Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in oncological patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) has garnered increasing attention in recent years due to its potential association with cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of OSAS in cancer patients through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, aimed to evaluate the prevalence of OSAS in cancer patients. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was performed to identify relevant studies published up to September 2021. Eligible studies reporting on the prevalence of OSAS in cancer patients, encompassing various study designs, were included in the analysis. Pooled estimates of the odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random effects model. Heterogeneity among the studies was assessed using the I2 statistic. RESULTS: Seventeen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were subsequently included in the review. The prevalence of OSAS in cancer patients was estimated to have an overall OR of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.75-0.85). In comparison with non-cancer patients, cancer patients had a statistically significant greater risk of OSAS, as indicated by the total estimated RR for the prevalence of OSAS in cancer patients, which was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86-0.92). Nonetheless, there was a significant amount of heterogeneity (I2 = 96%) among the studies. CONCLUSION: The overall data analysed in this review indicates that patients with cancer had far reduced likelihood of developing OSAS than individuals without cancer. However, the significant variation across the included studies highlights the need for additional investigation to fully clarify the complex association between OSAS and cancer incidence. These results emphasise how critical it is to identify OSAS as a possible comorbidity in cancer patients, one that should be taken into account for clinical management and ongoing research.

Prevalence of rapid calculus formers and its associated factors amongst patients visiting a dental hospital: a preliminary investigation.

BACKGROUND: This study focuses on the determination and classification of patients as rapid or slowcalculusformersbasedontherateofcalculusformationafteroralprophylaxis. It also aims to determine the factors that positively impact the formation and deposition of calculus in patients and identify the factors that accelerate or decelerate the deposition of calculus. METHODS: The study was conducted in the Department of Periodontology, Dr Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Panjab University Chandigarh, India. We examined 51 patients after a month of the oral prophylaxis, recorded the amount of calculus present in the oral cavity, and then recorded a detailed history which was briefly divided into Age, Sex, Residence, Oral habits, and maintenance of oral hygiene. RESULTS: An evident and meaningful link was found between age and the rate at which dental calculus forms. The average age of individuals differed significantly between the rapid and slow calculus formers, which could be ascribed to the decline in manual dexterity as age increases, resulting in less effective oral hygiene habits, including toothbrushing. None of the other factors dietary and oral hygiene related could be identified distinctly, probably owing to the small sample of the study. The oral health status exhibited a significant difference between slow and rapid calculus formers. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the study, the data analyzed, identified age as a significant determinant that impact the rate of formation of calculus in patients and reported a significant difference in the oral health status of rapid and slow calculus formers.

Biometric analysis of furcation area of molar teeth and its relationship with instrumentation.

The anatomy of furcation favours the bacterial retention and makes periodontal debridement as well as oral hygiene procedures difficult. Teeth that have lost attachment to a level of the furcation are said to have a furcal invasion or furcation involved.Involvement of furcation in a multi-rooted tooth poses a very different type of clinical situation in terms of establishment of diagnosis, determination of prognosis and of course planning the treatment modality.The present study was carried out on 200 selected extracted human first and second permanent molar teeth based on a predefined criteria. Teeth with prosthetic crowns, fused or fractured roots, those not fully developed, grossly carious or heavily restored at the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) were excluded from the study. The morphology of the root trunk was recorded by measuring various dimensions of the root trunk,including furcal angle and root trunk volume was calculated by using a custom made special apparatus. The furcation areas were debrided with different types of curettes in the market in order to see how best the instrument could be maneuvered in the furcation area. The data so obtained was statistically analysed using SPSS version 22. The highest root trunk volume and the longest root trunk length were found to be in the maxillary second molar. 48.60% furcations didn't allow instrument engagementof furcation area with standard area specific curettes. The proposal of inclusion of root trunk length (mm) is suggested in addition to classification of FI to have assess prognosis and appropriate treatment for of the involved tooth.

A Comparative Evaluation of Dentogingival Tissue Using Transgingival Probing and Cone-Beam Computed Tomography.

