Knowledge and perception regarding molar incisor hypomineralisation among dental students and dental hygienist students in Spain: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) has a high prevalence in the Spanish pediatric population and is a precursor of carious lesions in teeth in which it is present. Although this pathology is included in the curricula of the Degree in Dentistry and the Training Cycle in Oral Hygiene in our country, the contents currently taught seem to be insufficient in relation to the level of knowledge that we have today about this condition. METHODS: A digital questionnaire of 18 questions was sent to a sample of 448 students attending the 4th and 5th year of the Degree in Dentistry and 2nd year of the Training Cycle in Oral Hygiene from different universities and vocational training centers in the Valencian Community. Descriptive and multivariate statistical analysis of the data was subsequently performed. RESULTS: Of the 290 questionnaires that were obtained, 53.8% were from students attending the 2nd year of a training course in oral hygiene and 46.2% were from students pursuing a degree in dentistry. Most of the respondents had heard about MIH (75.2%), mainly through master classes. However, most students had difficulties distinguishing MIH lesions from other lesions (58.3%). The degree of knowledge about MIH was greater among dental students in all the aspects evaluated: prevalence, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Of all the students, 83.8% were interested in increasing their training on MIH, especially in the areas of diagnosis and treatment. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study justify the need to expand the content on MIH, both theoretical and practical, in the educational curricula of the Degree in Dentistry and Integrated Vocational Training Centers in Spain.

Effectiveness of removable appliances with temperature sensors in orthodontic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Patient compliance during orthodontic treatment is one of the factors that most affects success in the final result. The use of removable appliances is frequent at an early age and the monitoring of its use is essential to assess the collaboration of the patient. The aim of this study was to establish the effectiveness of microsensors included in removable appliances during orthodontic treatment or in the retention phase to enable a reliable and individualized follow-up of the patient. SEARCH METHODS: The article search was carried out in various electronic databases and journals without any language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies using microsensors into removable appliances were selected with the key selection criterion of a minimum follow-up of 4 weeks. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The quality of the studies included was evaluated using the Cochrane scale for the randomized controlled trials and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale for control-case, cohort, and transversal studies. The mean of the differences with a 95% confidence interval was expressed for the continuous data. RESULTS: Twenty-nine full-text articles were analysed and included in the qualitative synthesis. In general, the mean daily wear time of removable appliances measured objectively was less than the time that the professional had predetermined. CONCLUSIONS: The use of microsensors as an objective measurement method enhances communication and boosts confidence in the orthodontist-patient relationship. More random clinical studies with temperature sensors are needed to establish to what extent they influence the orthodontic outcome. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42019120525).

Spanish Curriculum in Cariology for undergraduate dental students: Proceedings and consensus.

INTRODUCTION: Cariology is today a broad-based discipline and in the Spanish university teaching field, all this knowledge is not unified in a curriculum. Therefore, the aim was to develop a consensus text based on the European Core Curriculum, updated, and adapted to the characteristics of the Spanish university environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A Spanish Cariology Curriculum Group (SCCG) was set up with members of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology and Oral Public Health (SESPO), Spanish Society of Conservative and Aesthetic Dentistry (SEOC) and Spanish Society of Paediatric Dentistry (SEOP) and university experts to adapt the European Core Curriculum in Cariology for undergraduate dental students (ECCC) for Spain. The work was carried out online during 2018 and 2019, and also face-to-face meetings took place to obtain a draft curriculum open for discussion that was presented to all the Spanish universities. The final modifications to the document were specified in a Consensus Conference of Spanish universities offering a Degree in Dentistry that took place in Madrid on 19 November 2019. RESULTS: Thirty-eight university experts, under SCCG supervision, participated in the elaboration of the new framework document. A total of 16 universities, from 23 invited, reached a consensus as to the contents of the Spanish Curriculum in Cariology for undergraduate dental students. This new Curriculum emphasises learning outcomes, uses a consensus-based terminology pertaining to caries and other hard-tissue conditions, and introduces a new domain of competence in Domain III of ECCC. CONCLUSION: This new Cariology Curriculum is the result of a very broad-based consensus of university experts in Spain and lays the foundation for the implementation of an integrated teaching of Cariology in Spain in adherence to Alliance for a Caries Free Future (ACFF) objectives.

