Accuracy of machine learning in the diagnosis of odontogenic cysts and tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The recent impact of artificial intelligence in diagnostic services has been enormous. Machine learning tools offer an innovative alternative to diagnose cysts and tumors radiographically that pose certain challenges due to the near similar presentation, anatomical variations, and superimposition. It is crucial that the performance of these models is evaluated for their clinical applicability in diagnosing cysts and tumors. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was carried out on eminent databases for published studies between January 2015 and December 2022. Studies utilizing machine learning models in the diagnosis of odontogenic cysts or tumors using Orthopantomograms (OPG) or Cone Beam Computed Tomographic images (CBCT) were included. QUADAS-2 tool was used for the assessment of the risk of bias and applicability concerns. Meta-analysis was performed for studies reporting sufficient performance metrics, separately for OPG and CBCT. RESULTS: 16 studies were included for qualitative synthesis including a total of 10,872 odontogenic cysts and tumors. The sensitivity and specificity of machine learning in diagnosing cysts and tumors through OPG were 0.83 (95% CI 0.81-0.85) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.81-0.83) respectively. Studies utilizing CBCT noted a sensitivity of 0.88 (95% CI 0.87-0.88) and specificity of 0.88 (95% CI 0.87-0.89). Highest classification accuracy was 100%, noted for Support Vector Machine classifier. CONCLUSION: The results from the present review favoured machine learning models to be used as a clinical adjunct in the radiographic diagnosis of odontogenic cysts and tumors, provided they undergo robust training with a huge dataset. However, the arduous process, investment, and certain ethical concerns associated with the total dependence on technology must be taken into account. Standardized reporting of outcomes for diagnostic studies utilizing machine learning methods is recommended to ensure homogeneity in assessment criteria, facilitate comparison between different studies, and promote transparency in research findings.

Management of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction (VPD) Following Cleft Palate Repair: A Comprehensive Decision-Making Process Based on Severity and Structural Deficiencies.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a comprehensive decision-making process for surgical correction of structural Velopharyngeal Dysfunction (VPD) following cleft palate repair and evaluate its efficacy. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: 300 consecutive patients with unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate (CLP) or isolated cleft palate (CP) diagnosed with clinical VPD following cleft palate repair between 2009 and 2014. Of these 206 patients had structural VPD and underwent surgical correction. INTERVENTIONS: Surgical corrections were carried out according to the comprehensive two stage decision making process developed by the investigators. Step 1 of decision-making involved visualisation of the VP sphincter function by nasoendoscopy. This was followed by step 2 which involved per-operative identification of scarring, tissue loss, hypoplasia and other structural deficiencies in the soft palate and septal mucoperiosteum. The choice of operation was then made from a repertoire of interrelated and escalating surgical procedures consisting of palate revision and pharyngoplasties ranging from most anatomical to the least. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Evidence of postoperative restoration of VP function on nasoendoscopy, evaluation of speech for hypernasality, understandability, acceptability and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. RESULTS: Complete VP closure was demonstrated in 94% of patients treated using this algorithm. There was significant improvement in all speech parameters (p < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: Our comprehensive decision-making process is designed to effectively correct structural VPD according to the severity of structural and functional deficiencies in the soft palate and avoid over treatment.

Standard of Care for Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate in India-A Questionnaire-Based Study.

A national survey of cleft teams was undertaken to evaluate the current standard of care for patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) in India as a part of Cleft Care India study.This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study.Cleft teams across India attending the 19th Annual Conference of the Indian Society of Cleft Lip and Palate were invited to complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 18 questions that included demographics, institutional details, patient protocols, surgical technique, rehabilitation facilities, and accessibility. The data are descriptively reported.A total of 112 centers completed the survey. Nongovernment organizations funded 87% of the cleft centers and 8% did not receive any funding. Only 39% of the centers had centralized cleft services providing multidisciplinary care. Speech therapy was provided either onsite or through referral at 90% of the centers, whereas audiology was provided only at 4% of centers. Feeding advice was routinely provided in 52% of centers. Millard technique was the most preferred technique for unilateral cleft lip repair (66%). The 2-flap technique (37%) and pharyngeal flap (48%) were the most common surgeries for cleft palate and pharyngoplasty, respectively. Although 54% of centers reported their patients to be interested in comprehensive care, 43% reported that their patients only wanted surgical correction.There is wide diversity in access to cleft care and clinical practices across centers in India. Further work is needed to evaluate the quality of care by assessing outcomes of centers treating patients with CLP.