Background and Objective: Gingival biotype can be assessed using a variety of invasive and non-invasive procedures, such as direct probing, transgingival probing, ultrasound-guided approaches, and, for the more sophisticated, cone-beam computed tomography. The aim of this study was to evaluate gingival biotype in relation to transgingival probing and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: This study included a total of two hundred healthy individuals. Gingival thickness was assessed and measured from the right and left maxillary central incisor teeth using CBCT and transgingival probing of the attached gingiva. The measurements were analyzed with regard to tooth type (central incisor). Linear measurements for gingival biotype were measured using both methods. Correlations and differences between measurement methods were assessed. Results: The mean age of study participants was 32.49 ± 8.61 years. The radiographic measurements on CBCT were 1.34 ± 0.17 mm for the right central and 1.28 ± 0.21mm for the left central. The transgingival probing measurements were 1.31 ± 0.18 for the right central and 1.22 ± 0.21mm for the left central. Conclusion: As per the results of this study, there is a significant positive correlation between transgingival probing and CBCT measurements of gingival biotypes.

Comparative Evaluation of Gingival Crevicular Fluid Interleukin-17, 18 and 21 in Different Stages of Periodontal Health and Disease.

Background and Objectives: The elicitation of a host's immune−inflammatory responses to overcome oral bacterial biofilm challenges is mediated by numerous cytokines. We explored the role of three such cytokines, viz. interleukin (IL)-17, 18 and 21, by measuring their levels in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of Indian individuals with healthy gingiva, chronic gingivitis, or chronic periodontitis. Materials and Method: Ninety systemically healthy individuals were enrolled in the study on the basis of predefined criteria and were categorized into three groups of 30 participants each. Groups A, B and C were composed of a control group with healthy gingiva, subjects with chronic gingivitis and subjects with chronic periodontitis, respectively. The periodontal disease status was assessed on the basis of a subject's gingival index, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment loss and radiographic evidence of bone loss. After the complete history-taking and identification of gingival sulcus/pocket depth areas for GCF collection, a sample was collected from each subject in all groups for an estimation of the cytokine levels using ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v 21.0. Intergroup comparisons were conducted using a post hoc Tukey's test. A value of p < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The mean IL-17, 18 and 21 concentrations in pg/mL was the greatest for Group C (99.67 ± 18.85, 144.61 ± 20.83 and 69.67 ± 12.46, respectively), followed by Group B (19.27 ± 2.78, 22.27 ± 2.43 and 22.74 ± 1.43, respectively) and finally by Group A (healthy control; 11.56 ± 0.99, 17.94 ± 1.24 and 12.83 ± 1.21 respectively). A statistically significant difference in the mean concentrations of two interleukins (IL-17 and IL-18) was observed between Groups A and C and also between Groups B and C. A statistically significant difference in the mean concentrations of IL-21 was observed between Groups B and C. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the present study, the findings revealed that the GCF levels of IL-17, IL-18 and IL-21 rose and correlated well with the severity of the disease. Thus, these cytokines present in GCF have the potential to be considered as biomarkers for periodontal tissue destruction. IL-21 in particular appears to be a promising biomarker for differentiating between gingivitis and periodontitis.

A Scanning Electron Microscope Analysis of Sealing Potential and Marginal Adaptation of Different Root Canal Sealers to Dentin: An In Vitro study.

AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the sealing potential and marginal adaptation of different root canal sealers to dentin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of sixty human lower premolars of the permanent dentition that were extracted were used for this study. The visible debris and calculus were removed from the extracted teeth ultrasonically and were kept for 2 hours in 2.5% sodium hypochlorite and stored in normal saline till next use. A low-speed diamond disc was used to section all the teeth samples at the cementoenamel junction. Later, cleaning and shaping of the canals was done. Based on the sealer used, the samples (each group consisting of 20 samples) were divided randomly into three groups: group I-bioceramic sealer, group II-resin-based sealer, group III-MTA-based sealer. All split samples were visualized under scanning electron microscope (SEM) at apical and coronal thirds of root canal, the marginal gap at root dentin and sealer interface were assessed. RESULTS: The highest marginal adaptation (5.60 ± 0.12) was demonstrated by EndoSequence BC sealer, followed immediately by ProRoot MTA sealer (4.48 ± 0.12) and EndoREZ sealer (2.10 ± 0.54). A statistically significant difference (p = 0.001) was seen between the EndoSequence BC and ProRoot MTA sealer for apical and coronal marginal adaptation. Also, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found between EndoSequence BC sealer vs EndoREZ sealer at coronal and EndoSequence BC sealer vs EndoREZ sealer and EndoREZ sealer vs ProRoot MTA sealer at apical third. CONCLUSION: The present study concluded that significant and better sealing ability and marginal adaptation was demonstrated by EndoSequence BC (bioceramic sealer) when compared to ProRoot MTA sealer (MTA-based sealer) and EndoREZ sealer (resin-based sealer). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Numerous endodontic sealers enter the market with various factors to attain acceptable seal. According to current study bioceramic sealer, is the appropriate sealer that hermetically seals all the margins.