Antibacterial Properties of Nanoparticles in Dental Restorative Materials. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background and Objectives: Nanotechnology has become a significant area of research focused mainly on increasing the antibacterial and mechanical properties of dental materials. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine and quantitatively analyze the current evidence for the addition of different nanoparticles into dental restorative materials, to determine whether their incorporation increases the antibacterial/antimicrobial properties of the materials. Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed in the Pubmed, Scopus, and Embase databases, up to December 2018, following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Results: A total of 624 papers were identified in the initial search. After screening the texts and applying inclusion criteria, only 11 of these were selected for quantitative analysis. The incorporation of nanoparticles led to a significant increase (p-value <0.01) in the antibacterial capacity of all the dental materials synthesized in comparison with control materials. Conclusions: The incorporation of nanoparticles into dental restorative materials was a favorable option; the antibacterial activity of nanoparticle-modified dental materials was significantly higher compared with the original unmodified materials, TiO2 nanoparticles providing the greatest benefits. However, the high heterogeneity among the articles reviewed points to the need for further research and the application of standardized research protocols.

Effect of 2% Chlorhexidine Following Acid Etching on Microtensile Bond Strength of Resin Restorations: A Meta-Analysis.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to examine the effect of 2% chlorhexidine following acid etching on the microtensile bond strength of resin restorations for different follow-up times. Materials and Methods: A thorough search of PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases were conducted. In vitro experimental studies or in vivo studies published up to December 2018 with an experimental group treated with a 2% chlorhexidine solution following acid etching and a control group were included, wherein the final restoration used a resin composite in both the groups. Results: Twenty-one articles were identified for qualitative analysis and 18 for meta-analysis. The difference in the means of microtensile bond strength between the two groups was calculated for the different follow-up times. The differences were significant for 6 months (4.30 MPa; 95% CI 2.72-5.89), 12 months (8.41 MPa; 95% CI 4.93-11.88), and 2-5 years including aged and thermocycling samples (9.08 MPa; 95% CI 5.36-12.81). There were no significant differences for the type of adhesive used. A meta-regression model showed a significant effect of time on the microtensile bond strength. Conclusions: The application of a 2% chlorhexidine solution after acid etching increased the microtensile bond strength significantly for follow-up times of 6 months or more. The adhesive type had no influence.

Diagnostic validity of ICDAS II, VistaProof and a combination of these two methods. An in vitro study in pre-cavitated lesions.

PURPOSE: In view of the present fall in advanced cavitation lesion prevalence, diagnostic methods have been developed to assist in assessing and measuring pre-cavitation lesions. The purpose of this study was to assess the VistaProof fluorescence-based system in vitro and compare the results with those of visual examination using the ICDAS II criteria. METHODS: 100 permanent teeth were collected and 65 were chosen at random for this study. Two separate examiners each examined them twice, 3 weeks apart, assessing them in accordance with ICDAS II. They were subsequently examined with the VistaProof system and the images were stored in the computer program. After obtaining all these data, the teeth were prepared for histological examination and the extent of the lesion was measured. RESULTS: The sensitivity with VistaProof was 0.705 for examiner 1 and 0.818 for examiner 2. With ICDAS II it was 0.796 and 0.864, respectively. The specificity was 0.810 and 0.619, respectively, for VistaProof and 0.810 and 0.952 for ICDAS II. The agreement with the histology results was 0.757 and 0.719, respectively, for VistaProof and 0.802 and 0.908 for ICDAS II. The intra-examiner and inter-examiner reproducibility of both methods was also assessed. For VistaProof the values were 0.76 and 0.78 intra-examiner agreement and 0.65 inter-examiner. For ICDAS II they were 0.82 and 0.91 intra-examiner and 0.76 inter-examiner. The data showed that both ICDAS II and VistaProof presented very good sensitivity but moderate specificity, as well as strong agreement (fair to good) with the histology results, and the intra-examiner and inter-examiner reproducibility was significant for both methods. CONCLUSIONS: ICDAS II criteria and the assistance provided by VistaProof increase the ability to diagnose incipient lesions and take early action to treat them. It is important to combine the two in order to obtain more significant results, considering non-opperative treatments for non-cavitated lesions diagnosed. Lasers Surg. Med. 50:166-173, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identifying a Potential Summary Measure for Overall Caries Level in Children Examined with the International Caries Detection and Assessment System.

