Anterior open bite self-correction after cessation of non-nutritive sucking habits: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Non-nutritive sucking habits likely may cause occlusal changes such as anterior open bite (AOB) if they persist over extended time. OBJECTIVES: To assess if there is self-correction of AOB after cessation of non-nutritive sucking habits in children older than 4 years old, through a systematic review. SEARCH METHODS: Data sources included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS) databases, gray literature as Google Scholar, the database System for Information on Gray Literature in Europe (OpenGrey) and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database, also hand searches of the included studies references. SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies assessing occlusal changes in children aged 4-12 years with AOB traits and non-nutritive sucking habits after the discontinuation of the habit were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently assessed eligibility and extracted data. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale and the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Checklist for quasi-experimental studies. The confidence in cumulative evidence was assessed using the GRADE criteria. RESULTS: Over 3100 studies, only 5 met the inclusion criteria. There is often self-correction of AOB after discontinuing the non-nutritive sucking habit, even in cases older than 4 years old. The improvement ranged between 50 and 100%. The overall quality of evidence was very low. CONCLUSIONS: AOB self-correction after discontinuing a non-nutritive sucking habit is possible, even after 4 years old, although with very low certainty in the body of evidence. It is not clear after what age the removal from the habit is unlikely to facilitate AOB self-correction. REGISTRATION AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews code: CRD42016052171. There was no conflicting interest from the review authors.

BURNOUT SYNDROME AMONG DENTISTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS.

OBJECTIVE: Burnout syndrome has negative consequences on the dentist's health and performance during work. This systematic review aimed to assess the prevalence of Burnout syndrome in dentists. METHODS: Searches were carried out in Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, EMBASE, LILACS databases, and searches in the gray literature on January 27, 2021. There were no restrictions on language and search period. For the diagnosis of Burnout, only studies that used the Maslach burnout inventory questionnaire and its subscales emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and reduced personal accomplishment (PA) were included. Proportion meta-analyses were performed using the Stata 13.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 37 articles were included in the narrative and 31 in quantitative syntheses. The overall prevalence of Burnout syndrome in dentists was 13% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.006-0.21; I²: 97.07%) and the total prevalence in the subscales EE, DP, and PA, were, respectively: 28% (95% CI: 0.24-0.32; I²: 20.70%), 18% (95% CI: 0.08-0.28; I²: 85.61%) and 10% (95% CI: 0.08-0.13; I²: 0%). About the levels of Burnout syndrome in the subscales, 25% (95% CI: 0.19-0.31; I² 92.58%) presented high EE, 18% (95% CI: 0.10-0.26; I² 96.62%) high DP and 32% (95% 0.20-0.45; I² 97.86%) low PA. About continuous data, the mean of EE, DP and PA was respectively 17.90 (95% CI: 9.36-26.43; I² 94.8), 6.93 (95% CI: 3.41-10.45; I² 80.2) and, 34.69 (95% CI: 23.82-45.55; I² 98.8). No study presented all the positive criteria of the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal checklist. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, there was a considerable prevalence of burnout syndrome in dentists, mainly in the subscale of emotional exhaustion.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among oral health care workers worldwide: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aimed to answer the following question 'What are the worldwide prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated factors among oral health-care workers (OHCWs) before vaccination?' METHODS: Seven databases and registers as well as three grey databases were searched for observational studies in the field. Paired reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data and assessed the methodological quality. Overall seroprevalence for SARS-CoV-2 infection was analysed using a random-effect model subgrouped by professional category. Meta-regression was used to explore whether the Human Development Index (HDI) influenced the heterogeneity of results. The associated factors were narratively evaluated, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included (five cohorts and twelve cross-sectional studies), summing 73 935 participants (54 585 dentists and 19 350 dental assistants/technicians) from 14 countries. The overall estimated pooled prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among OHCWs was 9.3% (95% CI, 5.0%-14.7%; I2  = 100%, p < .01), being 9.5% for dentists (95% CI, 5.1%-15.0%; I2  = 100%, p < .01) and 11.6% for dental assistants/technicians (95% CI, 1.6%-27.4%; I2  = 99.0%, p < .01). In the meta-regression, countries with lower HDI showed higher prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection (p = .002). Age, comorbidities, gender, ethnicity, occupation, smoking, living in areas of greater deprivation, job role and location/municipalities, income and protective measures in dental settings were associated with positive serological SARS-CoV-2 test, with very low certainty of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: The SARS-CoV-2 virus infected 9.3% of the OHCWs evaluated worldwide before vaccination. OHCWs should be included in policy considerations, continued research, monitoring and surveillance (PROSPERO CRD42021246520).

