Self-reported pain during different phases of orthodontic treatment with fixed appliance: A multi-centre randomized controlled trial in adolescents with crowding.

OBJECTIVES: To compare self-reported pain levels across various treatment phases using passive self-ligating (Damon) and conventional (Victory) standardized fixed appliance systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adolescents (12-17 years old) with crowding and displaced teeth, planned for non-extraction treatment, were recruited from four orthodontic clinics. They were randomized into stratified blocks (1:1 ratio) using concealed allocation to receive Damon Q™ (34 boys, 28 girls) or Victory™ (39 boys, 31 girls). Pain and analgesic intake were assessed on seven different occasions with validated self-report questionnaires using a 10-grade scale. RESULTS: Of the 132 patients included, six were lost to follow up. Clinically relevant mean pain scores (≥4) were registered in both groups after bonding upper and lower arches and after insertion of 0.019 × 0.025 stainless steel archwire. The highest mean scores were reported on day two after bonding the upper arch (Damon 5.96, Victory 7.18, P = .011). In both groups, at least 40% reported taking analgesics during various treatment phases. The Damon group reported a lower intake of analgesics on days one and two (P = .042 and .037) after treatment initiation. In the entire sample, boys reported significantly higher mean pain scores than girls on the second and third days after bonding (P = .008 and .026, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Lower pain levels were reported from the Damon group after bonding. In general, boys reported higher pain than girls did. Clinicians and adolescents need to be aware that clinically relevant pain levels can be expected not only after bonding but also in later phases.

Undergraduate dental students' perceptions of dental pain in children - A grounded theory study.

INTRODUCTION: There is an underuse of pain management strategies in dental care for children, possibly owing to perceived stress and discomfort when treating children, which has also been reported by dental students. The aim of this study was to explore how undergraduate dental students experience and understand pain related to dental treatment in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Interviews were held with 21 Swedish dental students, from 3 dental schools, all in their final 2 years of education. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to Grounded Theory. RESULTS: A core category, seeking guidance to avoid pain, was identified and related to 6 conceptual categories. The students used different strategies to manage pain prevention in child dentistry and to become skilled dentists. They described high levels of stress, as well as having high expectations on themselves when treating children. The stress led to a surface learning approach, something the students were not fully aware of. CONCLUSION: All children should have the right to be ensured optimal pain prevention in dental care. The basis for this is laid during undergraduate education. Thus, pain management in child dentistry is an area in need of special attention in this respect. The academic staff has an important role in supporting their students in their process to gain an identity as professional dentists. To ensure that students incorporate an understanding of the importance of pain prevention when treating children there is a need to create more integration between theory and clinical training in undergraduate education.

Updated clinical practice recommendations for managing adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

This review aimed to update the clinical practice guidelines for managing adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). The 22q11.2 Society recruited expert clinicians worldwide to revise the original clinical practice guidelines for adults in a stepwise process according to best practices: (1) a systematic literature search (1992-2021), (2) study selection and synthesis by clinical experts from 8 countries, covering 24 subspecialties, and (3) formulation of consensus recommendations based on the literature and further shaped by patient advocate survey results. Of 2441 22q11.2DS-relevant publications initially identified, 2344 received full-text review, with 2318 meeting inclusion criteria (clinical care relevance to 22q11.2DS) including 894 with potential relevance to adults. The evidence base remains limited. Thus multidisciplinary recommendations represent statements of current best practice for this evolving field, informed by the available literature. These recommendations provide guidance for the recognition, evaluation, surveillance, and management of the many emerging and chronic 22q11.2DS-associated multisystem morbidities relevant to adults. The recommendations also address key genetic counseling and psychosocial considerations for the increasing numbers of adults with this complex condition.

Updated clinical practice recommendations for managing children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

This review aimed to update the clinical practice guidelines for managing children and adolescents with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). The 22q11.2 Society, the international scientific organization studying chromosome 22q11.2 differences and related conditions, recruited expert clinicians worldwide to revise the original 2011 pediatric clinical practice guidelines in a stepwise process: (1) a systematic literature search (1992-2021), (2) study selection and data extraction by clinical experts from 9 different countries, covering 24 subspecialties, and (3) creation of a draft consensus document based on the literature and expert opinion, which was further shaped by survey results from family support organizations regarding perceived needs. Of 2441 22q11.2DS-relevant publications initially identified, 2344 received full-text reviews, including 1545 meeting criteria for potential relevance to clinical care of children and adolescents. Informed by the available literature, recommendations were formulated. Given evidence base limitations, multidisciplinary recommendations represent consensus statements of good practice for this evolving field. These recommendations provide contemporary guidance for evaluation, surveillance, and management of the many 22q11.2DS-associated physical, cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric morbidities while addressing important genetic counseling and psychosocial issues.