OBJECTIVE: To identify a potential summative summary measure that reflects a patient's overall caries level in children examined with the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Participants were 1- to 15-year-old children from Kuwait, Brazil, and Spain. Children's teeth were examined using the ICDAS. Multiple measures of central tendency and dentition-specific indices were considered as potential summative measures. The relationship between the summative measures and number of caries lesions was evaluated considering degrees of caries severity using Spearman's correlation analysis. The results were generated using the Kuwaiti sample and were cross-validated using the Brazilian and Spanish samples. RESULTS: A total of 2,808 children participated in the present study. Total ICDAS score and mean ICDAS score showed a strong correlation with the number of caries lesions at different caries severity levels in primary, mixed, and permanent dentitions. The total ICDAS score of 51 buccal (B), 61B, 54 occlusal (O), 55O, 64O, 65O, 74O, 75O, 84O, and 85O surfaces in primary dentition and the total ICDAS score of 14O, 16 lingual (L), 16O, 24O, 26L, 26O, 36B, 36O, 37O, 46O, 46B, and 47O surfaces in permanent dentition or mixed dentition (if present) showed strong correlations with the number of caries lesions at different caries severity levels. CONCLUSIONS: Total ICDAS and mean ICDAS scores were the best summary measures of overall caries level at different dental stages. Total ICDAS scores of selectively examined 10 surfaces in primary dentition and 12 surfaces in permanent dentition can give an excellent summary measure for a patient's overall caries level with high diagnostic accuracy.

Diagnostic validity of ICDAS and DIAGNOdent combined: an in vitro study in pre-cavitated lesions.

In a continuous process such as caries, it is important to possess criteria or instruments that allow the lesions to be diagnosed at early stages so that preventive or interceptive treatments can be applied before cavitation takes place. The present study seeks to assess the diagnostic efficacy of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II) criteria and the DIAGNOdent laser fluorescence (LF) pen in occlusal caries lesions, using histological sections as the gold standard. Sixty-four permanent teeth were examined by two researchers who previously performed and calibrated both the ICDAS II criteria and the use of DIAGNOdent pen. The teeth were then cut into sections and observed under an optical microscope. The sensitivity values were 0.82 (ICDAS II) and 0.85 (LF). The specificity values were 1.00 (ICDAS II) and 0.53 (LF). The intraexaminer reproducibility was 0.892 for ICDAS II and 0.912 for the DIAGNOdent, so it was high for both diagnostic methods. However, the DIAGNOdent pen showed greater sensitivity and the ICDAS criteria more specificity. It was concluded that both methods are efficacious individually but combining the two is recommended to improve the diagnosis.

Prevalence of periodontal pathogens as predictor of the evolution of periodontal status.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the prevalence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, its fimA genotypes, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola and the evolution of periodontal health. In a longitudinal prospective study, samples of subgingival plaque were taken from 114 patients (37 with chronic periodontitis, 17 with gingivitis, and 60 periodontally healthy) in the course of a full periodontal examination. PCR was employed to determine the presence of the periodontopathogenic bacteria. Four years later, a second examination and sample collection were performed in 90 of these patients (20 with chronic periodontitis, 12 with gingivitis, and 58 periodontally healthy). T. forsythia, P. gingivalis, and T. denticola are the most prevalent bacteria in patients with chronic periodontitis (78.4%, 62.2 y 56.8%, respectively). The P. gingivalis bacterium and its fimA genotypes I, II, and IV showed the highest correlation between the baseline and follow-up assessments. P. gingivalis fimA genotype II and T. forsythia were associated to a significant degree with unfavourable periodontal evolution. Of the variables studied, P. gingivalis fimA genotype II and T. forsythia increase the risk of an unfavourable evolution of periodontal status.

Orthodontic treatment need of 9, 12 and 15 year-old children according to the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and the Dental Aesthetic Index.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the differences in occlusal features in three cohorts at 9, 12 and 15 years of age, and compare orthodontic treatment need measured by the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) and Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: School of Dentistry, University of Valencia. SUBJECTS: A total of 1086 children: 321 aged 9, 397 aged 12 and 368 aged 15. METHODS: Children were examined to measure their orthodontic treatment need according to IOTN and DAI. The main outcome measure was orthodontic treatment need according to the DAI and IOTN indices. RESULTS: Overbite and inter-incisal diastema were the occlusal features that presented significant differences between the three groups, diminishing with age. Treatment need according to the IOTN was 15.4% at 9 years, 20.9% at 12 years and 12.8% at 15 years. Treatment need according to DAI was 44.8% at 9 years, 21.7% at 12 years and 14.1% at 15 years. The diagnostic agreement between the two indices on the treatment need by age group was very low at 9 years (Kappa 0.18) and moderate at 12 and 15 years (Kappa 0.451 and 0.405, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic treatment need is greater in the mixed dentition and falls slightly as the child grows. The greatest variation in results between 9 and 15 years were found in relation to the DAI, which is consequently not recommended for use in the mixed dentition.