Parental acceptance toward behavior guidance techniques for pediatric dental visits: a meta-analysis.

This study aimed to answer the following question: What is the proportion of acceptance reported by parents toward pediatric behavior guidance techniques (BGTs)? Observational studies that evaluated parental acceptance of BGTs during pediatric dental visits among parents of non-special health care need (non-SHCN) and SHCN children were included. A search of the Cochrane Library, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS), MedLine/PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, in addition to gray literature, was performed until October 2021. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies was used for quality assessment. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (Grade). Fifty-three studies with 4868 participants were included, and 42 were retained for the random-effects proportion meta-analysis. The methodological quality varied from low to high. The agreement with the BGTs varied from 85.6% (95%CI: 77.5-92.1; p < 0.001; I 2 = 93.6%; 16 studies; n = 1399) for tell-show-do to 25.7% (95%CI: 17.8-34.4; p < 0.001; I 2 = 90.4%; 12 studies; n = 1129) for passive protective stabilization among non-SHCN children's parents; meanwhile, among the parents of SHCN children, it varied from 89.1% (95%CI: 56.1-99.7; p < 0.001; I 2 = 95.7%; 3 studies; n = 454) for tell-show-do to 29.1% (95%CI: 11.8-50.0; p = 0.001; I 2 = 84.8%; 3 studies; n = 263) for general anesthesia. The effect estimates varied greatly, as substantial heterogeneity across studies was observed, thus limiting the confidence in the results. Parents were more likely to agree with basic BGTs over advanced BGTs, with very low certainty of evidence. Dentists should discuss BGT options with parents. Protocol registration: PROSPERO CRD42018103834.

Association between genetic polymorphisms in the melatonin receptor type 1 A gene and sleep bruxism.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms in the melatonin receptor type 1 A gene are associated with sleep bruxism in a Brazilian population. DESIGN: Individuals with suspected sleep-related problems were evaluated using polysomnography, following the recommendations proposed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples were collected, and three single nucleotide polymorphisms in the melatonin receptor type 1 A gene (rs13140012, rs6553010, and rs6847693) were selected and genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Chi-square and odds ratio tests were used to analyze genotypes and alleles individually, while using the plink software for haplotypes. A confidence interval of 95% was considered, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: This study included 48 individuals aged between 21 and 80 years, with 27 males and 21 females. From this sample, 17 individuals were diagnosed with sleep bruxism and 31 without bruxism. No associations were found between sleep bruxism and single nucleotide polymorphisms in either the genotypic, allelic, dominant, or recessive models (p > 0.05). Haplotype genetic analysis also did not reveal any association between single nucleotide polymorphisms and sleep bruxism (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The genetic polymorphisms rs6553010, rs13140012, and rs6847693 were not associated with sleep bruxism in the studied population.

Barriers involved in the application of evidence-based dentistry principles: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The authors' objective in this systematic review was to investigate the barriers involved in the application of evidence-based dentistry principles, as reported by dentists. The authors registered the protocol in the PROSPERO database. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED: Eligible studies included qualitative and quantitative approaches, constituting information about barriers, collected through interviews, questionnaires, or conversation sessions. The authors searched databases and reference lists of preselected studies. After the selection process, the authors evaluated the included studies for potential risk of bias and collected either qualitative or quantitative data. RESULTS: After the selection process, the authors included 35 studies, of which 16 were reported in this article. The authors synthesized and classified the barriers in 4 categories: self-related, evidence-related, context-related, and patient-related barriers. Shortage of time and financial constraints were the barriers most frequently studied. However, the quantification of these barriers, as well as others, was not possible because of the variability of the results and methodological issues of the included studies. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The authors suggest the development of valid questionnaires and their use in representative samples to quantify the effects of specific barriers. The authors encourage practitioners to participate in educational programs focused on training in evidence-based dentistry abilities, in addition to seeking accessible and synthesized formats of reliable scientific knowledge.

