Changes in COVID-19 Perception and in TMD Prevalence after 1 Year of Pandemic in Italy.

OBJECTIVES: The study aims to report the perception of dental practices and assess the individual's psychological stress level and related temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptoms by evaluating the changes that occurred during the year following the first lockdown (May 2020). MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online questionnaire was submitted to the Italian population between 20 March and 20 April 2021. It was sent via online platforms and included 14 questions. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data were analyzed using a chi-squared test and a comparison of the current data with the May 2020 survey data was performed using independent samples t-tests. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of subjects (872) considered the dental practice to be a place with a high risk of infection. Temporomandibular pain and joint sounds were reported by 35.7% (724) of the population; of these more frequently were women (71.8%, 520/724, p < 0.001). About 31% of the participants had moderate/severe psychological distress and, among them, it was found that 46.4% (294/634) reported TMD pain (p < 0.001) and 34.9% (221/634) complained of temporomandibular joint sounds (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Most participants did not consider dental practices as a place with a higher risk of coronavirus disease 2019 transmission and, in contrast to the data from a previous study, people were less afraid to go to dental practices. After the first year of the pandemic, the level of stress and depression increased and the prevalence of TMD pain and joint sounds increased, in association with gender, age, and level of distress.

Estimating the 18-Year Threshold with Third Molars Radiographs in the Southern Italy Population: Accuracy and Reproducibility of Demirjian Method.

The estimation of the age of the majority of living subjects is widely required nowadays due to the presence of unidentifiable individuals, without documents and general information, involved in migration or legal procedures. Dental age estimation (DAE) is a valid method for investigating the age of subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the Demirjian method in a limited age group (16-24 years) in differentiating between older and younger than 18 years. From an initial sample of 17,594 radiographs, 460 were selected meeting the inclusion criteria. Two dentists provided the age estimate according to the Demirjian method, with a simplified approach based on the development of the third molars. The presence of a developmental stage of H for at least one third molar allowed to establish the major age if the other third molars, inferior or superior, have reached a stage equal or superior to F, with an accuracy of 90.2% and a predictive positive value of 91.6%. Thirty-three patients showed the development of at least one third molar (Stage H) before the age of 18 years while six patients showed the development of all four third molars with root completion (stage H) before the age of 18 years. When all third molars reached stage H an individual was over 18 years old in 97.4% of cases. In presence of one third molar on stage H and a stage equal or superior to F for the other third molars the probability of being of major age was 91.6%.

Education during the COVID-19 pandemic: the perception of Italian dental and medical students.

BACKGROUND: During COVID-19 pandemic many dental and medical students continued their education from home. From several studies it emerges that students prefer face-to-face teaching, due to the better interaction with teachers, the least number of distractions and due to the negative effect of social isolation on the psychological aspect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of Italian dentistry and medicine students about teaching and training in this scenario. METHODS: Two online questionnaires were sent to medical and dental students of all Italian universities to investigate the limits and advantages of distance learning and the experience regarding the internship. A chi-square test was used to assess the association between gender, year of the course and region of residence (P<0.05). RESULTS: One thousand one hundred thirty-eight students answered the first survey, and 292 the second one. Most students preferred face-to-face teaching due to the difficult to maintain attention during online lessons. Many students reported that the online internship was not adequate for their education. CONCLUSIONS: Distance learning disadvantages are the greater number of sources of distraction, low level of interaction, and absence of the relationship with the patient during the practical training. Furthermore, isolation has strongly affected psychosocial balance of the students. The advantages are the greater comfort, the reduction of transport costs, the decrease in pollution, and the possibility of reviewing the lessons. Most Italian students considered appropriate to provide distance learning during the pandemic but believed that the best teaching method was teaching in presence.

Post-Operative Endodontic Pain Management: An Overview of Systematic Reviews on Post-Operatively Administered Oral Medications and Integrated Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations.

Endodontic treatment comprises the overall management of pre-, intra- and post-operative symptoms, including post-operative endodontic pain, considered as a complication susceptible of chronicization. Post-operative pain is very common and highly unpreventable and has a multi-factorial etiology and a potential pathogenic link to the acute inflammation of the periapical area, secondary to localized chemical, mechanical, host and/or microbial damage occurring during endodontic treatment. Considering the multitude of heterogeneous technical and pharmacological approaches proposed to control post-operative endodontic pain, the present study primarily comprised an overview of systematic reviews of systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials, summarizing findings on post-operatively administered oral medications for post-operative endodontic pain control, in order to note the most effective type and dosage of such drugs. Secondarily, a narrative review of the current evidence on technical solutions to be observed during endodontic treatment procedures, to control post-operative pain, was conducted to provide integrated evidence-based clinical recommendations for optimal post-operative endodontic pain management.