[Fluoride content of bottled natural mineral waters in Spain and prevention of dental caries]. / Fluoruro en aguas minerales naturales envasadas en España y prevención de la caries dental.

AIM: The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of fluoride in natural mineral waters marketed in Spain in order to prevent tooth decay without the risk of causing dental fluorosis DESIGN: Descriptive and cross-sectional study during 2012. LOCATION: Natural mineral waters marketed in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Three bottles with different bottling dates of 109 natural mineral waters (97 Spanish and 12 imported brands). MAIN MEASURES: Determination of fluoride by ion chromatography RESULTS: Median fluoride concentrations of the natural mineral waters bottled in Spain was 0.22 (range 0.00-4.16; interquartile range:0.37). Most samples (61 brands, 62%) contained less than 0.3mg/L. There are 19 Spanish brands with more than 0.6 mg/L. The median level in imported brands was 0.35 (range 0.10-1.21; interquartile range: 0.23). Only 28 of the 109 brands examined (25.6%) specified the fluoride content on the label. Good correlation was observed between the concentrations indicated and those determined. CONCLUSIONS: Fluoride concentrations in natural mineral waters showed high variation. Given the growing consumption of natural mineral waters in Spain, this type of information is important to make proper use of fluoride in the primary prevention of dental caries.

Epidemiologic study of molar-incisor hypomineralization in 8-year-old Spanish children.

AIM: To find the prevalence of molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) in a random sample of Spanish children, and to investigate the gender influence, distribution of defects, the treatment need associated and the relation between this disorder and dental caries. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine MIH and caries prevalence in a randomly selected sample of 840 children from the 8-year-old population of the Valencia region of Spain. The examinations were carried out in the children's schools by one examiner who had previously been calibrated with the MIH diagnostic criteria of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD). RESULTS: The percentage of children with MIH was 21.8% (95% CI 19.1-24.7), with a mean 3.5 teeth affected (2.4 molars and 1.1 incisors) been the maxillary molars the most affected. No gender differences were found. Of those with MIH, 56.8% presented lesions in both molars and incisors Children with MIH needed significantly more urgent and non-urgent treatment than those without MIH (chi-squared test P-value < 0.005). Both caries indices were significantly higher (Student's t-test P-value < 0.05) in the children with MIH than in the healthy children: the DMFT scores were 0.513 and 0.237 and the DMFS scores 1.20 and 0.79, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Molar-incisor hypomineralization prevalence is high in the child population of this region and equally affects boys and girls. The condition increases significantly the need of treatment of affected children. A significant association with dental caries was observed.

Caries prevalence in children from Valencia (Spain) using ICDAS II criteria, 2010.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the oral health status of the child population and its evolution over the 2004-2010 period. STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study of the entire schoolchild population of the Valencia region of Spain was conducted using cluster sampling. Seventy schools were selected. The sample size was 1373 pupils, aged 6, 12 and 15 years. The children were examined in November and December 2010, at their schools, by 6 examiners calibrated in the ICDAS II method. The descriptive statistics, comparison of means and comparison of proportions (p<0.05) were recorded. RESULTS: The caries prevalence (ICDAS 4-6>0) was 30% in primary dentition at 6 years and 37.7% and 43.6% in permanent dentition at 12 and 15 years respectively. At 6, 12 and 15 years, the df.t/DMF. TICDASII 4-6 scores were 0.98, 0.83 and 1.08, the df.s/DMF.SICDASII 4-6 scores were 1.43, 1.27 and 1.64 and the care index results were 14.3%, 59% and 71.3% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both the caries indices (df.t at 6 years and DMF.T at 12 and 15) and caries prevalence have improved, as the values obtained were lower than in 2004. Using the comparison at 95% CI, between both years, the improvement was only noticeable in the 15 year-old group. The care index continued to be low at 6 years of age but higher values than in 2004 were found at 12 and 15 years. Social class continued to influence the child caries indicators.