Accuracy of the Swedish quality registry for caries and periodontal diseases (SKaPa) - evaluation in 6- and 12-year-olds in the region of Värmland, Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the agreement of data on dental caries between electronic dental records and data retrieved from the national SKaPa-registry (Swedish Quality Registry for caries and periodontal disease), with special reference to e/M in deft/DMFT. METHODS: In a random sample of 500 6- and 12-year-old children having received dental care in 2014 in the county region of Värmland, Sweden, the diagnostic accuracy of data in electronic dental records with corresponding data obtained from the SKaPa-registry was compared by using Cohen's Kappa and Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: For dft/DFT the Kappa was 0.95, and ICC 0.98 (total population). For deft/DMFT in the total population the Kappa was 0.80 and ICC 0.96. For 6-year-olds (deft) the Kappa was 0.89 and ICC 0.99 and for 12-year-olds (DMFT) the Kappa was 0.70, and ICC 0.83. The corresponding figures for Kappa and ICC when excluding individuals without caries (deft/DMFT = 0) were: Total population 0.63 and 0.94; 6-year-olds 0.79 and 0.99; 12-year-olds 0.42 and 0.68. CONCLUSION: Agreement between data in the dental records and SKaPa was very high for dft/DFT confirming that transfer from the dental records to the SKaPa-registry is safe and correct. As the accuracy of deft/DMFT was considerably lower than for dft/DFT we advise against using deft/DMFT data from SKaPa for research purposes at this point.

A grounded theory study on Swedish 10 to 16-year-olds' perceptions of pain in conjunction with orthodontically indicated tooth extraction.

OBJECTIVE: Children frequently experience pain and/or discomfort during dental treatment. Still, pain research in dentistry has mainly been performed on adults using quantitative methods while research on the child's perspective is scarce. This study aims to explore and describe children's experiences and/or thoughts regarding pain in conjunction with tooth extraction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Interviews were carried out with twelve Swedish 10-16-year-olds who had recently undergone tooth extractions due to orthodontic reasons. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to grounded theory. RESULTS: A core category was identified and named 'handling the unavoidable unknown'. The informants recalled experiences of pain and discomfort during extractions. However, instead of focussing on pain, they described an urge for more information about the procedure and what to expect in terms of pain and/or discomfort, during and/or after treatment. They stated that the levels of pain/discomfort were manageable, while the lack of information negatively affected their coping abilities, causing feelings of unease. CONCLUSIONS: To improve patients' ability to deal with pain in conjunction with dental extraction, the dental team should ensure better and individually tailored information about the treatment. Thus, the use of psychological techniques is a cornerstone in pain management and must be reflected in clinical guidelines.

Children's advocacy centre fails to respond to dental, mental and physical ill-health in abused children.

AIM: Sweden´s first multidisciplinary children's advocacy centre (CAC) was founded in 2005 as a collaborative practice between child protection services, the legal system and health care in response to police-reported child abuse. CACs were introduced in the county of Skåne in 2007. The aim of the study was to describe the health of children investigated at the CAC in Lund, and to examine whether the CAC model of collaboration responded to the healthcare needs of these children. METHODS: All children aged 0-17 years investigated at the CAC in 2015 were included in this retrospective study. We reviewed the CAC files and the children's medical and dental records from one year prior to, until one year after their assessment at the CAC. RESULTS: Our review of the medical and dental records (n = 298) showed a high prevalence of mental, dental and physical ill-health. After the CAC joint meeting, only 1% of the children were referred for a medical examination and 4% for a focused forensic evaluation. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates limitations in the CAC process in responding to extensive health issues of the young victims of crime. We suggest mental, dental and physical health assessments to be statutory in CACs.

Swedish quality registry for caries and periodontal diseases (SKaPa): validation of data on dental caries in 6- and 12-year-old children.

