Tooth autotransplantation: An umbrella review.

Tooth autotransplantation is a versatile procedure with several clinical applications among patients across different age groups. The success of this procedure depends on multiple factors. Despite the wealth of studies available, no single primary study or systematic review is able to report on every factor affecting the outcomes of autotransplantation. The aims of this umbrella review were to evaluate treatment-related and patient-related outcomes of autotransplantation and to assess the pre-, peri- or post-operative factors that could affect these. An umbrella review was conducted according to the PRISMA statement. A literature search of five databases was performed up to 25 September 2022. Systematic Reviews (SR) with and without meta-analysis evaluating autotransplantation were included. Calibration among reviewers was carried out prior to study selection, data extraction and Risk of Bias (RoB) assessment. Study overlap was calculated using corrected covered area. Meta-meta-analysis (MMA) was performed for suitable SRs. The AMSTAR 2 critical appraisal tool was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Seventeen SRs met the inclusion criteria. Only two SRs were suitable for conduct of MMA on autotransplantation of open apex teeth. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were >95%. A narrative summary on factors that could affect autotransplantation outcomes and comparisons of autotransplantation to other treatment options were reported. Five SRs were rated as 'low quality' and 12 SRs were rated as 'critically low quality' in the AMSTAR 2 RoB assessment. In order to facilitate a more homogenous pool of data for subsequent meta-analysis, an Autotransplantation Outcome Index was also proposed to standardise the definition of outcomes. Autotransplantation of teeth with open apices have a high survival rate. Future studies should standardise the reporting of clinical and radiographic findings, as well as the definition of outcomes.

Outcomes of preformed metal crowns placed with the conventional and Hall techniques: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Preformed metal crowns (PMCs) have been used to restore carious primary molars and have a high success and survival rate. There are two methods currently employed for PMC placement - the conventional technique (CT) and Hall technique (HT). AIM: This systematic review aims to compare the outcomes of PMCs placed using the CT and HT. DESIGN: This systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis statement. A literature search of five databases was performed up to 23 August 2022. Clinical studies comparing carious primary molars restored with PMCs using either technique with a minimum 12-month follow-up were included. Risk of bias (RoB) assessment was performed using the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment tool. RESULTS: Five articles met the inclusion criteria, and four were included for meta-analysis. The 12- and 24-month success and survival rates were above 85% for both groups, with no significant differences shown at 12 and 24 months. The HT requires a shorter treatment duration, is more cost-effective and has a high level of acceptability among parents when compared to the CT. Four articles were rated fair, and one article was rated good in the RoB assessment. CONCLUSION: Greater consideration may be given towards using the HT as part of standard treatment procedures in managing carious primary molars. Future studies should standardise reporting of outcomes to facilitate a more homogeneous pool of data for future meta-analysis.

Qualitative study on barriers and coping strategies for dental care in autistic children: Parents' perspective.

BACKGROUND: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) face challenges in home oral care, accessing a dentist and accepting dental treatment. AIM: To determine the barriers to dental care for autistic children in Singapore through the experiences and opinions of their parents. DESIGN: A qualitative exploratory approach comprising semistructured interviews and a focus group discussion was used. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded into themes using NVivo 12 software. RESULTS: Participants were 23 parents of autistic children aged 3-12 years. The following barriers were identified: (1) Sensory, physical and parental knowledge issues are related to toothbrushing difficulties and use of nonoptimally fluoridated toothpaste in autistic children. (2) Accessing dental services was hindered by a lack of parental knowledge on the importance of an early dental home, parental apprehension about the child's acceptance of dental care, lack of information on specialised dentists and perceived high cost of dental visits. Parental suggestions for improvements included understanding the child's sensory profile, more information on finding a suitable dentist and subsidisation of costs for multiple acclimatisation visits. CONCLUSION: Caregivers' education, information about specialised dentists and the availability of specific dental care resources for autistic children in Singapore are needed for optimising their dental care.

The use of aesthetic paediatric full coverage restorations among paediatric dental practitioners: an international survey.