Cross-sectional study of malocclusion in Spanish children.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the orthodontic treatment need of the child population of the Valencia region of Spain, employing the DAI and the IOTN, to examine the relations between treatment need, socio-economic data and gender and to assess the diagnostic agreement between the two indices. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in a random representative sample of the schoolchild population of the Valencia region of Spain. The sample size was a total of 765 children aged 12 and 15 years at 39 schools. RESULTS: The orthodontic treatment need assessed by the DAI was 21.7% at 12 years of age and 14.1% at 15 years. The orthodontic treatment need assessed by the IOTN DHC was 20.9% at 12 years of age and 12.7% at 15 years. The diagnostic agreement between the DAI and the modified IOTN was moderate, with Kappa scores of 0.426 at 12 years of age and 0.415 for the 15-year-old group. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 20% of the children needed orthodontic treatment. Neither gender nor social class appeared to exert a significant influence on orthodontic treatment need.

Validation of the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire (Pidaq) in Spanish adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Spanish version of PIDAQ for application in adolescents. STUDY DESIGN: The questionnaire was translated, cross-culturally adapted and completed by 627 adolescents (366 12-year-olds and 261 15-year-olds). The adolescents were also examined by 4 examiners who had been calibrated against a gold standard and relative to each other (Kappa >0.85) in determining treatment need with the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) and the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) DHC and AC components. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha of the translated PIDAQ was 0.90. The 23 items of the questionnaire were divided into four domains that explained 60% of the variance. The test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was 0.93. Discriminant validity revealed a significant association between the scores for the questionnaire and its subscales or domains and those for the DAI, IOTN-DHC and IOTN-AC treatment need indices. Adolescents with orthodontic treatment need scored higher in the questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the Spanish version of PIDAQ has a very similar internal structure and psychometric properties to those of the original questionnaire and demonstrate its validity for use with Spanish adolescents.

Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus detection by Polymerase Chain Reaction and their relation to dental caries in 12 and 15 year-old schoolchildren in Valencia (Spain).

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus and the association of the two in a random sample (n=614) of the child population of the region of Valencia (Spain). Saliva samples were analyzed by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to study the relation of these bacteria to caries prevalence and the DMFT index. The prevalence of S. mutans was 35.4% at age 12 and 22.9% at age 15, that of S. sobrinus 18.9% and 8.4% and that of the S. mutans-S. sobrinus association 18.2% and 6.8% respectively. At both 12 and 15 years of age, the caries prevalence rates were lower in the Streptococcus-free group of children (37.6% and 48.5% respectively) and higher in the S.mutans-only group (67.3% and 74.0%). At the age of 12, the DMFT index was significantly higher in the mutans-only carriers (2.1) than in the Streptococcus-free and S. mutans-S. sobrinus association groups (both 0.9). At the age of 15, the DMFT index was significantly higher in the S. mutans-S. sobrinus association (3.71) and mutans-only (3.1) carrier groups than in the Streptococcus-free group (1.4). Determination of S. mutans and S. sobrinus by real-time quantitative PCR can provide valuable information for caries risk assessment in epidemiological studies.

Salivary metabolomic profile associated with cariogenic risk in children.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the metabolomic differences in the saliva of healthy children versus children with active carious lesions and to estimate the predictive capacity of a model based on the salivary metabolomic profile. METHODS: A study of cases (n = 31) and controls (n = 37) was designed for children aged between 6 and 12 (mean age of the cases: 8.9; controls: 8.7). The said children attended public health centers in Valencia, Spain. Intraoral examinations were performed by a single examiner using ICDAS II diagnostic criteria. Unstimulated total saliva samples were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. RESULTS: The dft index for cases was 2.84 while it was 0.19 for the control group, the DMFT index was 1.13 and 0.11, respectively. The predictive model generated by the multivariate PLS-DA analysis projects a separation between the cases and the controls on the score chart with a predictive capacity and generating an area under the curve of 0.71. The metabolites: 3-methyl-2-oxovalerate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, acetone, citrate, ornithine, ethanolamine, taurine, proline, glycine, mannose, glucose, 1-6-Anhydro-ß-d-glucose and citraconate, are those that show greater significance in the model. In the controls, glycine (Cohen's d = 0.430) and glucose (Cohen's d = 0.560) present higher means compared to the cases. On the contrary, taurine (Cohen's d= -0.474) and mannose (Cohen's d= -0.456) show higher means in cases compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show a difference in the salivary metabolomic profiles, specifically in the groups of saccharides and amino acids, suggesting an association of these with the level of caries risk. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results reported in the present study reinforce the use of salivary metabolomics as a research method for the search for salivary biomarkers that allow the evaluation of caries risk in patients. Furthermore, it brings us closer to a personalized medicine that will help in dental caries prevention strategies.