Evaluation of Efficacy of Different Instrumentation for Removal of Gutta-percha and Sealers in Endodontic Retreatment: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of different instrumentation for removal of gutta-percha and sealers in endodontic retreatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of single-rooted mandibular premolars were collected. Access opening was performed in all specimens. The working length was determined by reducing 1 mm from the length of instruments that were seen reaching the apex. All the canals were dried with paper points. Lateral condensation technique was used to obturate the canals with gutta-percha and zinc oxide eugenol was used as a sealer. The specimens were randomly segregated into three experimental groups. Group I: ultrasonic retreatment tip, group II: R-Endo retreatment files, group III: Mtwo retreatment files. Roots were grooved into two halves with a diamond disc in a longitudinal, buccolingual direction. A stereomicroscope with ×40 magnification was used to image the quantity of gutta-percha and sealer on canal walls. RESULTS: With ultrasonic retreatment tip, least amount (1.96 ± 0.32) of gutta-percha and sealer remained, followed by Mtwo retreatment files (2.84 ± 0.24) and R-Endo retreatment files (3.18 ± 0.63). A statistically significant inter-group difference among different instrumentation groups was demonstrated by ANCOVA analysis. CONCLUSION: In the present study, ultrasonic retreatment tip file systems was found to be more effective in the removal of root canal filling material, followed subsequently by Mtwo retreatment file system and R-Endo retreatment file system. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Thorough removal of filling material from the root canals is essential during root canal retreatment for probable cleaning and shaping of canal morphology. Thus, clinicians should be aware of the suitable and better instrumentation system that provides a clean and sterile root canal system without any debris. How to cite this article: Agrawal P, Ramanna PK, Arora S, et al. Evaluation of Efficacy of Different Instrumentation for Removal of Gutta-percha and Sealers in Endodontic Retreatment: An In Vitro Study. J Contemp Dent Pract 2019;20(11):1269-1273.

An In Vitro Evaluation of Apical Leakage in Gutta-percha/ AH Plus and Resilon/Epiphany-filled Root Canals Using Two Dye Penetration Techniques.

AIM: Aim of the present study was to evaluate the apical leakage in gutta-percha/AH plus and resilon/epiphany filled root canals using two dye penetration techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty freshly extracted human single-rooted teeth were collected. The crown portion of each tooth was sectioned from the cementoenamel junction using a diamond disk. The canals were instrumented using Step back technique up to a caliber of 40. The roots were randomly divided into four experimental groups of 15 sample units each. All the groups are obturated using lateral compaction technique. Samples were placed in India ink and stored in an incubator for 7 days after which they were thoroughly washed under tap water and dried. The roots were divided into longitudinal splitting technique with diamond disks and using clearing technique was checked for linear dye penetration using stereomicroscope. The surfaces were scanned and surfaces with greatest dye penetration were measured by using De winter Biowizard software system. RESULTS: The mean leakage for groups I, II, III, and IV are 2.31980, 2.68140, 4.11567, and 4.21047 respectively. One-way ANOVA was applied to the mean leakage scores of different groups, found a significant difference between mean leakage scores. F value of 3.266 and it was found to be significant with a p value of 0.028. Significant differences were obtained for mean comparisons of groups I and III, groups I and IV and groups III and IV. Further, between groups I and II, groups II and III, and groups III and IV no significant differences were observed. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, gutta-percha/AH Plus sealed root canals showed lesser leakage than the Resilon Epiphany groups and there was no significant difference in the two different methodologies used for dye penetration. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Tightly adapted endodontic filling material is one of the goals in successful clinical endodontics and Improvements in the adhesive technology have fostered attempts to reduce apical and coronal leakage by bonding to the root canal walls to obtain a solid monoblock.

Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity of Different Intracanal Medicaments against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to compare the anti-microbial efficacy of various intracanal medicaments againstEnterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) andCandida albicans (C. albicans). Materials and methods: Sixty single rooted, non-carious, permanent mandibular premolars with no developmental defects that were previously extracted for the orthodontic purpose were included in this study. E. faecalis andC. albicans strains were cultured on brain heart infusion (BHI) and sabouraud dextrose (SD) agar plates respectively. Sixty specimens were divided into two main groups and three subgroups with 10 teeth receiving a medicament; group I: E. faecalis (Subgroup Ia: BioPure MTAD, Subgroup Ib: propolis, Subgroup Ic: Triple antibiotic paste), group II:C. albicans (Subgroup IIa: BioPure MTAD, Subgroup IIb: propolis, Subgroup IIc: Triple antibiotic paste). The antimicrobial activity of the intracanal medicaments against E. faecalis and C. albicans were assessed at the end of 2nd and 7th day. The mean zones of inhibition were analyzed with a one-way ANOVA test. RESULTS: After 2 days, the mean zone of inhibition of E. faecalis andC. albicans was maximum for triple antibiotic paste (24.74 ± 0.622 mm, 28.22 ± 0.489 mm), followed by BioPure MTAD (19.58 ± 1.734 mm, 24.75 ± 0.954 mm) and propolis (13.10 ± 0.278 mm, 17.96 ± 0.163 mm). Similarly, the mean zone of inhibition of E. faecalis and C. albicans was maximum for triple antibiotic paste (26.86 ± 0.112 mm, 32.10 ± 0.908 mm), followed by BioPure MTAD (20.13 ± 1.842 mm, 27.22 ± 1.977) and propolis (14.11 ± 0.101 mm, 19.90 ± 0.742 mm) after 7 days. Statistically significant differences (p <0.0001) were found between the groups. CONCLUSION: Present study concluded that the antimicrobial effectiveness of triple antibiotic paste was significantly more than BioPure MTAD and propolis against E. faecalis and C. albicans at the end of 2nd and 7th day. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: An endodontic treatment is considered successful only when the root canals are completely eradicated of microorganisms. As the morphology of the root canals is complex, mechanical instrumentation alone cannot completely debride them. Thus, the role of intracanal medicaments in complementing the mechanical instrumentation becomes important.

In Vitro Analysis of Different Polishing Systems on the Color Stability and Surface Roughness of Nanocomposite Resins.

AIM: To assess the different polishing systems on the color stability and surface roughness of nanocomposite resins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 composite resin samples were fabricated. The Tetric N Ceram composite was compacted into the custom-made cylindrical metallic mold of internal diameter 6 × 6 mm. Based on the polishing system used, sixty samples were divided into three groups. Group I: Sof-Lex, group II: Shofu super-snap polishing disks, and group III: Astropol. The samples in each group were immersed in beverage, that is tea. Spectrophotometer was used to measure the color of the samples after staining period. And surface profilometer was used to measure all surface roughness. RESULTS: Of the three groups, Sof-Lex polishing group reported the least mean value of 0.458 ± 0.118 succeeded by Astropol polishing group (0.494 ± 0.121) and Shofu super-snap polishing group (0.540 ± 0.031) having the higher mean value. Statistically significant difference was found between the different polishing systems calculated by analysis of variance. And color change between the groups was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: We conclude that a composite polished with Sof-Lex was a superior polish compared to Astropol polishing group and Shofu super-snap polishing group. There was only a minimal difference in the color stability of the composite between the groups. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Excellent finishing and polishing are the critical steps to enhance the esthetics and longevity of the composite restorations. High strength, fracture toughness, surface hardness, optimum polishability, and gloss are the functional properties which need assessment while a resin composite is used for restoration. How to cite this article: Dhananjaya KM, Vadavadagi SV, Almalki SA, et al. In Vitro Analysis of Different Polishing Systems on the Color Stability and Surface Roughness of Nanocomposite Resins. J Contemp Dent Pract 2019;20(11):1335-1338.