Despite the recent growing evidence in support of prefabricated zirconia crown use as a successful option in managing grossly carious anterior and posterior primary teeth, the use of such crowns remains controversial within the paediatric dental profession. This study aims to assess the use of aesthetic full coverage paediatric restorations among paediatric dentists worldwide, with emphasis on aesthetic prefabricated zirconia crowns. This was an online cross-sectional survey questionnaire study comprising of 38 multiple-choice questions disseminated worldwide through the contact lists of national, regional and international paediatric dental organisations and social media platforms. The survey was completed by 556 respondents thus achieving power, with 391 (70.3%) females and 165 (29.7%) males. The respondents were from 55 different countries spread across six continents. The use of aesthetic full coverage restorations was reported by 80% (n = 444) of the respondents. For restoring anterior teeth, participants mainly used either composite strip crowns (94.4%, n = 419) or zirconia crowns (73.6%, n = 327), while those who used aesthetic crowns for restoring posterior teeth mainly used zirconia crowns (68.2%, n = 303). Within the limitations of this study, the results have shown a wide use of full coverage aesthetic restorations, including the use of zirconia crowns, of primary teeth within this international sample of practicing dentists.

Vital pulp treatment for traumatized permanent teeth: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic dental injuries involving the pulp are quite common and there is a need to evaluate the quality of evidence on the success of vital pulp treatment (VPT) interventions in traumatised permanent teeth. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the success of VPT in the management of traumatised human vital permanent teeth diagnosed with complicated crown or crown-root fractures. METHODS: An electronic search of the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, Clinical Trial Registries and the grey literature was performed until 25th /8/2021. Controlled clinical trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, case series with at least five cases and a minimum of 12-months follow-up were included. Non-English language literature was excluded. Two independent assessors performed study selection, data extraction and quality assessment using the National Institutes of Health's quality assessment tool. Disagreements were resolved through consensus/with a third assessor. RESULTS: A total of 14-studies (2-controlled clinical trials, 1-case-control, and 11-case series) published between 1978-2020, with a total of 1081 permanent teeth and an age range between 6-42 years-old were included. Bias analysis ranged considerably from 'good' to 'poor'. Meta-analysis was not performed due to data heterogeneity, unclear reporting, and limited number of controlled clinical studies. Partial pulpotomy was the main reported clinical procedure with an overall success rate between 82.9-100%. Complete pulpotomy and direct pulp capping were associated with lower success rates of 79.4-85.7% and 19.5%, respectively. Calcium hydroxide was the main pulp capping material with favourable clinical and radiographic success (79.4-100%). Biodentine® , mineral trioxide aggregate and IRoot® BP were also associated with a high clinical and radiographic success, 80-91%, 80-100%, and 90-100%, respectively, albeit in fewer studies. DISCUSSION: Although a high success rate has been reported when using VPT in managing pulpally involved traumatised teeth, the results of this systematic review clearly highlighted a paucity and low quality of the available evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Overall high success of VPT in the management of traumatised vital permanent teeth were reported, although based on limited evidence of well-conducted clinical studies. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO database (CRD42020205213).

Effect of dental trauma management resources on dental practitioners' confidence and knowledge: A pilot cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The knowledge of standardized care guidelines is critical to the confidence of practitioners in managing dental trauma. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the awareness, use and impact of the International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines, and the online Dental Trauma Guide on general dental practitioners' self-reported confidence and knowledge in managing traumatic dental injuries in the primary and permanent dentitions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, pre-piloted, 27-item self-administered questionnaire survey was distributed electronically to general dental practitioners' working within five member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar) between September and December 2020. Data were collected and analysed using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test analysis for relevant comparisons. RESULTS: A total of 294 respondents completed the survey, with the majority being from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (47.4%) and Qatar (27.3%). A lack of evidence-based knowledge in managing traumatic dental injuries was evident among more than half of the respondents. Respondents who were cognizant of the recent International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines (2020) and those who use the Dental Trauma Guide routinely demonstrated a higher self-reported confidence level in managing both simple and complex primary dentition trauma, as well as simple traumatic dental injuries in the permanent dentition (p < .05). CONCLUSION: This survey highlights critical deficiencies in the knowledge of a large number of the respondents in the management of dental trauma which is likely to cause irreversible long-term patient effects.

Occupational and speech therapists' perceptions of their role in dental care for children with autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative exploration.

BACKGROUND: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have challenges in home oral care, accessing a dentist and accepting dental treatment. Occupational therapists (OTs) and speech therapists (STs) are likely to be involved earlier in managing communication, behavioural and sensory processing issues. AIM: To determine perceived issues, barriers and potential solutions to dental care for children with ASD in Singapore from the perspective of OTs and STs. DESIGN: Semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion involving OTs and STs who treat children with ASD were conducted. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded into themes using the NVivo 12 software. RESULTS: Emergent themes indicated that: (i) OTs and STs have important roles in recognition of issues with toothbrushing, oral pathology and harmful oral habits; (ii) OTs and STs were able to identify reasons for difficulties in oral home care for children with ASD and offer helpful strategies; and (iii) OTs and STs can play a role in pre-dental visit preparations but lack a clear dental referral pathway. CONCLUSIONS: OTs and STs exclusively assist in the early identification and referrals of children with ASD to the dentist. Interprofessional collaboration with dentists should be further explored to aid in the provision of preventive dental advice.