BACKGROUND: The Swedish Quality Registry for caries and periodontal disease (SKaPa) automatically collects data on caries and periodontitis from patients' electronic dental records. Provided the data entries are reliable and accurate, the registry has potential value as a data source for registry-based research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of the SKaPa registry information on dental caries in 6- and 12-year-old children. METHOD: This diagnostic accuracy study compared dental caries data registered at an examination with dental health status registered in the patient's electronic dental records, and with corresponding data retrieved from the SKaPa registry. Clinical examinations of 170 6- and 12-year-old children were undertaken by one of the researchers in conjunction with the children's regular annual dental examinations where the number of teeth were registered, and dental caries was diagnosed using ICDAS II. Teeth with fillings were defined as filled and were added to the ICDAS II score and subsequently dft/DFT was calculated for each individual. Cohen's Kappa, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and sensitivity and specificity were calculated to test the agreement of the 'decayed and filled teeth' in deciduous and permanent teeth (dft/DFT) from the three sources. RESULTS: Cohen's Kappa of the dft/DFT-values was calculated to 0.79 between the researcher and the patient record, to 0.95 between patient dental record and SKaPa, and to 0.76 between the researcher and SKaPa. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to 0.96 between the researcher and the patient journal, to 0.99 between the patient dental record vs. SKaPa, and to 0.95 between the researcher and SKaPa. CONCLUSION: The SKaPa registry information demonstrated satisfactory reliability and accuracy on dental caries in 6- and 12-year-old children and is a reliable source for registry-based research. Trial registration The study was registered in Clinical Trials ( www.ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03039010).

Organisational models of health services for children and adolescents in out-of-home care: Health technology assessment.

AIM: Decades of research confirm that children and adolescents in out-of-home care (foster family, residential care) have much greater health care needs than their peers. A systematic literature review was conducted to evaluate organisational health care models for this vulnerable group. METHODS: A systematic literature search was undertaken of the following databases: Academic Search Elite, CENTRAL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cinahl, DARE, ERIC, HTA, PsycInfo, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, PubMed, SocIndex. Randomised and non-randomised controlled trials were to be included. Two pairs of reviewers independently assessed abstracts of the identified published papers. Abstracts meeting the inclusion criteria were ordered in full text. Each article was reviewed independently, by pairs of reviewers. A joint assessment was made based on the inclusion criteria and relevance. Cases of disagreement were resolved by consensus discussion. RESULTS: No study with low or medium risk of bias was identified. CONCLUSION: In the absence of studies of acceptable quality, it is not possible to assess the impact of organisational models intended to ensure adequate health and dental care for children and adolescents in out-of-home care. Therefore, well-designed follow-up studies should be conducted following the implementation of such models.

The impact of premature birth on dental maturation in the permanent dentition.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate tooth development and calculate dental maturity score in prematurely born children and to compare the findings with full-term born children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nine-year-old preterm children were selected from the Swedish Medical Birth Register. One group consisted of 36 extremely preterm children (born before week 29), and the other included 38 very preterm children (born during weeks 29 to 32). Panoramic radiography was performed on each child and the preterm children were compared with 42 full-term born children. Five observers independently assessed the tooth development stages for all teeth in the left mandible (31-37) on the panoramic radiographs according to the method described by Demirjian et al. (Hum Biol 45:211-227, 1973). Data from tooth development stages were compiled and converted into a dental maturity score for each group. Kappa values were calculated for intra- and inter-observer agreement. RESULTS: When the different development stages for each individual tooth were compared, all observers presented a significant delay in the maturity of tooth 37 for the extremely preterm group (p ≤ 0.002). The extremely preterm group had a significantly lower dental maturity score than the full-term group, as assessed by each observer (p ≤ 0.006). Kappa values for inter-observer agreement varied between 0.31 and 0.71 depending on tooth and intra-observer agreement was between 0.16 and 1.0. CONCLUSIONS: At age 9, the extremely preterm children had a general delay in tooth development. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The increased survival rate of extremely preterm babies adds a new group of children to society. Dental clinicians should be aware that the delay in tooth development could impact the timing of orthodontic diagnostics and potential treatment.

Which factors most influence referral for restorative dental treatment under sedation and general anaesthesia in children with complex disabilities: caries severity, child functioning, or dental service organisation?