Biomarkers in biological fluids in adults with periodontitis and/or obesity: A meta-analysis.

Obesity and periodontal diseases have been investigated to be interconnected, but the molecular mechanism underlying this association is still not clear. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the association of serum, salivary and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) inflammatory markers (IMs), obesity, and periodontitis. Studies that evaluated IM of adults according to obesity status (O) and periodontitis status (P) (O+P+; O-P+; O+P-) were screened on several electronic databases and grey literature up until February 2019. Risk of bias assessment and level of evidence were evaluated through Fowkes and Fulton scale and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Meta-analyses were grouped according to the biological matrix studied (serum/GCF) and groups (O+P+ vs. O-P+/O+P+ vs. O+P-). Out of the 832 studies screened, 21 were considered in qualitative synthesis and 15 in quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). Although included studies showed mostly "no" or "minor" problems during the quality assessment, GRADE assessment indicated very low to moderate level of evidence based on the question answered. O+P+ adults exhibited significantly higher serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), leptin, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-alpha) and higher resistin GCF levels than O-P+. O+P+ adults showed significantly higher serum levels of IL-6 and leptin and lower adiponectin serum levels than O+P-. Only qualitative information could be obtained of the IM vaspin, omentin-1, chemerin, IL-10, progranulin, MCP-4, IL-1ß, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Obesity and periodontitis, together or separately, are associated with altered serum and GCF levels of CRP, IL-6, leptin, TNF-alpha, adiponectin, and resistin. It was not possible to evaluate the association between obesity and periodontitis at salivary levels. The role of recently investigated biomarkers as vaspin, omentin-1, chemerin, IL-10, progranulin, MCP-4, IL-1ß, and IFN-γ, which can be key points underlying the association between obesity and periodontitis, remains to be further investigated.

Diagnostic validity of CT to assess degenerative temporomandibular joint disease: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to answer the focus question: "In subjects with degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), what is the diagnostic validity of CT or cone-beam CT (CBCT) compared with clinical protocols"? METHODS: DJD should be assessed through clinical diagnosis according to RDC/TMD or DC/TMD. Search strategies were specifically developed to the following electronic databases: Cochrane, Latin American And Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS), PubMed (including Medline), Scopus and Web of Science. Furthermore, partial grey literature search through Google Scholar, OpenGrey and ProQuest was performed. The risk of bias was evaluated using the second version of Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). RESULTS: The databases search revealed 454 records. After applying the eligibility criteria, four studies were included in this review. All studies were methodologically acceptable, although none of the them fulfilled all criteria of risk of bias according to QUADAS-2. Despite there were some high values for sensitivity and specificity, they were not homogeneous between studies. Regarding specificity outcomes, there were three studies with poor values and only one considered as excellent. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT could be a good image to evaluate DJD progression over time, but should not be used as a screening tool in healthy individuals.

Effect of intra-pregnancy nonsurgical periodontal therapy on inflammatory biomarkers and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to analyze the effects of intra-pregnancy nonsurgical periodontal therapy on periodontal inflammatory biomarkers and adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: On June 5, 2017, we searched PubMed, Cochrane, SCOPUS, Web of Science, LILACS, ProQuest, Open Grey, and Google Scholar databases. Randomized clinical trials in which pregnant women with chronic periodontitis underwent nonsurgical periodontal therapy, compared with an untreated group, tested for inflammatory biomarkers, and followed till delivery were included. Primary outcomes were preterm birth, low birth weight, and preeclampsia. Meta-analysis was performed with 5.3.5 version of Review Manager software. RESULTS: We found 565 references in the databases, 326 after duplicates removal, 28 met criteria for full text reading, and 4 met eligibility criteria for quantitative and qualitative synthesis. Intra-pregnancy nonsurgical periodontal therapy improved periodontal clinical parameters (periodontal pocket depth, clinical attachment level, and bleeding on probing) and reduced biomarker level from gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), and some from blood serum; however, it did not influence biomarker level from umbilical cord blood. Meta-analysis showed tendency for reduction of the risk of preterm birth before 37 weeks for treated group (risk ratio (RR) = 0.54, 95% CI 0.38-0.77; p = 0.0007; inconsistency indexes (I2) 32%) but did not show any difference for low birth weight occurrence (RR = 0.78, 95%CI 0.50-1.21; p = 0.27; I2 41%). No included study considered preeclampsia as a gestational outcome. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that the intra-pregnancy nonsurgical periodontal therapy decreased periodontal inflammatory biomarker levels from gingival crevicular fluid and some from serum blood, with no influence on inflammatory biomarker level from cord blood, and it did not consistently reduce adverse gestational adverse outcome occurrence. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42015027750.