Parental acceptance of silver diammine fluoride in children with autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have concerns with fluoride/silver content in silver diammine fluoride (SDF). AIM: To compare parental acceptance of SDF and dental fear between children with and without ASD. DESIGN: Three hundred parents were enrolled. Demographics, dental history, and dental fear were recorded. Subjects viewed an educational video and completed survey about SDF acceptance including the following: (a) overall acceptance, (b) aesthetic concerns by tooth location, (c) fluoride/silver concerns, and (d) its use as a general anaesthesia (GA) alternative. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were used. RESULTS: Significantly, more children with ASD had dental fear (ASD: 56% vs neurotypical: 26%). No differences in acceptance existed between the two groups overall or with respect to aesthetics, fluoride/silver content, or as an alternative to GA. Overall acceptance is >60%. Regardless of group, parents of older children were less likely to accept SDF as an alternative to GA (OR = 0.67 [95% CI: 0.50-0.90]). CONCLUSION: Parents of children with ASD had similar acceptance of SDF use compared to parents of neurotypical children. Children with ASD had higher levels of dental fear. Parents of younger children are more likely to accept SDF as an alternative to GA in both groups.

Anaesthetic efficacy of articaine versus lidocaine in children's dentistry: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Over the last few years, numerous reviews and studies have awarded articaine hydrochloride local anaesthetic (LA) a superior reputation, with outcomes of different studies demonstrating a general tendency for articaine hydrochloride to outperform lidocaine hydrochloride for dental treatment. Nevertheless, there seems to be no clear agreement on which LA solution is more efficacious in dental treatment for children. There is no previous publication systematically reviewing and summarising the current best evidence with respect to the success rates of LA solutions in children. AIMS: To evaluate the available evidence on the efficacy of lidocaine and articaine, used in paediatric dentistry. DESIGN: A systematic search was conducted on Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (OVID; 1950 to June 2017), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL; EBSCOhost; 1982 to June 2017), EMBASE (OVID; 1980 to June 2017), SCI-EXPANDED (ISI Web of Knowledge; 1900 to June 2017), key journals, and previous review bibliographies through June 2017. Original research studies that compared articaine with lidocaine for dental treatment in children were included. Methodological quality assessment and assessment of risk of bias were carried out for each of the included studies. RESULTS: Electronic searching identified 525 publications. Following the primary and secondary assessment process, six randomised controlled trials (RCT) were included in the final analysis. There was no difference between patient self-reported pain between articaine and lidocaine during treatment procedures (SMD = 0.06, P-value = 0.614), and no difference in the occurrence of adverse events between articaine and lidocaine injections following treatment in paediatric patients (RR = 1.10, P-value = 0.863). Yet, patients reported significantly less pain post-procedure following articaine injections (SMD = 0.37, P-value = 0.013). Substantial heterogeneity was noted in the reporting of outcomes among studies, with the overall quality of majority of studies being at high risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: There is low quality evidence suggesting that both articaine as infiltration and lidocaine IAD nerve blocks presented the same efficacy when used for routine dental treatments, with no difference between patient self-reported pain between articaine and lidocaine during treatment procedures. Yet, significantly less pain post-procedure was reported following articaine injections. There was no difference in the occurrence of adverse events between articaine and lidocaine injections following treatment in paediatric patients.

Periodontal disease and FAM20A mutations.

Enamel-renal-gingival syndrome (ERGS; OMIM #204690), a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in FAM20A, is characterized by nephrocalcinosis, nephrolithiasis, amelogenesis imperfecta, hypoplastic type, gingival fibromatosis and other dental abnormalities, including hypodontia and unerupted teeth with large dental follicles. We report three patients and their families with findings suggestive of ERGS. Mutation analysis of FAM20A was performed in all patients and their family members. Patients with homozygous frameshift and compound heterozygous mutations in FAM20A had typical clinical findings along with periodontitis. The other had a novel homozygous missense mutation in exon 10, mild gingival fibromatosis and renal calcifications. The periodontitis in our patients may be a syndrome component, and similar findings in previous reports suggest more than coincidence. Fam20a is an allosteric activator that increases Fam20c kinase activity. It is hypothesized that lack of FAM20A activation of FAM20C in our patients with FAM20A mutations might have caused amelogenesis imperfecta, abnormal bone remodeling and periodontitis. Nephrocalcinosis appears not to be a consistent finding of the syndrome and the missense mutation may correlate with mild gingival fibromatosis. Here we report three patients with homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in FAM20A and findings that extend the phenotypic spectrum of this disorder, showing that protein truncation is associated with greater clinical severity.