Orthodontic treatment need in a Spanish young adult population.

OBJECTIVES: Orthodontic treatment need has often been assessed in child populations, but few studies employing internationally-recognized indices have been conducted in adult or young adult populations. The aim of this study was to determine the orthodontic treatment need of a young adult population in Spain by means of the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and the need perceived by the patients. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in a broad, representative sample of 671 adults aged between 35 and 44 years using health centers in the Valencia Region of Spain, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). RESULTS: Orthodontic treatment was required by 31.3% of the sample according to the DAI and 19.2% according to the IOTN (DHC). The orthodontic treatment need perceived by the patients was 21.1%. On relating treatment need to different variables, significant differences in patient perception were encountered by gender, as women perceived a greater need (23.9%) than men (14.4%). Significant differences in previous orthodontic treatment history were found between middle/high (15%) and low (9%) social class and between secondary/tertiary (14%) and primary (3.3%) education. CONCLUSIONS: There was no agreement between the treatment need assessed objectively by the indices and that perceived by the patient, or between the indices themselves. The decision to undergo orthodontic treatment can depend on socioeconomic and psychological factors and on values and principles that do not easily lend themselves to objective measurement.

Prevalence of fimA genotypes of Porphyromonas gingivalis and other periodontal bacteria in a Spanish population with chronic periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the different fimA genotypes of Porphyromonas gingivalis in adult Spanish patients with chronic periodontitis, patients with gingivitis and periodontally healthy subjects, and the relationship between these genotypes and other periodontopathogenic bacteria. STUDY DESIGN: Samples of subgingival plaque were taken from 86 patients (33 with chronic periodontitis, 16 with gingivitis, and 37 periodontally healthy) in the course of a full periodontal examination. PCR was employed to determine the presence of the 6 fimA genotypes of Porphyromonas gingivalis (I-V and Ib) and of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythia and Treponema denticola. RESULTS: Porphyromonas gingivalis fimA genotypes II and Ib were present in significantly higher percentages in periodontal patients (39.4% and 12.1% respectively) than in healthy or gingivitis subjects. The prevalence of Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, and Porphyromonas gingivalis fimA genotype IV was significantly higher in the group that presented bleeding greater than 30%. A positive correlation was found between Porphyromonas gingivalis fimA genotype IV and Treponema denticola. CONCLUSIONS: A strong association between Porphyromonas gingivalis fimA genotypes II and Ib and chronic periodontitis exists in the Spanish population. The most prevalent genotype in periodontal patients is II.

Diagnostic Validity in Occlusal Caries Detection of ICDAS II, DIAGNOdent, Radiography and a Combination of the Three Methods: An In Vitro Study.

In this study, we compare the efficacy and diagnostic concordance of the ICDAS, the radiographic criterion and the instrument known as the DIAGNOdent fluorescence laser pen on occlusal caries lesions using a histological section as the gold standard. Of 100 teeth that did not present cavitated occlusal lesions or occlusal fillings, 80 were chosen through a randomization program and examined by two previously trained and calibrated researchers. Subsequently, the teeth were sectioned with a diamond disk and observed under an optical microscope. The results were studied for caries with a limit established in enamel and caries with extension to dentin. The intra-examiner (0.821-0.933) and inter-examiner (0.817-0.924) reproducibility obtained for both ICDAS and DIAGNOdent for the diagnosis of borderline enamel caries was high. Similarly, intra-examiner (0.686-1.000) and inter-examiner (0.809-0.944) reproducibility for diagnosis of caries with dentin extension was also high for both methods. The sensitivity obtained was 0.76 (ICDAS), 0.87 (DIAGNOdent) and 0.58 (Rx), whereas the specificity obtained was 0.66 (ICDAS), 0.4 (DIAGNOdent) and 0.77 (Rx) for lesions limited to enamel. For lesions with extension to dentin, the sensitivity obtained was 0.73 (ICDAS), 0.82 (DIAGNOdent) and 0.09 (Rx), and the specificity obtained was 0.79 (ICDAS), 0.52 (DIAGNOdent) and 0.97 (Rx). Sensitivity increases in both cases by combining diagnostic methods. In conclusion, ICDAS and DIAGNOdent are better diagnostic methods than Rx for the detection of occlusal caries, and the combination of these methods helps to obtain a better diagnosis.