BACKGROUND: The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child gives all children right to the highest standard of services for treatment and rehabilitation. For children with disabilities, sedation and general anaesthesia (GA) are often indicated for dental treatment; however, accessibility to this varies. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - Child and Youth version (ICF-CY) enables a biopsychosocial description of children undergoing dental treatment. AIM: To investigate conscious sedation and GA in children with complex disabilities and manifest caries and analyse how caries, child functioning, and dental service organisation relate to dental GA (DGA), comparing Argentina, France, and Sweden using the ICF-CY. DESIGN: Quantitative, cross-sectional; data collected through structured interviews, observation, and dental records. RESULTS: Sedation and DGA were common. Children with limitations in interpersonal interactions and relationships were more likely to have had DGA (OR: 5.3, P = 0.015). Level of caries experience was strongly correlated with experience of DGA. There were significant differences between countries regarding caries prevalence, sedation, DGA, and functional and environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS: Although caries experience and child functioning are important, dental health service organisation had the most impact on the incidence of DGA, and for the use of conscious sedation, for children with complex disabilities.

Dentists' attitudes towards acute pharmacological pain management in children and adolescents.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate Swedish dentists' attitudes regarding pain management strategies for treating children and adolescents. It assessed recommendations for pre- and postoperative analgesics, and use of local anaesthesia, and whether application of these strategies differs between general dental practitioners (GDPs) and specialists in paediatric dentistry (SPDs). DESIGN: We invited all GDPs (n = 807) in southern Sweden (Region Skåne), and all registered SPDs (n = 122) working in Sweden (929 actively practising dentists under age 65 years) to participate in a postal survey on pain management in paediatric dental care. RESULTS: The SPDs reported using all types of pain-reducing strategies more frequently than GDPs except local anaesthesia when extracting a permanent premolar, which SPDs and GDPs used equally often. Preoperative analgesic use was greater among SPDs than GDPs. GDPs used local anaesthesia less frequently for filling therapy in primary teeth than in permanent teeth. CONCLUSIONS: SPDs recommend preoperative analgesics more often than GDPs do. GDPs seem to underuse local anaesthetics when treating children and adolescents. SPDs also use pain management strategies more frequently than GDPs. Among GDPs, pain management is less frequent when treating primary teeth than permanent teeth.

Pain sensation and injection techniques in maxillary dento-alveolar surgery procedures in children--a comparison between conventional and computerized injection techniques (The Wand).

Local anesthesia, especially palatal injection, is often associated with fear and anxiety. The aim was to compare the sensation of pain when using palatal block technique with computerized injection technique (CIT), to conventional infiltration technique with traditional syringe in surgical procedures involving the palate. Patients referred for bilateral minor maxillary surgical treatments were randomized for traditional infiltration anesthesia on one side and palatal block anesthesia with CIT on the other side. AMSA and P-ASA approaches were used with CIT. The sensation of pain was scored by the VAS scale. Twenty-eight patients were included in the study, where of 17 (61%) were girls. The median age was 14.8 yrs. (12.6 - 17.8). Bilateral exposure of palatal impacted canines was the most common treatment. The injection pain was significantly lower, (p = 0.009), when using the CIT injection compared to conventional injection. However, with time-consuming surgery, additional CIT analgesic solution had to be injected in the buccal gingiva when suturing, in one fourth of the cases. Patients sedated with nitrous oxide seemed to benefit less from CIT. Computerized injection techniques, including P-ASA and AMSA approaches, reduces the sensation of pain when carrying out less time-consuming palatal dental surgery, especially in non-sedated teenagers.

Behaviour support in dentistry: A Delphi study to agree terminology in behaviour management.

OBJECTIVES: Dental behaviour support (DBS) describes all specific techniques practiced to support patients in their experience of professional oral healthcare. DBS is roughly synonymous with behaviour management, which is an outdated concept. There is no agreed terminology to specify the techniques used to support patients who receive dental care. This lack of specificity may lead to imprecision in describing, understanding, teaching, evaluating and implementing behaviour support techniques in dentistry. Therefore, this e-Delphi study aimed to develop a list of agreed labels and descriptions of DBS techniques used in dentistry and sort them according to underlying principles of behaviour. METHODS: Following a registered protocol, a modified e-Delphi study was applied over two rounds with a final consensus meeting. The threshold of consensus was set a priori at 75%. Agreed techniques were then categorized by four coders, according to behavioural learning theory, to sort techniques according to their mechanism of action. RESULTS: The panel (n = 35) agreed on 42 DBS techniques from a total of 63 candidate labels and descriptions. Complete agreement was achieved regarding all labels and descriptions, while agreement was not achieved regarding distinctiveness for 17 techniques. In exploring underlying principles of learning, it became clear that multiple and differing principles may apply depending on the specific context and procedure in which the technique may be applied. DISCUSSION: Experts agreed on what each DBS technique is, what label to use, and their description, but were less likely to agree on what distinguishes one technique from another. All techniques were describable but not comprehensively categorizable according to principles of learning. While objective consistency was not attained, greater clarity and consistency now exists. The resulting list of agreed terminology marks a significant foundation for future efforts towards understanding DBS techniques in research, education and clinical care.

