Tecnologias de informação e comunicação na educação da Odontologia: estudo transversal de uma população do sul do Brasil / Information and Communication Technologies in dental education: cross-sectional study of a population of southern Brazil

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar as competências em relação às Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TICs) de estudantes de Odontologia. Um estudo transversal foi realizado com os estudantes de Odontologia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados através de um questionário previamente validado pelo Centro de Ciências de Saúde Oral da Universidade de Malmö e submetido ao processo de adaptação transcultural para o português. Os resultados foram transformados em escores conforme literatura prévia e categorizados para as comparações. Análise descritiva, qui-quadrado e teste exato de Fischer foram utilizados. O escore de competência em relação às TICs foi considerado muito bom e apresentou relação com o nível de escolaridade materno. Já o escore de importância das TICs foi mediano e relacionado à idade. Concluiu-se que os estudantes de Odontologia apresentaram bom domínio das ferramentas de TICs e nível moderado em relação à importância atribuída ao uso odontológico dessas tecnologias (AU).

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the competence of the students to use technologies in dental educational. A cross-sectional study was done with dental students of a university of the south of Brazil. It was used a questionnaire previously validated by the Center Oral Health Sciences of University of Malmö (Sweden) and adapted to Portuguese. The collected data were transformed into scores based on Mattheos et al. (2005). For analysis purposes, scores and sociodemographic variables were categorized. The descriptive analyses was realized, Chi Square and Exact Fischer`s tests were used to test the association between the sociodemographic data and the scores regarding the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The mean competence score was considered very good and associated with education level of the mothers. The mean importance score was regular and associated with age. It was concluded that the students of a university of south of Brazil had a very good level regarding the competence of the use of ICT even though moderate level in relation to the importance was given to dental use of these technologies (AU).

Effect of timing and method of post space preparation on sealing ability of remaining root filling material: in vitro microbiological study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of timing (immediate versus delayed) and technique of post space preparation on the ability of the residual root canal obturation to prevent coronal bacterial leakage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-six single-rooted teeth were decoronated at the cementoenamel junction. The canals were prepared according to a step-back technique and were filled with thermoplasticized gutta-percha and AH Plus endodontic sealer (Dentsply De Trey). The root segments were randomly assigned to 8 groups. The positive controls (n = 3) were instrumented but not obturated. The negative controls (n = 3) were instrumented, obturated and sealed with Cavit (3M ESPE). In the other 6 groups (n = 10 each), the post space was prepared either immediately after obturation or 7 days later using LA Axxess burs (SybronEndo) (groups 1 and 2), heated pluggers (groups 3 and 4) or solvent delivered with a hand file (groups 5 and 6). The external surface of all roots was rendered waterproof with nail varnish. Custom-made dual-chamber devices were used to evaluate leakage. The coronal third of the prepared root canal was kept in contact with artificial saliva contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis, and the root apex was submerged in tryptic soy agar medium. The root assemblies were stored at 37 degrees C and were monitored daily over a 90-day period. The occurrence of turbidity in the medium was deemed to indicate bacterial leakage, from which failure of the seal was inferred. RESULTS: Throughout the experimental period, there was no significant difference (p = 0.094) among the preparation techniques, either immediate or delayed, in terms of bacterial leakage. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate and delayed post space preparation yielded similar outcomes in terms of the canal seal. Regardless of the timing and the technique of post space preparation, coronal bacterial leakage occurred over time.