reduced in a time span of 6-7 months without any significant difference. Better bone conversion was noted in the preserved sockets. The preserved sockets also showed better BIC 3 months after implant placement and loading. CONCLUSION: Indigenously developed DFDBA material shows promising results as an osteoinductive material.

Exploring cyberchondria and its associations in dental students amid COVID-19 infodemic.

BACKGROUND: Adverse psychological effect of pandemic includes not only increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression but also cyberchondria - the problematic online health research behavior. It is thought that the distress and uncertainty of pandemic clubbed with information overload and its ambiguity have paved the way for cyberchondria. Students being the vulnerable population, the present study was an effort at understanding cyberchondria in students. AIM: The aim of the study is to assess cyberchondria and its association with depression, anxiety, stress, and quality of life (QOL) in dental students during the pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online questionnaire-based survey was carried out on dental students. The survey tool comprised a semi-structured pro forma, General Health Questionnaire-12, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21, Cyberchondria Severity Scale 15, and European Health Interview Survey QOL 8. RESULTS: The study revealed that 98.7% of the students were affected by one of the constructs of cyberchondria, viz., "excessiveness" (93.7%), followed by "distress" (84.3%) and "reassurance"-seeking behavior (83.7%). Cyberchondria affected girls more than boys and shared robust positive correlation with depression, anxiety, and stress but not QOL. Factors such as stress, anxiety, QOL, and changes in appetite were associated with higher severity of depression. Family financial losses, preexisting psychiatric illness, and media adverse effect shared robust positive associations with severity of depression, anxiety, and stress and an inverse association with QOL. 76.0% of the students expressed excessive worries regarding missing out on clinical exposure, and nearly half of the students were dissatisfied with eLearning. 78.3% of the students experienced changes in sleep; 68.7% had changes in appetite; and 89.0% reported reduction in the level of physical activity. CONCLUSION: Cyberchondria is affecting the large majority of students. Educational institutions must put efforts to sensitize students about cyberchondria.

Effect of Alveolar Segmental Sandwich Osteotomy on Alveolar Height: A Preliminary Study.

PURPOSE: Bone loss following extraction is maximum in horizontal dimension. Height is also reduced which is pronounced on the buccal aspect. Various surgical procedures are available to correct the bone volume viz. GBR, onlay bone grafting, alveolar distraction and sandwich osteotomy. Sandwich osteotomy has been found to increase the vertical alveolar bone height successfully. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the effect of alveolar segmental sandwich osteotomy on alveolar height and crestal width. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: A prospective study was undertaken from December 2012 to August 2014. Seven patients with 12 implant sites with a mean age of 36 years were recruited. All seven patients with 12 implant sites underwent alveolar segmental sandwich osteotomy and interpositional bone grafting. Alveolar bone height was assessed radiographically preoperatively, immediate post-op, and at 3 months post-op. Alveolar bone width was assessed radiographically preoperatively and at 3 months post-op. Statistical significance was inferred at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean vertical augmentation at immediate post-op was 6.58 mm (p = 0.001). The vertical augmentation that was achieved 3 months post-op was a mean of 3.75 mm which was statistically significant (p = 0.004). The change in alveolar height from immediate post-op to 3 month post-op was a mean 1.69 mm. The mean change in alveolar crestal width at 3 months was a mean of -0.29 mm (p = 0.57). CONCLUSION: Sandwich osteotomy can be used as an alternative technique to increase alveolar bone height prior to implant placement. Moderate alveolar deficiency can be predictably corrected by this technique.

Bridging the gap in 1(st) year dental material curriculum: A 3 year randomized cross over trial.

BACKGROUND: Case-oriented small group discussions (COSGDs) can help students to correlate and integrate the basic science of dental materials into clinical application. We used COSGDs along with didactic lectures in dental material curriculum and hypothesized that case-oriented group discussions would be more effective than traditional lecture alone in terms of performance of students, student perception on the above two teaching methodologies and the feasibility in classes of 2010, 2011 and 2012. METHODS: A total of 170 students were taught using both COSGD and didactic lecture in a randomized controlled crossover trial design. Their performance was assessed through multiple-choice questions (MCQs) as part of the formative assessment, and their perception was assessed through Likert scale questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean difference in the scores between case-oriented group discussions with lecture and didactic lecture showed significant difference only in few topics. Around 94-96% of students perceived COSGD with didactic lecture help them understand theory better; 76-92% of students feel more comfortable asking questions in a group discussion; 89-98% of students feel such discussions motivate them and 91-100% of students agree that discussions make the subject interesting in the respective years of 2010, 2011 and 2012. CONCLUSION: Effectiveness of COSGD in terms of scores through MCQs is comparable to traditional lecture. However, most of the students perceive COSGD help them understand the theory better; co-relate clinically; more motivating and interesting than a traditional lecture. Feasibility in institution needs more time and resources to conduct COSGD within the dental material curriculum.

Pressure appliance to prevent the recurrence of auricular seroma: A new clinical trial.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Auricular swellings significantly affect the facial aesthetics. Swelling affecting the pinna can lead to overt disfigurement and change the entire appeal of the face. Gross deformity can occur because of a delay in diagnosis and mismanagement. In our clinical trial fabrication of a simple, effective innovative pressure appliance for auricular seroma is presented to prevent such changes. METHOD: Our case report comprises of a new clinical trial on a patient with auricular seroma referred from the department of ENT, M.S. Ramaiah medical hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka. A 19-gauge stainless steel wire (Leo wire, Leone, Italy) and chemically cure resin was used to fabricate the pressure appliance to prevent the recurrence of auricular seroma. RESULT: Patient was successfully treated with the help of pressure appliance after 8 weeks of follow up. CONCLUSION: This appliance is a masked alternative to conventional pressure dressing after drainage of auricular seroma which does not pose embarrassment for patient to apply. The use of such an appliance will ensure patient compliance, thereby preventing long term auricular deformity.

Use of training dentures in management of gagging.

Gagging is a frequent impediment to the performance of dental procedures. This stimulation of the gagging reflex, or more accurately, the vomiting reflex, is a special problem in prosthodontic service. A hypersensitive gagging reflex often prevents the dentist from carrying out critical procedures or causes them to perform at a less than satisfactory level. In addition, once having suffered an unpleasant gagging experience in a dentist's office, the patients develop a fear of further visits to dentists. The purpose of this paper is to describe methods of managing the gagging patient that has a sound rationale based on modified treatment approaches starting from impression making to design of the prosthesis aided by training dentures to help the patient to tolerate prosthesis in mouth before fabrication of definite prosthesis.