Common experiences of pain in children and adolescents--an exploratory factor analysis of a questionnaire.

The aim of the study was to reduce everyday and dental treatment pain items included in the extended Children's Pain Inventory (CPI), used in a prior study on Swedish children and adolescents. Another aim was to, by means of exploratory factor analysis (EFA), expose hitherto undiscovered dimensions of the CPI pain variables and thus to improve the psychometric properties of CPI. As some pain items are relevant merely to some individuals, a new and more useful questionnaire construction would enhance the internal validity of the instrument in observational surveys. EFA was applied on the extended CPI instrument. 368 children, 8-19 years old, had answered a questionnaire comprising 10 dental and 28 everyday pain variables. These pain items were analysed using a series of sequentially implemented EFA. Interpretations and decisions on the final number of the extracted factors was based on accepted principles; Kaiser's Eigenvalue >1 criterion, inspection of the scree plot and the interpretability of the items loading. The factors were orthogonally rotated using the Varimax method to maximize the amount of variance. Of all tested EFA models in the analysis, a two, three, four, and five factor model surfaced. The interpretability of the factors and their items loading were stepwise examined; the items were modulated and the factors re-evaluated. A four factor pain model emerged as the most interpretable, explaining 79% of the total variance depicting Eigenvalues > 1.014. The factors were named indicating the profile of the content: Factor I cutting trauma to skin/mucosal pain, Factor II head/neck pain, Factor III tenderness/blunt trauma pain, Factor IV oral/dental treatment pain.

How old are you? A systematic review investigating the relationship between age and mandibular third molar maturity.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Radiographic evaluation of the maturity of mandibular third molars is a common method used for age estimation of adolescents and young adults. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the scientific base for the relationship between a fully matured mandibular third molar based on Demirjian's method and chronological age, in order to assess whether an individual is above or below the age of 18 years. METHODS: The literature search was conducted in six databases until February 2022 for studies reporting data evaluating the tooth maturity using Demirjian´s method (specifically stage H) within populations ranging from 8 to 30 years (chronological age). Two reviewers screened the titles and abstracts identified through the search strategy independently. All studies of potential relevance according to the inclusion criteria were obtained in full text, after which they were assessed for inclusion by two independent reviewers. Any disagreement was resolved by a discussion. Two reviewers independently evaluated the risk of bias using the assessment tool QUADAS-2 and extracted the data from the studies with low or moderate risk of bias. Logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship between chronological age and proportion of subjects with a fully matured mandibular third molar (Demirjian´s tooth stage H). RESULTS: A total of 15 studies with low or moderate risk of bias were included in the review. The studies were conducted in 13 countries and the chronological age of the investigated participants ranged from 3 to 27 years and the number of participants ranged between 208 and 5,769. Ten of the studies presented the results as mean age per Demirjian´s tooth stage H, but only five studies showed the distribution of developmental stages according to validated age. The proportion of subjects with a mandibular tooth in Demirjian´s tooth stage H at 18 years ranged from 0% to 22% among males and 0 to 16% in females. Since the studies were too heterogenous to perform a meta-analysis or a meaningful narrative review, we decided to refrain from a GRADE assessment. CONCLUSION: The identified literature does not provide scientific evidence for the relationship between Demirjian´s stage H of a mandibular third molar and chronologic age in order to assess if an individual is under or above the age of 18 years.

Oral health -- not a priority issue a grounded theory analysis of barriers for young patients with disabilities to receive oral health care on the same premise as others.

