A Full Mouth Rehabilitation of an Asthma-Associated Patient With Tooth Surface Loss: A Case Report.

Tooth surface loss (TSL) is multifactorial and, when severe, it can severely impact the quality of life. Although carbonated soft drinks, with their high sugar and acid content, are a common cause of TSL, the effects do not usually mandate full-mouth rehabilitation. Nevertheless, when combined with other factors such as parafunctional habits or other drivers of high consumption, TSL can be severe. Here we present the case of a 35-year-old man who presented with mild to severe TSL throughout the oral cavity caused by erosion and attrition. Causative factors were heavy consumption of soft drinks for years to quench thirst caused by asthma, side effects of asthma-related medications, and other parafunctional habits. The eight-step approach was as minimally invasive as possible, considering the severe presentation of TSL, and offered the patient a more durable treatment option than previously provided resin-based composite restorations. Presenting this case allows us to discuss the causes of TSL and also describe full mouth rehabilitation of TSL at increased occlusal vertical dimension with indirect restorations. We also demonstrate the integration of removable and fixed options, when progressing complex restorative cases.

Digital evaluation of occlusal reduction of metal crown preparations in students in the COVID-19 era: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Occlusion of extra-coronal restorations depends on the reduction achieved during crown preparation. Ensuring adequate reduction is therefore essential for the success of the final restoration. The objective of this study was to digitally quantify the occlusal reduction performed by preclinical undergraduate dental students and to compare their performance across the year and using a hybrid teaching approach developed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Eighty full metal crown preparations on typodonts were scanned using the KaVo Arctica 3D Optical scanner. Occlusal reduction was measured using Autodesk Fusion 360 v2.0 by superimposing an unprepared tooth over the preparation and taking measurements at six occlusal points (mesio-buccal (MB), disto-buccal (DB), mesio-lingual (ML), disto-lingual (DL), mesial fossa (MF), and distal fossa (DF)). A general linear model was used to compare student performance in the mid vs final year exams and in 2018/19 vs 2020/2021. Results: The adequacy of occlusal reduction was variable. Occlusal reductions of the MF (p = 0.014) and DF (p = 0.011) were significantly lower in the final exam than the mid-year exam in 2018/2019. There was also occlusal under-reduction at all six occlusal points in 2020/2021 compared with 2018/2019. Conclusions: Students must be encouraged to use verification guides throughout the procedure to ensure adequate reductions. These verification methods can be as simple as putty indices or as advanced as optical scanners. The use of verification methods alongside a hybrid virtual and live teaching approach may guarantee the best results.

Quality of post and core placement by final year undergraduate dental students.

The success of endodontic restoration of badly compromised teeth depends on the quality of post and core placement and the extra-coronal restoration. Ensuring that students place posts to acceptable quality standards is therefore essential. The aim of this study was to radiographically evaluate post placement by final year undergraduate dental students and to identify any predictors of performance. Two hundred retrospectively and randomly selected posts placed by sixth year students were evaluated radiographically. Data on student gender; number and quality of radiographs; periapical pathology; tooth location; root canal treatment quality; amount of remaining gutta percha; gap between gutta percha and post; post-to-root width; crown-to-root ratio; and types of core material and crowns were recorded. Four criteria were used to grade post placement quality: (i) amount of remaining gutta percha; (ii) gap between gutta percha and post; (iii) post width to root ratio; and (iv) crown-to-root ratio. Assessments were scored to produce final grades. Data are presented using descriptive statistics and the chi-squared test was used to investigate whether student gender or tooth location were associated with final grade. Post and core quality was acceptable in most cases (97.5% were graded as adequate), with no differences in quality between male and female students nor according to tooth location (anterior, premolar, and molar). Just over half of radiographs were adequate quality (53.5%), while just under half were assessed as less than adequate (46.5%) due to cone cutting, overlap, shortening or elongation, although this did not affect formal assessment of post quality. General outcomes of post and core placement by undergraduate students were good, with few errors that might affect the prognosis and long-term survival of treated teeth. Providing undergraduate dental students with clear guidelines on when and how to take radiographs throughout the procedure may improve the quality of post and core treatment and reduce the risk of multiple unnecessary radiographic exposures. From the clinical perspective, although dental students generally place high quality posts and cores, it remains important to monitor the quality and performance of post placement as this determines the survival of compromised teeth.