Telomere length is regulated by FGF-2 in human embryonic stem cells and affects the life span of its differentiated progenies.

The ability of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to proliferate indefinitely is attributed to its high telomerase activity and associated long telomere. However, factors regulating telomere length in hESCs remain largely uncharacterized. The aims of this study were, to identify factors which modulate telomere length of hESCs, and to determine if the telomere length of hESCs influences cellular senescence of its differentiated progeny cells. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene expression, telomerase activity and telomere length of hESCs cultured in different culture systems were compared. Genetically identical hESCs of different telomere lengths were differentiated into fibroblasts simultaneously, and the population doubling and cellular senescence levels were determined. We found that telomere lengths were significantly different in different culture systems and Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) upregulated TERT expression, telomerase activity and telomere length via Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in hESCs in a significant manner. We also provide evidence that fibroblast differentiated from hESCs with longer telomere exhibited significant more population doublings and longer life span than those derived from hESCs with shorter telomeres. Thus, FGF-2 levels in hESCs culture systems can be manipulated to generate cells with longer telomere which would be advantageous in the applications of hESCs in regenerative medicine.

Outcomes and prognostic factors that influence the success of tooth autotransplantation in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Tooth autotransplantation has been advocated for replacement of missing teeth or teeth that are unsuitable for restoration. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes and prognostic factors that influenced the success of tooth transplantation in a paediatric population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were extracted from the records of 75 patients (89 teeth). Demographic and prognostic factors were recorded and analysed for the clinical and radiographic outcomes for periodontal ligament (PDL) and pulp healing of transplanted teeth. RESULTS: The mean age at transplant was 13.2 years, and the mean follow-up observation period was 2.6±1.8 years with a range of 12.0 months to 9.9 years. The main reason for transplantation was to replace upper central incisors lost or missing due to dental trauma, hypodontia and dilaceration. Of the 45 teeth that were monitored for pulp revascularization, 75.6% showed clinical and radiographic signs of pulp healing and 24.4% showed signs of pulp necrosis and infection. Pulp healing was significantly related to the stage of root development of the transplant. Favourable PDL healing was observed in 87.6% of the transplants, while 13.5% showed signs of replacement resorption. PDL healing was significantly related to the stage of root formation of the transplanted tooth at the time of the surgery, the ease of handling and placement of the tooth, and the status of the alveolar bone at the recipient site at the time of the surgery. Overall success of tooth transplantation was 87.6%, and the survival rate was 94.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Tooth transplantation carried out in children and adolescents demonstrated high success and survival, with the stage of root development influencing both the pulp and PDL healing of the transplanted teeth.

Factors influencing the inclusion of oral health education in individualized education plans of children with autism spectrum disorders in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Prevention of oral diseases in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is possible via incorporation of oral health education (OHE) into individualized education plans. OBJECTIVES: To assess (i) whether training can improve teachers' oral heath knowledge, (ii) whether OHE is taught to children with ASD, and (iii) factors associated with teachers' perceived barriers to the implementation of OHE. DESIGN: Teachers working in special schools were recruited. Two pre-tested questionnaires were administered, before and after a training session. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated. Teachers were also surveyed on their teaching of caries prevention and perceived barriers of teaching OHE. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in knowledge scores post-intervention (P < 0.001). Teachers were more likely to incorporate OHE into their teaching if trained by dental professionals (P = 0.022) and provided teaching materials (P = 0.001). Teachers' level of baseline OHE knowledge was a predictor and significantly negatively associated with levels of perceived overall and personal barriers (both P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: OHE is included in the curriculum of the schools surveyed, but this is very limited. The training programme increased teachers' oral health knowledge competence scores. Levels of knowledge, lack of training, and teaching materials are barriers to incorporating OHE in their teaching curriculum.

Interim therapeutic restoration approach versus treatment under general anaesthesia approach.