Assessment of Fracture Resistance Capacity of Different Core Materials with Porcelain Fused to Metal Crown: An in vitro Study.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the capacity to resist fracture in different core buildup materials with porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crown. Materials and methods: Totally, 45 mandibular single rooted first premolars were collected, which were sound along with similar shape and size. The teeth were sectioned at 15 mm above the root apex sparing the sound tooth structure. The teeth were endodontically treated with the crown-down technique using nickel-titanium (NiTi) instrumentation. The specimens were randomized into three groups as per the core materials used and were labeled accordingly. Group I consisted of dual-cured composite resin, group II consisted of glass ionomer reinforced with resin, and group III consisted of Miracle mix. Universal loading machine is used for measuring the compres-sive load applied to fracture the tooth. Results: The mean value of compressive strength was maximum in the dual cured composite resin (598.42 ± 22.64) followed by glass ionomer reinforced with resin (478.88 ± 26.74) and Miracle mix (442.16 ± 30.10). The results showed a significant difference statistically within the core materials used with p < 0.05. The results from the Tukey's post hoc test of multiple comparisons between dual-cured composite resin vs glass ionomer reinforced with resin, dual-cured composite resin vs Miracle mix, and glass ionomer reinforced with resin vs Miracle mix showed a highly statistical difference with p < 0.05, which is significant. Conclusion: This in vitro study showed that the dual-cured composite resin had maximum resistance to fracture compared with other core buildup materials on teeth which were endodonti-cally treated. Clinical significance: Restoration of a tooth which is structurally compromised is a tricky job for all the dentists. Restoring it with a proper core buildup material with adequate fracture resistance makes the tooth structure stable. The core material should be able to resist all types of occlusal forces and to distribute it equally within the tooth structure. Keywords: Core buildup, Crowns, Endodontically treated teeth, Fracture resistance.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Efficacy of Root Canal Sealers against Enterococcus faecalis: A Comparative Study.

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of root canal sealer's antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus faecalis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Root canal sealers with the brands Endoflas FS, AH Plus, and Tubli-Seal EWT were selected. Enterococcus faecalis organisms' zone of inhibition was measured. Tukey post hoc tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare the data among study groups and within its group. The data were said to be statistically significant with an established p-value less than 0.05. RESULTS: The maximum zone of inhibition (23.20 ± 1.202 mm) was shown by Endoflas FS sealer; AH Plus and Tubli-Seal showed the inhibition zone of (18.42 ± 1.023) and (16.88 ± 0.962) respectively, following Endoflas FS. The ANOVA test showed p < 0.0001, which is highly statistically significant. AH Plus and Endoflas FS showed a statistically significant difference of 0.04 and 0.001 in between groups, and there was no statistically significant difference in the Tubli-Seal group from Tukey post hoc test. CONCLUSION: The study showed that Endoflas FS sealer has a significant antimicrobial effect against E. faecalis. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In clinical situation, despite perfect che-momechanical root canal preparation, persistence of microorganisms may reinfect the root canal. Therefore, endodontic root canal sealers play a major role in the eradication of bacteria. The polymicrobial nature of endodontic infection plays a main role during the usage of endodontic sealer with antimicrobial agents, which in turn reduces the failure of endodontic treatment.

Evaluation of Intracanal Calcium Hydroxide Removal with Different Techniques: A Scanning Electron Microscope Study.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Intracanal calcium hydroxide removal with different techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five freshly extracted, non-carious, single canalled lower first premolars, having anatomic characteristics similar to each other, extracted for the orthodontic purpose were collected. After the root canal preparation, Calcium hydroxide was placed into the working length using lentulo spiral instrument till the medicament was visible at the apex. The specimens were segregated into three groups; Group 1: Rotary Files, Group 2: EndoVac system and Group 3: Ultrasonics. The evaluation was done with SEM in the coronal and apical third of the roots with a magnification of 1000x. The statistical analysis was done using statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) software, version 20.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant statistically. RESULTS: Maximum removal of Ca(OH)2 was analyzed in the EndoVac system (2.90 ± 0.12) followed by the rotary files (1.76 ± 0.26) and least was seen with Ultrasonics (1.32 ± 0.14). The p-value of 0.001 was seen between the coronal and apical third with the EndoVac system which is statistically significant. The significant difference statistically was observed between Rotary Files vs. Ultrasonics at apical third and with the EndoVac system vs. Ultrasonics at coronal third as well as at the apical third with p-value 0.001. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that the EndoVac technique was effective in removing Ca(OH)2 medicament from the coronal and apical third of the root canal significantly. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Calcium hydroxide removal before the obturation was of priority as the Ca(OH)2 remnants have a negative impact of the ability for sealing the obturation material. Therefore, having a complete knowledge regarding the effective technique is much important.

Evaluation of pre-heated composite resins with soft-start polymerization and conventional composite restorations in class-I carious lesions - A randomized clinical trial.