Tetracycline impregnated bone grafts in the management of peri-implantitis and guided bone regeneration around dental implants: A systematic review.

Background: Rehabilitation of dental arches with the help of dental implants has been revolutionary and a significant part of research is devoted to increasing its success rate. One of the most common causes of failure of dental implants is peri-implantitis caused due to microbial invasion. Newer strategies are being adapted for the treatment of peri-implantits and recent surgical management with the help of antibiotic-impregnated bone grafts shows a promising future. Aim and objectives: This study aimed to test the efficacy of bone grafts incorporating tetracycline and its derivatives in the treatment of peri-implantits and guided bone regeneration with the estimation of clinical and radiographic parameters. Methods: A thorough search was made on eminent databases such as PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library database for published literature on tetracycline impregnated bone grafts used either in the management of peri-implantitis or for guided bone regeneration around dental implants.The measures of outcome were clinical attachment loss or probing depth around dental implants and radiographic bone height. Results: Nine potentially eligible full-text published articles including case reports, case series, observational studies, and randomized controlled trials were selected for review. Most of the studies reviewed; reported a reduction in probing depth and an increase in bone height and density after placement of tetracycline bone grafts around the dental implant. Conclusion: The incorporation of tetracycline into the bone grafts shows promising results as an agent of local delivery around dental implants in the management of peri-implantitis and for guided bone regeneration. Future trials are required to produce a body of evidence and to facilitate the translation of this procedure into clinical practice.

Innovative App (ExoDont) and Other Conventional Methods to Improve Patient Compliance After Minor Oral Surgical Procedures: Pilot, Nonrandomized, and Prospective Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative care is influenced by various factors such as compliance, comprehension, retention of instructions, and other unaccounted elements. It is imperative that patients adhere to the instructions and prescribed regimen for smooth and placid healing. ExoDont, an Android-based mobile health app, was designed to ensure a smooth postoperative period for patients after a dental extraction. Besides providing postoperative instructions at defined intervals, the app also sends drug reminders as an added advantage over other available, conventional methods. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the compliance rate of individuals with respect to the prescribed regimen and postoperative instructions. Additionally, we aimed to assess any changes in the postoperative complication rate of patients assigned to 3 categories: the verbal, verbal plus written, and ExoDont app-based delivery groups. METHODS: We conducted a pilot, nonrandomized, and prospective comparative study in which patients after tooth extraction were assigned to 3 groups-verbal (Group A), verbal plus written (Group B), and ExoDont app-based delivery (Group C)-based on the eligibility criteria, and a 1-week follow-up was planned to obtain the responses regarding compliance and postoperative complications from the participants. RESULTS: In total, 90 patients were recruited and equally divided into 3 groups. Compliance to prescribed drug was found to be the highest in Group C, where of the 30 participants, 25 (83%) and 28 (93%) followed the entire course of antibiotics and analgesics, respectively. For postoperative instructions, higher compliance was observed in Group C in relation to compliance to diet restrictions (P=.001), not rinsing for 24 hours (P<.001), and warm saline rinses after 24 hours (P=.001). However, the difference was not significant for smoking restrictions (P=.07) and avoiding alcohol (P=.16). Moreover, the difference in postoperative complication rate was not statistically significant among the 3 groups (P=.31). CONCLUSIONS: As evident from the results, it is anticipated that the ExoDont app will be helpful in circumventing the unaccounted possibilities of missing the prescribed dosage and postoperative instructions and ensuring the smooth recovery of patients after dental extraction. However, future studies are required to establish this app-based method of delivery of postoperative instructions as a viable option in routine clinical practice.

Intraoral Bone Regeneration Using Stem Cells-What a Clinician Needs to Know: Based on a 15-Year MEDLINE Search.