Oral health problems are reported more frequently in children with disabilities, but the reasons for this are not fully known. The present study was conducted to illuminate and to gain a deeper understanding of the possible barriers preventing children with disabilities from receiving oral health care on the same premise as others. Transcribed in-depth interviews with 65 informants (14 parents, 18 dental health-care professionals, 17 medical health-care professionals, and 16 individuals with disabilities) were analysed in open, axial, and selective coding processes according to Grounded Theory. The results showed that no-one seems to take an overriding responsibility for the oral health of young patients with disabilities. This was described in a formal theory showing that defective knowledge about importance of oral health, limited ability to focus on oral health, and uncertainty in treating the unknown in patients, family, and dental and medical health-care professionals result in a situation in which oral health is left out in young patients with disabilities; it is not a priority issue.

Treatment outcomes and dental anxiety in 18-year-olds with MIH, comparisons with healthy controls - a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: In a previous study, 9-year-old children with severe Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) had undergone dental treatment of their first molars nearly ten times as often as children in a control group. They also showed more management problems (BMP) and fear and anxiety (DFA). AIM: To assess the long-term outcomes of dental treatments, dental anxiety, and patients' satisfaction in adolescents with MIH. DESIGN: Sixty-seven patients, identical with those in the baseline study, were studied at age 18-years. The participants answered the Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale the Dental Visit Satisfaction Scale (DVSS). Data were compiled from the dental records concerning dental health, number of restorative treatments and BMP. RESULTS: Molar Incisor Hypomineralization group had a significantly higher DMFT, and had undergone treatment of their permanent first molars 4.2 times as often as the controls. BMP was still significantly more common in the MIH group. However, DFS was reduced in MIH group and increased in the control groups. The DVSS scores did not differ between the groups. Conclusions. Patients with severe MIH had a poorer dental health and were still more treatment consuming at age 18-years. However, their dental fear was now at the same level as the controls.

Molar-incisor hypomineralization and oral hygiene in 10- to-12-yr-old Swedish children born preterm.

Although preterm birth is associated with an increased risk of medical problems and impairments, there is limited knowledge of how this affects oral health. It was hypothesized that when 10-12 yr of age, children who were preterm at birth would present with a higher prevalence of molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH), more dental plaque, and a higher degree of gingival inflammation than full-term control children. Eighty-two preterm children, born between 24 and 32 wk of gestation, and 82 control children, born between 37 and 43 wk of gestation, were clinically examined for developmental defects in enamel, MIH, dental plaque, and gingival health. In addition, behaviour management problems were evaluated. Information on any aetiological factors with a potential influence on MIH and oral health was collected via questionnaires. Molar-incisor hypomineralization was more common in preterm children than in controls (38% vs. 16%), as were enamel developmental defects (69.5% vs. 51%). Low gestational age and low birth weight increased the risk of MIH. Preterm children had more plaque, a higher degree of gingival inflammation, and more behaviour-management problems than controls. In conclusion, oral health problems were more common in preterm children than in control children.

General dental practitioners' knowledge and attitudes on children's pain and pain management-A questionnaire survey.

The aim was to study general dental practitioners' knowledge and attitudes on pain and pain management in children and adolescents, using a multidimensional questionnaire. There is little information on dentists' views on pain in children. The research question was how attitudes and knowledge may correlate to the dentists' age, sex, years of professional experience, the proportion of working time devoted to treating children and adolescents, as well as being a parent. At the time of the study, 387 general dentists working for the Public Dental Service participated in a web-based, multidimensional validated questionnaire holding the categories (A) views on the care of children in pain, (B) physiology, (C) pain alleviation, (D) medication, (E) sociology/psychology, (F) Pain assessment instruments and methods, (G) non-medication methods of pain alleviation, and (H) documentation of pain management. The age categories were given as; below 25, 25-35, 36-45, 46-55 years, and older than 55 years of age. 71% of the responders were female. The dentists' age cohort, as well as the years of professional experience, tended to make a difference as to the pain interventions in children and adolescents (P < 0.03). The female dentists, in comparison to the male dentists, conveyed different pain treatment strategies (P < 0.03). The proportion of working time devoted to treating children and adolescents, as well as being a parent, did not show significant differences regarding pain strategies. Associations were observed between the age of the dentists studied, the number of years as professionals and the knowledge and attitudes that benefit children's pain treatment. Being a parent was not significant. In this studied group, female dentists displayed significantly more care regarding pain management, than did their male colleagues. Furthermore, the study highlighted the need for a short questionnaire, user-friendly yet with retained multidimensionality.