Background: By increasing fluidity and conversion, pre-heated composites enhance adaptability and strength, while soft-start polymerization decreases internal stresses. Aim: Over a period of a year, this split-mouth design, randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) compared pre-heated composites with soft-start polymerization to conventional composites in class-I lesions, with the goal of improving restoration outcomes. Methods: and Findings: Immediately following ethical approval and registration with CTRI, 37 patients with in-formed permission who met specified inclusion and exclusion criteria for class-I lesions were chosen for enrollment. Using a 1:1 ratio, teeth were randomly assigned to Group-A (pre-heated composite with soft-start polymerization) or Group-B (traditional composite restoration). At three-time intervals, the evaluation was blinded and calibrated using Modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria: baseline, six-month, and one-year marks. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 and the Mann-Whitney U test for inter-group comparisons and the Friedman test for intra-group comparisons. Interpretation: Pre-heated composites with soft-start polymerization performed better in terms of marginal adaptation with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.019) and in terms of color match they performed better clinically (p = 0.062) at 12 months. Other variables like marginal discolouration, sec-ondary caries, anatomic form, post-operative sensitivity, surface texture and retention showed no statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). Pre-heated composites with soft-start mode performed marginally better than nanofilled composites. However, both techniques can be used to successfully restore simple class-I carious lesions.

Digital versus Manual Tracing in Cephalometric Analysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Over the years, various researchers have attempted to compare digital cephalometry with the conventional manual approach. There is a need to comprehensively analyze the findings from the earlier studies and determine the potential advantages and limitations of each method. The present systematic review aimed to compare the accuracy of digital and manual tracing in cephalometric analysis for the identification of skeletal and dental landmarks. Methods: A systematic search was performed using the keywords "Digital" AND "Manual" AND "Cephalometry" to identify relevant studies published in the English language in the past decade. The electronic data resources consulted for the elaborate search included the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, ERIC, and ScienceDirect with controlled vocabulary and free text terms. Results: A total of n = 20 studies were identified that fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria within the timeframe of 2013 to 2023. The data extracted from the included articles and corresponding meta-analyses are presented in the text. Conclusions: The findings of the present systematic review and meta-analysis revealed trends suggesting that digital tracing may offer reliable measurements for specific cephalometric parameters efficiently and accurately. Orthodontists must consider the potential benefits of digital cephalometry, including time-saving and user-friendliness.

Effect of Curcuma longa (Turmeric), as an intra-canal medicament, on inter-appointment endodontic pain in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Inter-appointment pain (IAP) is a subtype of postoperative pain which occurs between endodontic appointments. It may begin within a few hours after the first appointment and may continue for several days. Apart from mechanical instrumentation and thorough irrigation, intracanal medicaments play a central role in the disinfection of root canals and thus decreasing IAP. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Curcuma Longa as an intracanal medicament on IAP in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). One hundred healthy adult patients having SIP in one of their single-rooted maxillary or mandibular teeth participated in this randomized, parallel, single-blinded clinical trial. After thorough biomechanical preparation, the root canals were randomly medicated with one of the following medicaments, Control (no medicament), Calcium Hydroxide, triple antibiotic paste (TAP), and Curcuma Longa. The pain was recorded using Visual analog scale at 4 h, 24 h, and every day until the seventh day. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. No statistical difference in pain scores was observed between Calcium Hydroxide, TAP or Curcuma Longa groups. It can be concluded that Curcuma Longa, Calcium hydroxide, and TAP are equally effective in controlling IAP.

Identification of prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and various risk factors in dentists.

Purpose: The awkward and repetitive movements lead to tissue straining, potentially leading to painful musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs in dentists result in work inefficiency and a reduction in work hours. A survey was conducted to assess the prevalence of MSDs amongst the dental population of interest. Methods: Customized individual detail questionnaires, Standard Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaires, and Level of Pain estimation using the Likert Scale were used to deduce the various responsible risk factors for the occurrence of MSDs in dentists. Inferential statistical analysis was done to identify the prevalence and severity of the MSDs. The Chi-Square test (95 % confidence interval) was used to identify and compare the association of risk factors involved in MSDs with the occurrence of the Effect of MSDs, the presence of MSDs, and the severity of the MSDs. Results: The results of the study deduced that the dentists followed the sedentary work practices. The dentists experienced maximum discomfort in the neck region, which was accompanied by the discomfort experienced in the lower back, hands and wrists, making the upper extremity being more susceptible to the MSDs. Gender risk factors the, the prevalence of MSDs in the dentist's upper back, and the severity of pain in the upper back region showed a significant association level. Conclusion: The wrist posture, the prevalence of MSDs and the severity of pain in the dentists' neck, shoulder and upper back showed a significant association level.