Parental acceptance toward behavior guidance techniques for pediatric dental visits: a meta-analysis

Abstract This study aimed to answer the following question: What is the proportion of acceptance reported by parents toward pediatric behavior guidance techniques (BGTs)? Observational studies that evaluated parental acceptance of BGTs during pediatric dental visits among parents of non-special health care need (non-SHCN) and SHCN children were included. A search of the Cochrane Library, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS), MedLine/PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, in addition to gray literature, was performed until October 2021. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies was used for quality assessment. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (Grade). Fifty-three studies with 4868 participants were included, and 42 were retained for the random-effects proportion meta-analysis. The methodological quality varied from low to high. The agreement with the BGTs varied from 85.6% (95%CI: 77.5-92.1; p < 0.001; I 2 = 93.6%; 16 studies; n = 1399) for tell-show-do to 25.7% (95%CI: 17.8-34.4; p < 0.001; I 2 = 90.4%; 12 studies; n = 1129) for passive protective stabilization among non-SHCN children's parents; meanwhile, among the parents of SHCN children, it varied from 89.1% (95%CI: 56.1-99.7; p < 0.001; I 2 = 95.7%; 3 studies; n = 454) for tell-show-do to 29.1% (95%CI: 11.8-50.0; p = 0.001; I 2 = 84.8%; 3 studies; n = 263) for general anesthesia. The effect estimates varied greatly, as substantial heterogeneity across studies was observed, thus limiting the confidence in the results. Parents were more likely to agree with basic BGTs over advanced BGTs, with very low certainty of evidence. Dentists should discuss BGT options with parents. Protocol registration: PROSPERO CRD42018103834.

Prevalence of clinical signs of intra-articular temporomandibular disorders in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the prevalence of clinical signs of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders in children and adolescents. TYPE OF STUDIES REVIEWED: The authors selected only studies in which the investigators' primary objective was to evaluate the prevalence of signs of TMJ disorders according to the international Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) in children and adolescents. The authors performed electronic searches without language restriction in 5 databases. The authors also assessed quality. RESULTS: In this review and meta-analysis, the authors included 11 articles that described studies in which 17,051 participants had been enrolled. The overall prevalence of clinical signs of intra-articular joint disorders was 16% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.59-19.94; n = 17,051). The prevalence of TMJ sounds (click and crepitation) was 14% (95% CI, 9.67-19.79; n = 11,316). The most prevalent sign was clicking (10.0%; 95% CI, 7.97-12.28; n = 9,665) followed by jaw locking (2.3%; 95% CI, 0.56-5.22; n = 5,735). CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: One in 6 children and adolescents have clinical signs of TMJ disorders. The results of this systematic research study can alert dentists about the importance of looking for signs of TMD in children and adolescents.

Signs and Symptoms of Primary Tooth Eruption: A Meta-analysis.

CONTEXT: Symptoms associated with the primary tooth eruption have been extensively studied but it is still controversial. OBJECTIVE: To assess the occurrence of local and systemic signs and symptoms during primary tooth eruption. DATA SOURCES: Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched. A partial gray literature search was taken by using Google Scholar and the reference lists of the included studies were scanned. STUDY SELECTION: Observational studies assessing the association of eruption of primary teeth with local and systemic signs and symptoms in children aged 0 to 36 months were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Two authors independently collected the information from the selected articles. Information was crosschecked and confirmed for its accuracy. RESULTS: A total of 1179 articles were identified, and after a 2-phase selection, 16 studies were included. Overall prevalence of signs and symptoms occurring during primary tooth eruption in children between 0 and 36 months was 70.5% (total sample = 3506). Gingival irritation (86.81%), irritability (68.19%), and drooling (55.72%) were the most frequent ones. LIMITATIONS: Different general symptoms were considered among studies. Some studies presented lack of confounding factors, no clear definition of the diagnostics methods, use of subjective measures and long intervals between examinations. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence of the occurrence of signs and symptoms during primary tooth eruption. For body temperature analyses, eruption could lead to a rise in temperature, but it was not characterized as fever.