BACKGROUND: Although dental treatment under general anaesthesia (GA) remains the long-established approach for treating anxious children, treatment under GA presents with increased risks, costs and parental acceptability issues. Interim therapeutic restoration (ITR) has been proposed as an alternative approach. AIM: To compare the incidence and types of failures between children managed with the ITR approach and those managed under GA within 12 months of treatment completion. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of children who received dental treatment utilizing the ITR approach was compared to children treated under GA. Age, gender and dental disease matching was done. Statistical analyses were carried out with Independent t-test and chi-square analyses. RESULTS: A total of 132 children (GA = 66, ITR = 66) were included, and the groups did not differ in terms of initial age, sex, dmft and initial behaviour score. ITR group had a significantly higher rate (P < 0.001; 95% CI: [0.21 to 0.97]) of restorative failure and visits required when compared to the GA group. There were no difference for incidence of pain (P = 0.55; 95% CI: [-0.074 to 0.10]) and behaviour scores (P = 0.46) between the two groups at the 12-month visit. CONCLUSIONS: ITR approach may be a viable alternative to the GA approach when treating paediatric dental patients.

Efficient derivation of dopaminergic neurons from SOX1⁻ floor plate cells under defined culture conditions.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease associated with loss of dopaminergic neurons. Derivation of dopaminergic neurons from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) could provide new therapeutic options for PD therapy. Dopaminergic neurons are derived from SOX(-) floor plate (FP) cells during embryonic development in many species and in human cell culture in vitro. Early treatment with sonic hedgehog (Shh) has been reported to efficiently convert hESCs into FP lineages. METHODS: In this study, we attempted to utilize a Shh-free approach in deriving SOX1(-) FP cells from hESCs in vitro. Neuroectoderm conversion from hESCs was achieved with dual inhibition of the BMP4 (LDN193189) and TGF-ß signaling pathways (SB431542) for 24 h under defined culture conditions. RESULTS: Following a further 5 days of treatment with LDN193189 or LDN193189 + SB431542, SOX1(-) FP cells constituted 70-80 % of the entire cell population. Upon treatment with Shh and FGF8, the SOX1(-) FP cells were efficiently converted to functional Nurr1(+) and TH(+) dopaminergic cells (patterning), which constituted more than 98 % of the entire cell population. However, when the same growth factors were applied to SOX1(+) cells, only less than 4 % of the cells became Nurr1(+), indicating that patterning was effective only if SOX1 expression was down-regulated. After transplanting the Nurr1(+) and TH(+) cells into a hemiparkinsonian rat model, significant improvements were observed in amphetamine induced ipslateral rotations, apomorphine induced contra-lateral rotations and Rota rod motor tests over a duration of 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings thus provide a convenient approach to FP development and functional dopaminergic neuron derivation.

Pluripotent stem cells: An in vitro model for nanotoxicity assessments.

The advent of technology has led to an established range of engineered nanoparticles that are used in diverse applications, such as cell-cell interactions, cell-material interactions, medical therapies and the target modulation of cellular processes. The exponential increase in the utilization of nanomaterials and the growing number of associated criticisms has highlighted the potential risks of nanomaterials to human health and the ecosystem. The existing in vivo and in vitro platforms show limitations, with fluctuations being observed in the results of toxicity assessments. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are viable source of cells that are capable of developing into specialized cells of the human body. PSCs can be efficiently used to screen new biomaterials/drugs and are potential candidates for studying impairments of biophysical morphology at both the cellular and tissue levels during interactions with nanomaterials and for diagnosing toxicity. Three-dimensional in vitro models obtained using PSC-derived cells would provide a realistic, patient-specific platform for toxicity assessments and in drug screening applications. The current review focuses on PSCs as an alternative in vitro platform for assessing the hazardous effects of nanomaterials on health systems and highlights the importance of PSC-derived in vitro platforms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Antibiotic prophylaxis prescribing practices of dentists in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis is a serious complication that results in significant morbidity and mortality in susceptible patients. The guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis have been updated by the American Heart Association and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The antibiotic prophylaxis prescribing practices among dentists in Singapore are unknown. AIM: To determine the specific infective endocarditis antibiotic prophylaxis prescribing practices of dentists in Singapore. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was sent through an email link and by postal mail. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: Responses were received from 458 dentists (34.3% response rate), of which 278 (65.9%) were general practitioners. The majority of respondents (39.8%) followed the American Heart Association 2007 guidelines and 30.2% followed cardiologists' recommendations. The accuracy of prescriptions for 13 cardiac conditions and 12 dental procedures were evaluated. The median number of accurate answers for cardiac conditions was eight for the American Heart Association 1999 guidelines, and four for the American Heart Association 2007 and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines, respectively. The median number of accurate answers for dental procedures was generally high, both for dentists who followed the American Heart Association 1999 guidelines (median = 10) and American Heart Association 2007 (median = 9) guidelines. Majority of respondents (82.8%) felt that developing a local guideline would be beneficial to the local dental community. CONCLUSION: Dentists were accurate in their prescriptions of antibiotic prophylaxis for dental procedures, but not for cardiac conditions. It may be helpful to attain a consensus among local cardiologists and dentists to unify the antibiotic prophylaxis prescription practices in Singapore.