Fracture load assessment of digitally fabricated post and prefabricated fibre post in endodontically treated teeth.

BACKGROUND: Endodontically treated teeth are structurally more susceptible to root fractures. Proper tooth restorations with digitally fabricated or fibre post following endodontic therapy is essential to restore function and esthetics. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this in vitro study is to evaluate the fracture load of digitally fabricated and prefabricated fibre posts in endodontically treated teeth. METHODS: Sixty extracted human single rooted teeth were selected. The crowns were sectioned at the cement-enamel junction to standardize the remaining root length at 15 mm from the apices. Cleaning, shaping and obturation was done using conventional step back technique to an ISO K-file size 40. The roots were divided into two groups of 30 samples each: Group S: teeth reinforced with digitally fabricated posts; Group F: teeth reinforced with fibre posts. Each group was further divided into three subgroups (S7, S9, S12, F7, F9, F12) based on lengths 7, 9 and 12 mm at which the posts were cemented. Composite resin core was fabricated and prepared to receive a complete metal crown. Universal testing machine was used to measure the compressive load required to fracture the teeth. RESULTS: The highest fracture resistance of 1532N was observed with fibre posts at 12 mm of post space length followed by digitally fabricated post 1398N at 12 mm, but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The highest fracture resistance was observed in the teeth restored with fibre posts with 12 mm length and the lowest with digitally fabricated post with 7 mm length. As the length of post increases irrespective of type of post fracture resistance increased.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor promotes osteoblast differentiation of dental pulp stem cells and bone formation in a zebrafish scale regeneration model.

Bone cells express the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R). However, its presence and role in human dental pulp derived stem cells (hDPSCs) remains elusive. Hence, in the current study, we isolated hDPSCs and differentiated them into osteoblasts, where GLP-1R expression was found to be upregulated during osteoblast differentiation. GLP-1 receptor agonist, liraglutide peptide treatment, increased osteoblast differentiation in hDPSCs by increasing calcium deposition, ALP activity, and osteoblast marker genes, Runx2, type 1 col, osteonectin, and osteocalcin. Furthermore, activation of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) LINC00968 and microRNA-3658 signalling increased Runx2 expression. Specifically, liraglutide increased LncRNA-LINC00968 expression while decreasing miR-3658 expression. LINC00968 targets miR-3658, and miR-3658 targets Runx2. Additionally, in an in-vivo study, zebrafish scale regeneration model, liraglutide promoted calcium deposition, osteoblastic cell count, collagen 1α, osteonectin, osteocalcin, runx2a MASNA isoform expression (transcribed from promoter P1), and Ca/P ratio in scales. Overall, GLP-1R activation promotes osteoblast differentiation via Runx2/LncRNA-LINC00968/miR-3658 signalling in hDPSCs and promotes bone formation in zebrafish scale regeneration.

Scanning Electron Microscopy Analysis of the Intratubular Radicular Dentin Penetration of Calcium Hydroxide, Triple Antibiotic Paste, and Nitrofurantoin.

The aim of this study is to assess and analyze the intratubular penetration of the intracanal medications nitrofurantoin (Nit), triple antibiotic paste (TAP), and calcium hydroxide (CH). Sixty freshly extracted single-rooted teeth were acquired and decoronated to a standard length of 15 mm. To prepare specimens up to size F3, rotary ProTaper instrumentation was employed. The prepared teeth were divided into three groups, each of which received one of the tested intracanal medicaments: Group I (calcium hydroxide), Group II (triple antibiotic paste), and Group III (nitrofurantoin). Using a size #30 Lentulo spiral, a freshly prepared therapeutic paste was placed into the canals, and the intracanal medicaments were allowed to set in the incubator at 100% humidity. The samples were subsequently sliced perpendicularly to their long axis using a precision saw and assessed under a scanning electron microscope to assess the depth of penetration of intracanal medicaments at the coronal, middle, and apical portions of the root canal dentin. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test. The statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the experimental groups in the quantity and depth of sealer penetration (p < 0.05). In particular, as compared to the Nit group, both the CH and TAP groups had significantly smaller penetration areas (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this ongoing investigation indicates that nitrofurantoin penetrated dentinal tubules better than calcium hydroxide or triple antibiotic paste.