Integração odontologia-fonoaudiologia: a importância da formação de equipes interdisciplinares / Dentistry-speech integration: the importance of interdisciplinary teams formation

Os odontólogos e fonoaudiólogos, por possuírem em comum a mesma área de atuação: o Sistema Estomatognático, tem a responsabilidade de trabalhar em conjunto. Além disso, têm a necessidade de se aliar com médicos, psicólogos e fisioterapeutas objetivando o aperfeiçoamento das terapias e tratamentos, promovendo satisfação e saúde aos seus pacientes. Entretanto, grande parte dos cirurgiões-dentistas apresentam dificuldades sobre quais casos necessitam de intervenção fonoaudiológica e o momento apropriado para a realização desta, o mesmo ocorre com os fonoaudiólogos em relação à Odontologia. As habilidades necessárias para que o profissional esteja apto a fazer parte de um grupo devem ser ensinadas e aprendidas desde a vida acadêmica, já que o profissional de saúde deve ser capaz de produzir e desenvolver conhecimentos que tenham por norte os condicionantes biopsicossocioculturais do processo saúde doença, a capacidade de comunicação com os pacientes e outros profissionais. O objetivo deste artigo foi esclarecer a importância do trabalho interdisciplinar na área da saúde, com enfoque na associação entre Odontologia e Fonoaudiologia. Também visou mostrar a relevância desta abordagem desde a vida acadêmica para a formação de profissionais capazes de trabalhar em equipe, habilitados e humanizados para o atendimento integral dos indivíduos.

The dentists and speech language pathologists work in the same area: the stomatognathic system. So, they have a responsibility to work together. Also, they have the need to ally with doctors, psychologists and physical therapists aiming the improvement of the therapies and treatments, promoting health and satisfaction to their patients. However, most dentists have difficulties about which cases need speech therapy and the appropriate time to require it, so does the speech language pathology in concerning to dentistry. The necessary professional skills to be part of a group must be taught and learned since academic life. The health professional should be able to produce and develop knowledge by biopsychosocial-cultural conditions of the health-illness process and also have the ability to communicate with the patients and other professionals. The purpose of this article was to clarify the interdisciplinary work importance in healthcare, focusing on the association between dentistry and speech language pathology for the health promotion of stomatognathic system. It also aims to show the importance of this approach from academic life to the training of prepared and humanized professionals to care the individuals as a whole and to be able to work in teams.

Avaliação da reforma curricular do curso de odontologia da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina / Evaluation of the curriculum reform of the University of Santa Catarina dentistry course

O curso de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina passou recentemente por alterações curriculares embasadas nas Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais dos cursos de graduação em Odontologia. A alteração do projeto pedagógico foi realizada em 2006, em concordância com a Resolução nº 3/02 CNE/CES, de 19 de fevereiro de 2002, que instituiu as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Odontologia. O novo currículo entrou em vigor no primeiro semestre de 2007. Objetivando avaliar a reforma curricular a partir da comparação entre os conhecimentos de diagnóstico dos alunos do antigo e dos alunos do novo currículo, suas opiniões sobre o curso e suas aptidões profissionais foi aplicado um questionário contendo 20 questões sobre diagnóstico em Odontologia e 4 questões relacionadas ao curso de graduação e sua aptidão profissional. O estudo contou com a participação de 90 estudantes que formaram dois grupos, o grupo I formado pelos alunos do currículo antigo e o grupo II, formado pelos alunos do currículo novo. Após a aplicação dos questionários os dados foram calculados estatisticamente no programa epiData e digitados no Excel. Os resultados mostraram que as diferenças entre os conhecimentos de diagnóstico não foram estatisticamente significativas entre os grupos I e II, em relação ao ponto forte do curso houve diferença estatística entre os dois grupos, no grupo I predominou o aprendizado em modalidades de tratamento enquanto no grupo II o aprendizado em diagnóstico integral. Em relação ao local onde preferem atuar ambos os grupos responderam em sua maioria nos serviços públicos de saúde associado a clínica privada, em relação às áreas de atuação tanto o grupo I como o grupo II optou em sua maioria pelas disciplinas clínicas tendo uma prevalência relevante no grupo II a Saúde Coletiva (AU).