Effect of hepatitis C antiviral therapy on oral lichen planus and hyposalivation in inmates.

BACKGROUND: Oral lichen planus (OLP) and hyposalivation have been reported as extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Our study evaluated the effect of direct antiviral agents (DAAs) on OLP and hyposalivation in convicts with chronic hepatitis C, examining patients before, during and after the antiviral treatment period with direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs). METHODS: We screened 198 inmates for the presence of the HCV antibody. Patients found to be positive underwent a quantitative HCV-RNA test and HCV genotype typing, as well as an oral cavity examination using a scoring system for OLP (REU score) and the clinical oral dryness score (CODS). Subsequently, all patients underwent DAA therapy and a systematic physical examination of the oral cavity at 1, 3 and 6 months from the beginning of treatment. RESULTS: Fifty patients (25.25%) had a positive HCV-RNA test. At baseline, OLP was detected in 4 patients (8%), with a mean REU score of 10.13±4, and different degrees of hyposalivation were seen in 17 patients (34%), with a mean CODS score of 4.71±1.72. Six months after the start of DAA therapy, we observed resolution of OLP in 3 patients (75%) and improvement in the remaining subject with a significantly lower mean REU score (2±4). Hyposalivation disappeared in 5 patients, improved in 10, and remained unchanged in 2 patients with a significantly lower mean CODS score (0.06±0.24). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of DAAs in the treatment of OLP and hyposalivation.

Prevalence of dental anomalies in a sample of growing subjects: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: dental anomalies are a group of disorders characterized by alterations in tooth number, shape, size, structure, development, and timing of eruption due to genetic and environmental factors. OBJECTIVES: to identify the prevalence of dental anomalies in a large sample of non-orthodontic subjects. DESIGN: a retrospective chart review was conducted based on digital panoramic radiographs by two examiners who assessed the presence of displacement of the maxillary canines (DMC), impacted teeth (IT), tooth agenesis (TA), supernumerary/supplementary teeth (ST), and tooth transpositions (TT). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: radiographs of subjects aged between 8 and 18 years were analysed. A chi2 test was employed to assess possible associations between the number and type of dental anomalies and patients' gender. When an association was present, a binary logistic regression was conducted to calculate the odds ratio between the variables. The significance level was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: a total of 1,124 subjects (25.7%) showed at least one dental anomaly. DMC (12.1%) and IT (12%) were the most frequent dental anomalies. The most represented impacted teeth were the upper canine (9.2%) and the upper central incisor (1.3%). TA was detected in 296 radiographs (6.8%), with 134 showing two or more TA. The prevalence of ST and TT in the total sample was 2.2% and 0.7%, respectively. Associations were found between ST and IT, between TA and DMC, and between TA and IT. CONCLUSIONS: the results obtained encourage the radiographic investigation of dental anomalies at an early stage.

Confocal laser scanning microscopy evaluation of roots subjected to activation protocol in endodontic microsurgery.

This study evaluated the penetration of the irrigant subject to activation after performing retro-preparation in endodontic microsurgery. Forty mandibular premolars were prepared and filled. Subsequently, 1 mm from the root apex was cut using a multi-blade bur and the retro-preparation was performed. In group 1, the retro-cavity was cleaned with 2 mL of saline and then with 2 mL of 5.25% NaOCl gel mixed with 0.1% Rhodamine B. In group 2, the retro-cavity was cleaned with 2 mL of saline, 17% EDTA gel was activated ultrasonically for 30 s and 5.25% NaOCl gel was mixed with 0.1% Rhodamine B and activated for 30 s. After 7 days, the roots were cut at 1mm from the apex and the slices were evaluated with confocal laser scanning microscopy. The samples of group 2 showed statistically better results. The activation protocol proposed resulted in enhanced irrigant penetration when compared to the traditional.

COVID-19: The Patients' Perceived Impact on Dental Care.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's mental and physical balance, oral hygiene habits, type of diet, perceived safety of returning to the dentist, and aesthetics with the use of masks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online questionnaire was submitted to the Italian population between December 2020 and January 2021. It was sent via online platforms and included 21 questions. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Differences in rates were calculated by using the Chi-square test. The level of significance was set at p <0.05. RESULTS: A total of 1,008 individuals completed the questionnaire. About 72% of participants were not concerned about returning to the dentist. Approximately 45% of the individuals intensified their oral hygiene and preventive rules. About 38% of participants increased their carbohydrate intake, while 28% increased their fat consumption. Furthermore, 75% of the participants felt that the mask did not diminish the beauty of their smile. CONCLUSIONS: Most participants felt comfortable returning to the dentist but only for more urgent treatment. However, most people reported that they had not stepped up their home oral hygiene measures. The biggest changes in the population's eating habits involved increased carbohydrate and fat consumption. Finally, most participants responded that mask use did not compromise their aesthetics.