Smartphone App as an aid in the emergency management of avulsed teeth.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The initial response by bystanders to an avulsed tooth is a significant factor that can affect its survival and long-term outcome. This study was to assess the knowledge of emergency management of tooth avulsion in a group of schoolteachers and to compare the effects of three different educational interventions. METHODS: Baseline knowledge was assessed using a questionnaire developed for this study. The same questionnaire was used to test changes in the knowledge level following each educational intervention. A convenience sample of elementary and intermediate school teachers (n = 87) participated in this study. Teachers were divided into three groups: Group 1 (Lecture only) was given a 30-min lecture on the emergency management of tooth avulsion. Their knowledge was assessed immediately after the lecture. Group 2 (Lecture and App), the same lecture was given, but participants also had access to a smartphone App, Dental Trauma App (Dental Trauma AB, Linköping, Sweden), when assessed on their knowledge after the lecture. Group 3 (App), this group was only given the smartphone App to explore and had access to that when being assessed. RESULTS: All three interventions increased the knowledge of tooth avulsion management. A marked increase in the knowledge, regardless of the type of intervention, was observed in the following areas: handling the tooth on the ground (16-96.8%); holding the tooth while being cleansed (19.1-62.5%); and on the best storage medium (10.1-59.3%). Participants using the App only had a significantly higher mean score than participants receiving the lecture only (group 3; P = 0.019) and participants subjected to both Lecture and App (group 1; P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The Dental Trauma App alone is an effective means of providing accessible knowledge to guide laypeople in managing tooth avulsion, and it can be superior to a lecture-based delivery of information.

Demineralized Xenogenic Dentin and Autogenous Bone as Onlay Grafts to Rabbit Tibia.

PURPOSE: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the healing pattern of xenogenic demineralized dentin onlay grafts in comparison with autogenous bone grafts to the rabbit tibia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eight 6-month-old New Zealand male rabbits were used in the experiments. Standardized sized dentin blocks from human premolars and similar autogenous bone blocks harvested from tibia were grafted as onlay blocks on each tibia (n = 8 × 2). All animals were killed after a healing period of 12 weeks. RESULTS: Healing was uneventful for all animals. In general, both the dentin and bone block grafts were fused to the bone, resorbed, and replaced by bone and connective tissue to a varying degree. Both types of grafts were still present after 12 weeks, on an average to approximately one third of the original sizes. Resorption cavities could be seen in the dentin with bone formation. Zones of osseous replacement resorption of the dentin could be noted. In both graft types, higher rate of bone formation was seen at the interface between graft and recipient site. CONCLUSION: Demineralized xenogenic dentin onlay grafts showed similar resorption characteristics as autogenous bone onlay grafts, being resorbed in a similar rate during 12 weeks. New bone formation occurred mainly in terms of replacement resorption in the interface between dentin/bone graft and native bone.

Blood concentration of prilocaine and lidocaine after the use of topical anesthesia (Oraqix® ) in lacerated wounds.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Soft tissue injuries have been reported as being sutured using only topical anesthesia applied in the laceration wound. The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetic profile of components of Oraqix® (2.5% prilocaine and 2.5% lidocaine) when applied in a laceration as compared to intact skin application in the mouse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 200 BALB/c male mice were used in this study. The mice were divided into three groups: group A: shaved and laceration group (80 mice); B: shaved and intact skin group (80 mice); and C: control group (shaved, no treatment; 40 mice) which underwent the same procedures but without application of Oraqix® . Blood samples were collected over 90 min. Plasma sample analysis employing liquid chromatography coupled with the tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was used to determine plasma concentrations of lidocaine and prilocaine. Pharmacokinetic analysis of mouse plasma concentrations was carried out by standard non-compartmental methods. RESULTS: Absorption of both lidocaine and prilocaine was rapid. Cmax and AUC values of lidocaine were significantly increased by fourfold and twofold, respectively, in lacerated mouse skin compared to intact skin. Similarly, prilocaine's Cmax and AUC values were also increased by 2.5-fold and fourfold, respectively, in lacerated skin compared to intact skin. CONCLUSION: When Oraqix® was applied directly into the skin laceration, the plasma concentration of lidocaine and prilocaine was significantly increased as compared to when applied on intact skin. The present study, albeit in mice, indicates that the plasma levels of lidocaine and prilocaine can reach very high levels when the thermosetting gel Oraqix® is placed directly in wounds.