The dentistry course of the Federal University of Santa Catarina has recently undergone curricular changes based on the National Curriculum Guidelines for undergraduate courses in dentistry. The change in the university's educational project was implemented in 2006, in accordance with Resolution #3/02 CNE/CES, dated February 19, 2002, which established the National Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Dentistry Courses. The new curriculum came into force in the first half of 2007. With this in mind, the main goal of this study was to evaluate, on one hand, the curriculum reform, by comparing the diagnostic knowledge of students of the old and of the new curriculum, and, on the other hand, the views of these students on the course and their professional aptitudes. The survey was conducted by applying a questionnaire containing 20 questions about diagnoses made in dentistry and 4 undergraduate course-related questions about the student's professional aptitudes. The study included 90 students who were separated into two groups: Group I was formed by students of the old curriculum, and Group II was formed by students of the new curriculum. After the questionnaires were administered, the data were analyzed statistically in the epiData program and entered in Excel. The results showed that the differences in diagnostic knowledge between groups I and II were not statistically significant. In relation to the strong point of the course, there was a statistical difference between the two groups. What prevailed in Group I was the learning of treatment modalities, whereas, in Group II, it was the learning of complete diagnoses. In relation to where the students would prefer to work, the majority of both groups responded that they preferred public health services together with private clinic practice. In respect to the areas in which they preferred to work, both groups opted mostly for clinical disciplines, in that group II had a significant preference for Collective Health (AU).

Contribuições das atividades complementares na formação profissional em odontologia / Contributions of complementary activities in professional dental training

Objetivo: Caracterizar a inserção de atividades complementares em um curso de graduação em Odontologia, bem como sua contribuição para a formação profissional. Métodos: Trata-se de uma pesquisa transversal, exploratória, com abordagem quanti-qualitativa. O levantamento de dados deu-se a partir da aplicação de um questionário a todos os discentes do último ano do curso de graduação em Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, durante três semestres (2011.2, 2012.1, 2012.2). Os dados quantitativos foram tabulados e analisados por meio de análise estatística descritiva com o auxílio do aplicativo Googledocs para formulários de pesquisa. Realizaram-se, também, entrevistas em profundidade com 10 discentes que responderam ao questionário, cujos dados qualitativos foram analisados segundo os pressupostos da Análise de Conteúdo. Resultados: Participaram da pesquisa 70 discentes; destes, 93% haviam participado de alguma atividade complementar durante a graduação. As atividades foram realizadas principalmente na área de Odontologia em Saúde Coletiva (67%) e se relacionavam com mais frequência a estágios e atividades de extensão. Destas atividades, 33% estavam relacionadas ao trabalho de conclusão de curso do discente, enquanto apenas 9% estavam vinculadas à pós-graduação; 65% dos discentes consideraram que a participação nestas atividades contribuiu muito para a sua formação. Os resultados obtidos através dos dados qualitativos foram agrupados em 03 categorias relativas aos Fatores que influenciam na participação dos alunos nas atividades complementares, a Importância da participação em atividades complementares e às Limitações na realização de atividades complementares. Conclusão: Grande parte dos discentes participou de alguma atividade complementar durante a sua formação e considerou essa participação posi tiva, indicando que o curso em questão tem disponibilizado esse tipo de oportunidade. Uma boa adequação didático-pedagógica das atividades complementares parece influenciar no modo como o aluno percebe a importância e valoriza a participação nessas atividades, como auxiliar no seu processo de ensino-aprendizagem na formação profissional em Odontologia (AU).