The Opinions and Practices of Saudi Arabian Dentists about Cervical Margin Relocation.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the opinions and practices of different dentists about the cervical margin relocation (CMR) concept. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 432 general dentists, advanced general dentists (AGDs), periodontists, restorative dentists, and prosthodontists practicing in Saudi Arabia were approached in person or asked to complete an electronic survey (Google Forms) assessing demographic data and their opinions and practice of CMR. Differences between groups were assessed using the Chi-squared test, and binary regression models were constructed to identify predictors of opinions and practice of CMR. RESULTS: About half of the surveyed dentists practiced CMR when indicated, but many felt that it represents an invasion of the biological width and might affect crown survival. Participants had several, often concurrent concerns about CMR. The opinions and practices of CMR were influenced by several factors including educational degree, work setting, country of clinical training, years of experience, and specialty. CONCLUSION: The relatively conservative attitude of dentists towards CMR is justifiable, as it is a relatively new concept with little long-term clinical data. Clinical trials with sufficient follow-up periods are now needed to evaluate outcomes from CMR to provide further confidence to dentists to implement the procedure. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Deep proximal carious lesions extending subgingivally is a common clinical scenario. Assessing the opinion and practice of dentists towards conservative treatment with CMR provides the basis for encouraging practitioners to use the procedure both clinically and in clinical trials.

Effect of Social Media on Patient's Perception of Dental Aesthetics in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Social media became an influential tool that affects people's way of communication and became a significant source of information for the society. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of SM on patients seeking aesthetic dental treatment. Methodology. The study employed a large-scale online survey of 1940 patients attending and/or seeking dental treatment at KAUFD and Jeddah private clinics. The targeted age of participants ranged from 18 years and above. The study data were collected using a three-part questionnaire. Results: More than half of the patients were females in both groups (52.7%). The majority of patients used SM for communication and entertainment purposes. It was also found that the most popular platform used by patients was Snapchat (71.1%), followed by Instagram (66.9%). A lot of patients did not like their teeth appearance (38.5%). Moreover, patients preferred to have "bleaching" as an aesthetic treatment to improve their smiles (63.8%). Conclusion: The impact of SM on Saudi Arabian citizens and Saudi Arabia residents can be considered as high. Patients are influenced by SM applications and are seeking aesthetic treatment as an outcome. It is the responsibility of dentists to educate patients about the best treatment options.

Self-perceived halitosis among young adults undergoing orthodontic treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Halitosis is a common oral health problem that significantly impacts the quality of life of the affected individuals. In most cases, poor oral hygiene is responsible for the problem. Orthodontic therapy aims to correct malocclusion using different devices. It has been suggested that orthodontic treatment can promote gingival health by facilitating daily oral hygiene measures. However, the treatment may harm gingival health as these appliances may lead to a more significant accumulation of plaque, increasing the microbial load in the subgingival environment leading to halitosis. OBJECTIVE: The primary goal of this survey is to assess the prevalence of self-perceived halitosis in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online questionnaire was randomly distributed to patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. A total of 289 subjects completed the questionnaire. It included questions about: demographic data, medical history, social habits, past dental treatment and oral hygiene habits. Descriptive statistics as frequency distributions and percentages were calculated for the study variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-perceived halitosis was 41.5%. The majority of the participants started to notice this problem during and after orthodontic treatment (62.5%). A statistically significant correlation was found between the regular dental visits and halitosis in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances (p-value = 0.010). Also, those patients had a substantial increase in tongue coating formation (p- value = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Self-perceived halitosis is a common problem in patients receiving orthodontic treatment.