The choice of an appropriate autogenous source of stem cells has not been adequately addressed especially for intraoral bone regeneration. The current review aims to assess the clinical success of various human stem cells in oral bone regeneration. Articles studying the potential of various stem cells utilized for reconstruction of intraoral bone defects in humans were included in this review. Relevant articles were electronically searched in MEDLINE-PubMed database using keywords with different combinations. Only the articles published in English between 2006 and 2020 were included in this review. It was concluded that intra and extraoral stem cells can be successfully used for bone regeneration of various jaw defects. Depending on the origin, quantity, and quality, each cell type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Also, it brings to the fore the need for more clinical studies to validate and adopt the use of stem cells in regular clinical practice.

An Innovative App (ExoDont) for Postoperative Care of Patients After Tooth Extraction: Prototype Development and Testing Study.

BACKGROUND: The postoperative period is crucial for the initiation of healing and prevention of complications after any surgical procedure. Due to factors such as poor compliance, comprehension, and retention of instructions, and other unaccounted factors, the objectives of postoperative care are not always achieved. Therefore, an Android-based mobile health app (ExoDont) was developed to ensure a smooth postoperative period for patients after a dental extraction. The ExoDont app delivers reminders for postoperative instructions and drug intake at defined intervals, thus fostering self-reliance among patients in taking their prescribed dose of medication. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to design, develop, and validate ExoDont, an innovative app for improved adherence to postoperative instructions after tooth extraction. METHODS: A postoperative treatment protocol was developed by a team of oral and maxillofacial surgeons and general dentists, following which the clinical and technological requirements of the app were determined along with the software engineers, graphic designers, and applications architect in the team. ExoDont was developed to provide timely reminders for medication and postoperative care. The app was field tested and validated using the User Version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale. RESULTS: The ExoDont software design was divided into a 3-level architecture comprising a user interface application, logical layer, and database layer. The software architecture consists of an Android-based ExoDont app for patients and a web version of the admin panel. The testing and validation of the ExoDont app revealed that Perceived Impact received the highest mean score of all rated components (mean 4.6, SD 0.5), while Engagement received the lowest mean score (mean 3.5, SD 0.8). CONCLUSIONS: The testing and validation of the app support its usability and functionality, as well as its impact on users. The ExoDont app has been designed, keeping the welfare of patients in view, in a user-friendly manner that will help patients adhere to the prescribed drug regimen and ensure easy and efficient dissemination of postoperative instructions. It could play an instrumental role in fostering compliance among patients and significantly decrease the complication rate following dental extractions.

Platelet-Rich Fibrin for Hard- and Soft-Tissue Healing in Mandibular Third Molar Extraction Socket.

BACKGROUND: Successful management of patients reporting with extreme sensitivity in second molar after surgical extraction of deeply impacted mandibular third molar poses a big challenge to oral surgeons and periodontists worldwide. A variety of grafts, barrier membranes, and guided tissue regeneration techniques have been used postsurgically for soft- and hard-tissue formation. In the current study, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), a second-generation platelet aggregate, was assessed for its effectiveness in promoting hard- and soft-tissue healing. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of PRF in hard- and soft-tissue healing after extraction of mandibular third molar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bilateral surgical disimpaction of mandibular third molar was done on 25 patients. In every patient, randomly allocated test side received PRF and the other side acted as control. Pain, edema, tenderness, sensitivity, Sulcus Bleeding Index (SBI), Plaque Index, clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth, and bone height were measured at different intervals for a maximum period of 6 months. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant improvement in patients' signs and symptoms of pain, tenderness, edema, and sensitivity with the use of PRF. A statistically significant improvement was seen in SBI, Plaque Index, and probing depths, while CALs and bone height were not influenced by PRF use. CONCLUSION: PRF is a very viable and useful biomaterial for soft-tissue healing and relieving patient symptoms, however, it does not help in hard-tissue healing with respect to cortical bone.

Oral stem cells in intraoral bone formation.