Development of oral health resources and a mobile app for caregivers and autistic children through consensus building.

LAY ABSTRACT: Caregivers of autistic children often lack knowledge regarding oral homecare and when and where to see the dentist. To address this need, we developed a series of information on oral health. An autistic child assisted in developing two social stories to showcase a dental visit. A mobile app was developed to deliver the above mentioned. Other features include creation of customised social stories and visual schedule and an inbox to allow dentists to send messages to parents. The developed information and social stories were reviewed by experts and parents. The app also underwent anonymous and independent testing by parents. Overall the information and app were well received by the experts and parents.

Impact of income and financial subsidies on oral health care utilization among persons with disabilities in Singapore.

BACKGROUND/AIM(S): Globally, studies have shown that the dental disease burden among persons with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) is high and can be attributed to lower utilization levels of dental services. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of income and financial subsidies on the utilization of dental care services among persons with IDD in Singapore. METHODS: Between August 2020 and August 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted via centres offering Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children, special education schools and adult associations in Singapore serving persons with IDD. A sample of 591 caregivers of children and adults with IDD completed the survey. Data on sociodemographic information, oral health behaviours and dental utilization were collected. Financial subsidy status was assessed by the uptake of a government-funded, opt-in Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) for low-income families that provided a fixed subsidy amount for dental services in the primary care setting. Statistical analysis was carried out using univariable, multiple logistic regression and modified Poisson regression. Propensity score matching was carried out in R version 4.0.2 to assess the impact of financial subsidies on oral health care utilization among persons with IDD. RESULTS: Compared to those with lower gross monthly household incomes, the adjusted prevalence ratios of having at least one dental visit in the past year, having at least one preventive dental visit in the past year, and visiting the dentist at least once a year for persons with IDD with gross monthly household incomes of above SGD$4000 were 1.28 (95% CI 1.08-1.52), 1.48 (95% CI 1.14-1.92) and 1.36 (95% CI 1.09-1.70), respectively. Among those who were eligible for CHAS Blue subsidies (247 participants), 160 (62.0%) took up the CHAS Blue scheme and 96 (35.4%) visited the dentist at least yearly. There was no statistically significant difference in the utilization of dental services among individuals enrolled in the CHAS Blue subsidy scheme among those eligible for CHAS Blue subsidies. CONCLUSION: Higher household income was associated with a higher prevalence of dental visits in the past year, preventive dental visits in the past year, and at least yearly dental visits. CHAS Blue subsidies alone had limited impact on dental utilization among persons with IDD who were eligible for subsidies.

Mesenchymal stromal cell exosomes enhance dental pulp cell functions and promote pulp-dentin regeneration.

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) therapies are currently being explored for dental pulp regeneration. As the therapeutic effects of MSCs in tissue repair are mediated mainly through the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) including exosomes, we investigated here the cellular processes and molecular mechanisms modulated by MSC exosomes in dental pulp regeneration. Using dental pulp cell (DPC) cultures, we demonstrated that MSC exosomes could increase DPC migration, proliferation, and odontogenic differentiation. The enhancement of these cellular processes was mediated through exosomal CD73-mediated adenosine receptor activation of AKT and ERK signaling. Consistent with these observations, MSC exosomes increased the expression of dentin matrix proteins and promoted the formation of dentin-like tissue and bridge-like structures in a rat pulp defect model. These effects were comparable to that of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) treatment. MSC exosomes also yielded recellularized pulp-dentin tissues in the root canal of endodontically-treated human premolars, following subcutaneous implantation in the mouse dorsum. Together, our findings suggest that MSC exosomes could exert a multi-faceted effect on DPC functions including migration, proliferation and odontogenic differentiation to promote dental pulp regeneration. This study provides the basis for development of MSC exosomes as a cell-free MSC therapeutic alternative for pulp-dentin regeneration.