Objective: Characterize the inclusion of complementary activities in an undergraduate dental course, and their contribution to professional training. Methods: This was an exploratory cross-sectional study with a quantitative and qualitative approach. During 2011 (2nd sem.) and 2012 (1st and 2nd sem.), all undergraduate students in their final year at the Federal University of Santa Catarina Dental School were asked to answer a questionnaire. The quantitative data were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics, with the help of Google Docs® software for research forms. There were also in-depth interviews with 10 students who completed the questionnaire. The qualitative data were analyzed according to the content analysis framework. Results: There were 70 participants; 93% had been involved in complementary activities during their undergraduate studies. The activities were carried out mainly in the area of public health dentistry (67%) and were most often related to internships and outreach activities; 33% were related to the student's final term paper for the course, whereas only 9% were related to graduate research; 65% of the students felt that participating in these activities contributed greatly to their education. The results obtained from the qualitative data were grouped into three categories related to the factors that influence student participation in complementary activities, to the importance of participating in complementary activities and to limitations while performing complementary activities. Conclusion: Most of the students participated in complementary activities during their university training and considered them a positive experience, indicating that the course in question provided this type of opportunity. The didactic and pedagogic organization of the complementary activities appears to influence how students perceive the importance and value of their participation in these activities, as an aid in the teaching-learning process of professional dentistry training (AU).

Protetores bucais: uma necessidade dos novos tempos / Mouthguards: the necessary protection

Traumatismos em dentes e nos maxilares ocorrem frequentemente durante a prática de esportes de contato. No entanto, enquanto há um aumento na consciência da odontologia preventiva quando o assunto é cárie, somente poucos indivíduos parecem preocupados em evitar traumas que podem ocorrer nos dentes e/ou estruturas de suportes devido aos impactos, principalmente nos esportes. Protetores bucais säo dispositivos, confeccionados de vinil ou borracha, usados para proteçäo dos dentes e dos trecidos de suporte contra traumas. Podem ser encontrados em lojas esportivas ou serem confeccionados pelo cirurgiäo-dentista. esta trabalho mostra, além das vantagens e desvantagens de cada tipo de protetor bucal, a técnica de confecçäo de protetores sob encomenda, ideais para pacientes portadores de aparelhos ortodonticos fixo

A importância da correçäo precoce da mordida cruzada posterior / The importance of early correction of posterior crossbite

Em ortodontia preventiva, säo essenciais a identificaçäo e o diagnóstico precoce das más oclusöes. A mordida cruzada posterior representa cerca de 18 por cento das más oclusöes e, apesar de bastante conhecida e pesquisada, infelizmente ainda há certa negligência por parte de muitos clínicos e até mesmo de odontopediatria. A correçäo precoce das mordidas cruzadas é de suma importância, uma vez que previne a instalaçäo de desvios esqueléticos permanentes. Evita-se, portanto, um tratamento complexo no futuro. O objetivo deste trabalho é discorrer sobre a correçäo das mordidas cruzadas posteriores e sua real importância, assim como ilustrá-la por meio de um caso clínico tratado com o expansor do tipo preconizado por Haas

Tratamento precoce da má oclusäo de Classe III com a máscara facial individualizada / Early treatment of Class III malocclusion with a customized face mask

O tratamento precoce das más oclusöes de Classe III representa um desafio para o ortodontista. Atualmente, sabe-se que 62 por cento dos casos de má oclusäo de Classe III apresentam envolvimento maxilar, necessitando de alguma forma de protraçäo para sua correçäo. Os aparelhos de protraçäo em geral säo desconfortáveis e antiestéticos. Turley, em 1988, desenvolveu um método de obter-se um dispositivo de protraçäo mais confortável e com menor comprometimento estético: a moldagem da face para a construçäo de uma máscara facial individualizada. O objetivo deste trabalho é discorrer sobre esta técnica de moldagem, assim como apresentar um caso clínico tratado com esta metodologia

Piercing bucal: o que os dentistas devem saber / Oral piercing: what must dentists know?

Historicamente, o "piercing" tem sido realizado em várias civilizaçöes, marcando diferentes culturas. Na sociedade atual, ele apresenta ligaçäo com a adolescência e com a vontade de ser diferente. Vários locais da face têm sido escolhidos em funçäo da estética, entre eles, o nariz, a sobrancelha e os lábios. O "piercing" de língua e de regiöes peribucais vem tornando-se mais popular com o passar do tempo. Os dentistas precisam preparar-se para cuidar desses pacientes, já que as complicaçöes pós-operatórias envolvem inflamaçäo, infecçäo, deslocamento e fraturas dentárias. Desse modo, este trabalho tem como objetivo descrever a técnica de aplicaçäo de "piercing" no lábio e na língua, apresentando as principais complicaçöes do pós-operatório, de modo a introduzir os dentistas nesta nova área de atuaçäo