The 100 most cited articles in dentistry.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the 100 most cited articles published in dental journals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search was performed on the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science for the most cited articles in all the journals included in the Journal Citation Report (2010 edition) in the category of "Dentistry, Oral Surgery, and Medicine". Each one of the 77 journals selected was analyzed using the Cited Reference Search tool of the ISI Web of Science database to identify the most cited articles up to June 2012. The following information was gathered from each article: names and number of authors, journal, year of publication, type of study, methodological design, and area of research. RESULTS: The number of citations of the 100 selected articles varied from 326 to 2050. All articles were published in 21 of the 77 journals in the category. The journals with the largest number of the cited articles were the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (20 articles), the Journal of Periodontology (18 articles), and the Journal of Dental Research (16 articles). There was a predominance of clinical research (66 %) over basic research (34 %). The most frequently named author was Socransky SS, with 9 of the top 100 articles, followed by Lindhe J with 7. The decades with most articles published of the 100 selected were 1980-1989 (26 articles) and 1990-1999 (25 articles). The most common type of article was the case series (22 %), followed by the narrative review/expert opinion (19 %). The most common area of study was periodontology (43 % of articles). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report of the top-cited articles in Dentistry. There is a predominance of clinical studies, particularly case series and narrative reviews/expert opinions, despite their low-evidence level. The focus of the articles has mainly been on periodontology and implantology, and the majority has been published in the highest impact factor dental journals. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The number of citations that an article receives does not necessarily reflect the quality of the research, but the present study gives some clues to the topics and authors contributing to major advances in Dentistry.

Oral self-injury: an update.

BACKGROUND: Self-inflicted oral injuries of organic origin are particularly common in certain diseases, syndromes, and systemic disorders. In this article, we discuss the characteristics of these oral lesions and their treatment. LITERATURE SEARCH: The authors have reviewed the most relevant literature relating to oral self-injury through a search in textbooks and published articles included in the Medline database for the years 1970-2010, and selected published cases from the last two decades. RESULTS: The majority of the literature on oral self-injury is in the form of case reports. Self-injury is particularly prevalent in patients with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, a heterogeneous group of neurological disorders, congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis, and mental retardation. It is most common in males in the early years of life, and the sites most frequently involved are the lower lip and the tongue. Therapeutic approaches in these patients have included psychological and pharmacological treatment, intraoral devices, and surgical procedures. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Intraoral devices are the best therapeutic option for self-injury of organic origin, although this approach is not free of complications. The current lack of standardized treatment protocols for oral self-injury means that therapy must be individualized.

An atypical Hallermann-Streiff syndrome. Focus on dental care and differential diagnosis.

The Hallermann-Streiff syndrome (HSS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by dyscephaly, birdlike facies, hypoplastic mandible, congenital cataracts, microphthalmia, hypotrichosis, skin atrophy, proportionate short stature, and dental anomalies. A case of a 29-year-old man with atypical HSS with neither cataracts, hair and skin alterations, nor short stature is reported, with special consideration to oral findings and dental management. Dental extractions, scaling, restorations, and endodontics were performed under local anesthesia. Later, orthodontic rehabilitation with fixed brackets was carried out. Finally, a removable partial denture for the maxillary arch was designed using transparent acrylic, and this also served as a retention splint. Young patients with HSS and other similar syndromes must be involved in personalized oral health prevention programs as early as possible. Despite numerous systemic anomalies, some of these patients may undergo conventional dental procedures under local anesthesia in the dental office.

Inherited epidermolysis bullosa: an update and suggested dental care considerations.

BACKGROUND: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a skin disease characterized by epithelial fragility that leads to blistering and erosion of the skin and mucosae. The authors conducted a literature review to provide an update on oral manifestations and dental care of patients with EB. Literature Search. The authors reviewed the dental literature on EB in relation to clinical findings and provision of dental care. They searched textbooks and three databases: MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Embase. The authors did not impose any date or publication status restrictions. They searched all databases up to August 2010. RESULTS: The literature review revealed that four major groups and 32 subtypes of EB can be distinguished on the basis of the ultrastructural characteristics of skin cleavage, genetic mode of transmission and clinical phenotype. Oral manifestations differ in frequency and severity according to the disease subtype, but the most common are bullae, which leave painful ulcers on rupture, followed by scarring and tissue contraction. Although good oral health status is essential to maintaining oral function, dental treatment can induce new lesions and be hindered by the sequelae of existing lesions. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dental treatment in patients with EB requires a multidisciplinary approach. Dental procedures must be minimally traumatic, and the effectiveness of treatment is determined mainly by the patient's general health, cooperation in the dental office and at home, oral hygiene and diet.

Individualized nasal mask fabrication for positive pressure ventilation using dental methods.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop a simple technique to manufacture individualized ventilatory nasal masks for pediatric patients using materials and procedures commonly applied in dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three cases of pediatric patients who met with severe difficulties in their adaptation to commercially available nasal masks are described: one premature infant, one child diagnosed with achondroplasia, and one child with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome. RESULTS: In each case, a light nasal mask was designed with two independent parts that become perfectly adapted to the patient's nose: one soft for the skin contact, and another rigid for dimensional stability. In all patients, adequate levels of ventilation were reached. CONCLUSION: This easy, inexpensive nasal mask fabrication technique can be used in a great number of patients, increasing the efficacy of individualized masks.