Oral health and oral quality of life in inactive patients with familial Mediterranean fever without amyloidosis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate oral and general health-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) disease. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 45 patients with FMF, 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC), and 50 patients with Behçet's disease (BD) as the disease control group were included. FMF disease activity was evaluated by using the FMF-severity score, as well as with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and serum C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels. Oral health-related QoL and general QoL were evaluated using oral health impact profile-14 (OHIP-14) and Medical Outcomes Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire 36 (SF-36), respectively. RESULTS: Only the numbers of extracted teeth (4.13±4.72 vs. 1.55±3.6) and filled teeth (2.33±3.19 vs. 0.66±1.46) were significantly higher in FMF group compared to HC group (p=0.005 and p=0.013, respectively). OHIP-14 score was significantly higher in FMF and BD groups compared to HC group. In FMF patients, OHIP-14 score was positively correlated with the number of extracted teeth (r=0.38, p=0.010), while the number of carious teeth was positively correlated with ESR (r=0.43, p=0.003). When FMF patients were sub-classified according to disease severity, no significant difference was observed with respect to oral health status. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with FMF, some of the parameters of oral health status were found to be worse compared to HC group. Tooth loss appears to be to be a critical factor contributing to impaired oral QoL. In general, oral health status in FMF patients is better than in BD patients.

Diagnostic accuracy of Digora Optime storage phosphor plates for proximal subsurface demineralization: effect of different exposure times.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of F-speed film and storage phosphor plate (SPP) exposed with different exposure times for the detection of artificial enamel subsurface demineralization. STUDY DESIGN: Standard enamel windows of extracted premolars were exposed to a demineralizing solution. All teeth were radiographed before and after acid application with F-speed films and SPPs. Films were exposed for 0.25 seconds and SPPs were exposed using 4 exposure times. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used for diagnostic accuracy (A(z)). RESULTS: Significant differences were obtained among A(z)s of 0.08- versus 0.12-seconds and 0.10- versus 0.12-second exposed SPPs (P < .05). A(z)s of films were higher than the SPPs exposed with 0.08, 0.10, and 0.12 seconds (P < .05). No difference was found between the A(z)s of the 2 systems when SPPs were exposed for 0.16 seconds (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic accuracy of films and SPPs was not impaired when exposure time was 36% reduced for the latter; however, diagnosis was impaired when reduced 52%.

Differences in aluminum equivalent values of endodontic sealers: conventional versus digital radiography.

The aims of this study were to compare film and digital radiography in assessing the radiopacities of root canal sealers and to establish the relation in aluminum equivalent values of different methods. Standard disks of 5 different sealers were exposed together with an aluminum step wedge by using occlusal films and storage phosphor plates. Optical density of the sealers was evaluated by transmission densitometry, and mean gray values were determined by digital analysis. The data were analyzed by using two-way analysis of variance (P = .05). Pairwise comparisons were made by using Tukey post hoc and paired t tests (P = .05). The order from the most radiopaque to the most radiolucent sealer was the same for both methods; however, aluminum equivalent values determined by transmission densitometry were significantly higher (P < .01). Aluminum equivalent values of the 2 radiographic methods were 7%-20% different. The International Standards Organization standard for the radiopacity of dental root canal sealing materials needs modifications for digital systems.

Effect of various digital processing algorithms on the measurement accuracy of endodontic file length.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of endodontic file lengths after application of various image enhancement modalities. STUDY DESIGN: Endodontic files of three different ISO sizes were inserted in 20 single-rooted extracted permanent mandibular premolar teeth and standardized images were obtained. Original digital images were then enhanced using five processing algorithms. Six evaluators measured the length of each file on each image. The measurements from each processing algorithm and each file size were compared using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni tests (P = 0.05). Paired t test was performed to compare the measurements with the true lengths of the files (P = 0.05). RESULTS: All of the processing algorithms provided significantly shorter measurements than the true length of each file size (P < 0.05). The threshold enhancement modality produced significantly higher mean error values (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference among the other enhancement modalities (P > 0.05). Decrease in mean error value was observed with increasing file size (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Invert, contrast/brightness and edge enhancement algorithms may be recommended for accurate file length measurements when utilizing storage phosphor plates.