BACKGROUND: Craniofacial bone loss is a common phenomenon ranging from small periodontal defects to large defects following trauma, surgery or congenital malformations. It is imperative to address these defects with utmost care and precision to avoid functional and aesthetic problems. The human oral cavity is a rich source of adult mesenchymal stem cells. Researchers have documented their isolation and studied them extensively for their invitro capacity of hard and soft tissue regeneration. One of the widely studied properties is their osteogenic potential. Bone formation using oral stem cells has shown successful results in numerous animal trials. Some studies have progressed to evaluate their future potential in humans. HIGHLIGHT: This review aimed at discussing the use of human oral stem cells, specifically for bone regeneration in human maxillofacial region. CONCLUSION: Oral stem cells have excellent potential for bone formation and can be successfully used to replace traditionally used bone marrow stem cells. Some sources like stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED), dental follicle stem cells (DFSC), Stem Cells from Apical Papilla (SCAP), and others need assessment beyond animal models and require human studies for clinical use. More clinical trials of randomized nature are suggested to standardize the clinical procedure and strengthen the claim of oral stem cells as potential replacement of bone marrow counterparts.

Advances in three-dimensional bioprinting of bone: Progress and challenges.

Several attempts have been made to engineer a viable three-dimensional (3D) bone tissue equivalent using conventional tissue engineering strategies, but with limited clinical success. Using 3D bioprinting technology, scientists have developed functional prototypes of clinically relevant and mechanically robust bone with a functional bone marrow. Although the field is in its infancy, it has shown immense potential in the field of bone tissue engineering by re-establishing the 3D dynamic micro-environment of the native bone. Inspite of their in vitro success, maintaining the viability and differentiation potential of such cell-laden constructs overtime, and their subsequent preclinical testing in terms of stability, mechanical loading, immune responses, and osseointegrative potential still needs to be explored. Progress is slow due to several challenges such as but not limited to the choice of ink used for cell encapsulation, optimal cell source, bioprinting method suitable for replicating the heterogeneous tissues and organs, and so on. Here, we summarize the recent advancements in bioprinting of bone, their limitations, challenges, and strategies for future improvisations. The generated knowledge will provide deep insights on our current understanding of the cellular interactions with the hydrogel matrices and help to unravel new methodologies for facilitating precisely regulated stem cell behaviour.

Airway management using transmylohyoid oroendotracheal (submental) intubation in maxillofacial trauma.

Successful management of airway in complex maxillofacial injuries is quite challenging. The complications and the post-operative care associated with tracheotomy makes it an unpopular choice for airway management meant solely for surgery in these patients. A retrospective analysis of 12 patients from June 2008 to December 2011, seeking treatment for pan facial fractures who underwent transmylohyoid oroendotracheal (submental) intubation is discussed here. The stepwise procedure is explained along with problems of intubation in pan facial fractures. The advantages, disadvantages and complications of transmylohyoid intubation are discussed and compared with alternative methods of air way management in such cases. This reliable, safe and easy method of airway management gives sterile surgical field without a change of tube.

Cleft palate lateral synechia syndrome.

Cleft lip and palate are the most common congenital craniofacial anomaly in humans. The presence of oral synechia along with cleft palate is a rare syndrome. We encountered one case that had a cleft palate accompanied by congenital oral synechia due to a membranous adhesion between the floor of the mouth and the free margin of the cleft palate.

Assessment of masticatory function using bite force measurements in patients treated for mandibular fractures.

Bite force measurements are excellent criteria for assessment of masticatory efficiency. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of mandibular fractures on the bite forces of patients treated for such fractures. Patients who were surgically treated for isolated mandibular fractures in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from January 2006 to December 2007 were included in the study. Patients were asked to bite on a bite force transducer on the first, fourth, sixth, and ninth postoperative weeks. The bite force values were compared with those of age, sex, and weight-matched controls. A total of 60 patients were included in the study. It was found that maximum bite forces in patients were significantly less than in controls for several weeks after surgery. After the ninth postoperative week, the maximum bite force measured < 65% the normal in patients with isolated angle fractures and > 80% the normal in patients with isolated parasymphysis fractures. The same values reduced to < 60% in patients with fractures of angle and parasymphysis and < 70% in patients with fractures of parasymphysis and condylar complex. An inverse relationship was found between the bite force values and the number of fractures of the mandible. We also found lower bite forces and longer period for normalization in patients who had fractures in those regions of the mandible which are more significantly associated with the masticatory apparatus for example angle or condyle of the mandible.