Frequency estimates and risk factors for postoperative morbidity after third molar removal: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of postoperative complications after mandibular third molar (M3) surgery and identify the risk indicators. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of a sample of subjects having at least 1 mandibular M3 surgically extracted at a teaching hospital in Jordan. The predictor variables were categorized as patient, anatomic, and operative specific. The outcome variables were postoperative complications recorded as present or absent. Bivariate analyses were computed, then a multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors for the common postoperative complications. RESULTS: The study sample was comprised of 149 patients who had 245 extractions. The mean age was 21.6 +/- 3.32 years; 64.9% were females. In the multivariate logistic regression model, age (P = .033, odds ratio [OR] = 1.178), M3 side in relation to the handedness of the operator (P = .048, OR = 4.078), and lingual retraction (P = .001, OR = 11.293) were the variables found as independent predictors for alveolar osteitis. The level of impaction had a significant association with trismus, and operation time acted as an independent predictor for pain (P < .001, OR = 1.085). CONCLUSION: Postoperative morbidity increases with older age, deeper impaction, M3 side differing from the handedness of the operator, and longer procedures.

Factors affecting stresses in cortical bone around miniscrew implants: a three-dimensional finite element study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate various types of stress in cortical bone around miniscrew implants using finite element analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six three-dimensional assemblies of miniscrew models placed in alveolar bone blocks were constructed using Abaqus (Dassault Systèmes Simulia Corp, Providence, RI), a commercial finite element analysis software package. The model variables included implant design factors and bone-related factors. All miniscrew implants were loaded in the mesial direction with a linear force equal to 2 N. Peak von Mises and principal stress values in cortical bone were compared between the different models for each factor. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that some factors affected the stresses in bone (implant diameter, implant head length, thread size, and elastic modulus of cancellous bone), while other factors did not (thread shape, thread pitch, and cortical bone thickness). CONCLUSIONS: Miniscrew implant diameter, head length, and thread size as well as the elastic modulus of cancellous bone affect the stresses in cortical bone layer surrounding the miniscrew implant and may therefore affect its stability.

A comparison between a new 2-dimensional digital on-screen tooth measurement method with direct measurements.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy and reproducibility of tooth measurements using newly developed software that gives 2-dimensional scanned images of dental setups with direct measurements using digital calipers. METHODS: This experimental study was performed at the Dental Laboratories of the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan from September 2010 to December 2010. Ten sets of acrylic teeth (10 upper and 10 lower arches) were used. The mesiodistal width of each individual tooth was measured using a digital caliper (method I), which was considered the gold standard. The teeth were set to create 20 dental setups. The mesiodistal widths of teeth on the created setups were then measured by using a digital caliper (method II). The dental setups were then scanned using a flatbed computer scanner and tooth width measurements were performed using a special computer program (method III). Tooth measurements were divided into 6 groups, and the 3 methods were compared. RESULTS: There was a statistical significant difference between the 3 measurement methods in most of the measured tooth groups. Methods I and II exhibited significant differences for most of tooth groups (ranged from 0.02 to 0.22 mm) while no significant difference was found between methods I and III (ranged from 0.03 to 0.11 mm). CONCLUSION: Tooth width measurement with on-screen 2-dimensional scanned images of dental casts is comparable to measurements obtained using direct digital caliper.

Health status of the clinical dental students in the jordanian universities.

BACKGROUND: Dental students are subjected to many stresses that may affect their achievement. The purpose of this study is to assess the mental and physical health of dental students in two Jordanian Universities. METHODS: A total of 265 dental students and 228 non-dental students from two Jordanian Universities participated in the study. They completed the survey questionnaire and their responses were used in calculating the 0-100 scores for the eight health concepts by linear transformations of scores. The ANOVA test was used to determine the significant differences among the student groups, and Tukey test was used for multiple comparisons among groups. All tests were carried out at 95% confidence level. RESULTS: The results indicated that the dental students of the Jordan University of Science and Technology were of better health than their counterparts at the University of Jordan. The health scores attained by the dental students of the two universities were less than those of non-dental students of the same age. CONCLUSIONS: The physical and more significantly the mental health components of dental students should receive more attention, and further work is needed to detect the possible causes and find potent remedies for this problem. KEYWORDS: Health survey; Clinical students; Physical functioning; Mental health; Social functioning.

Burnout among the clinical dental students in the jordanian universities.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to evaluate the level of burnout among the clinical dental students in two Jordanian universities. METHODS: A total of 307 students from the two schools were surveyed using Maslach Burnout Inventory survey. Scores for the inventory's subscales were calculated and the mean values for the students' groups were computed separately. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were carried out and the results were compared at 95% confidence level. RESULTS: The results showed that the dental students in both Jordanian universities suffered high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization compared to reported levels for dental students in other countries. The dental students of the University of Jordan demonstrated a significantly higher (p < 0.05) level of emotional exhaustion than their counterparts in the Jordan University of Science and Technology. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated that dental students in the Jordanian universities presented considerable degrees of burnout manifested by high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Studies targeting students health and psychology should be carried out to determine the causes of burnout among dental students. The curricula of the dental schools in the two universities should be accordingly improved to minimize burnout among the students. KEYWORDS: Burnout; Emotional exhaustion; Depersonalization; Personal accomplishment; Maslach Burnout Inventory.

Application of Pont's Index to a Jordanian population.

The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of Pont's Index to a Jordanian population and to compare the results with those obtained from studies of different ethnic subjects. Dental casts of 144 Jordanians (71 males and 73 females; mean age, 15.5 years) with 'normal' occlusions were selected from the records of a random stratified sample of 383 Jordanian schoolchildren in the 10th grade. The mesiodistal widths of the maxillary permanent incisors, as well as intercanine, interpremolar, and intermolar arch widths, were measured directly on the selected dental casts using a digital calliper. An independent sample t-test was used to determine significant differences in tooth and/or arch width values for males and females. Correlation coefficients determined between the measured arch width values and those calculated according to Pont's Index were low in all cases, with r values ranging from 0.25 to 0.39. It was concluded that Pont's Index should not be used to pre-determine ideal arch width values in Jordanian individuals.