Effect of surface treatment on the dislocation resistance of prefabricated esthetic fiber posts bonded with self-adhesive resin cement: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review aimed to determine the presence of any in vitro proof to validate the utilization of surface treatments to advance the bond strength of fiber posts to intraradicular dentin with self-adhesive resin cements. METHODOLOGY: Laboratory studies that assessed the push-out or pull-out bond strength of the prefabricated esthetic posts whose surface was treated with either chemical or physical treatment or a combination and bonded using self-adhesive resin cement within root canal model were included for this systematic review. The review began after obtaining the registration number from the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO ID-CRD42020165009). Study reporting was performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Relevant articles were identified using a literature database search in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and EBSCO. Besides this, handsearch was also done to ensure complete capture of the articles. RESULTS: Fifteen articles were then selected and included in this study, out of which four were excluded for meta-analysis due to usage of the artificial substrate. It was shown that an additional step of surface treatment of esthetic fiber post did not result in significant improvement in dislocation resistance. Assessment of risk of bias categorized the available research into high risk and medium risk. The results showed heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: The use of additional steps such as chemical, mechanical, or a combination of post surface treatment does not have any added benefit. However, the results must be interpreted with caution due to methodological shortcomings.

Tooth shade variation in Indian population: An objective guide to age estimation.

INTRODUCTION: The color of the teeth is affected by chronological age due to the variations of the hard and soft tissue structure of the teeth. There are very few studies have assessed the shade of the Enamel and correlated it with the age changes. Hence the study aimed to assess the enamel shade with the aging in the individual. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The central incisors of 388 individuals (5-78 years) were assessed for tooth color using a VITA 3D master shade guide and the Hue, Value and Chroma were noted. Mean grey values of the teeth were obtained by image manipulation using Image J software and normalized using the values obtained from the 18% contrast grey card. Chi square tests and linear regression analysis is used to find associations with age and tooth shade variations.Results: The teeth had higher score of Hue, Value and Chroma in older individuals. The tooth shade tended to shift towards redder hue with older age group. Simple linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation of age with normalized grey value in association with the shade parameters. (r = 0.717, SEE = 12.322 years)Conclusion: Tooth color changes with age and the mean age in grey values and shade guides can be a useful tool for age estimation.

Endoscopic retrieval of an accidentally ingested bur during a dental procedure: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Accidental ingestion of a dental bur during the dental procedure is a rare, but a potentially serious complication. Early recognition and foreign body retrieval is essential to prevent adverse patient outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: A 76-year old male patient, presented to the department with a chief complaint of sensitivity in his upper right back tooth due to attrition. After assessing the pulp status, root canal therapy was planned for the tooth. During the procedure, it was noticed that the dental bur slipped out of the hand piece and the patient had accidentally ingested it. The patient was conscious and had no trouble while breathing at the time of ingestion of the bur although he had mild cough which lasted for a short duration. The dental procedure was aborted immediately and the patient was taken to the hospital for emergency care. The presence and location of the dental bur was confirmed using chest and abdominal x-rays and it was subsequently retrieved by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) procedure under general anaesthesia on the same day as a part of the emergency procedure. The analysis of this case reaffirms the importance of the use of physical barriers such as rubber dams and gauze screens as precautionary measures to prevent such incidents from occurring. CONCLUSION: Ingestion of instruments are uncertain and hazardous complications to encounter during a dental procedure. The need for physical barrier like rubber dam is mandatory for all dental procedures. However, the dentist should be well trained to handle such medical emergencies and reassure the patient by taking them into confidence. Each incident encountered should be thoroughly documented to supply adequate guidance for treatment aspects. This would fulfil the professional responsibilities of the dentist/ clinician and may help avoid possible legal and ethical issues. This case report emphasizes on the need for the usage of physical barriers during dental procedures in order to avoid medical emergencies.

Trend of intestinal infectious diseases recorded at a tertiary care hospital in India: an ICD-10 analysis.

The World Health Organization identifies the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries as infectious and communicable diseases. Health records coded uniformly using ICD-10 can form an accurate database and conclusions drawn from this are extremely important for understanding the public health situation.The aim of this study is to analyse the trend of intestinal infectious diseases recorded at a tertiary care hospital in India.A retrospective disease index study was conducted on data comprising 5317 cases from 2012 to 2016 for intestinal infectious diseases, analysed with ICD-10.Of these, 5.5% were from the age group 0-5 years; 57.66% were male; and 85% deaths in this cohort (62/73) were due to diarrhoea and gastroenteritis of presumed infectious origin.The findings of this study highlight an urgent need for health education among the population regarding infectious intestinal diseases and to redesign health promotion and preventive strategies for addressing these problems.

Oral health care education and its effect on caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The population of older people as well as the number of dependent older people is steadily increasing. Those unable to live independently at home are being cared for in a range of settings. Practical training for nurses and auxiliary care staff has frequently been recommended as a way of improving oral health care for functionally dependent elderly. AIM: To evaluate an oral health education program for the caretakers of institutionalized elderly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was a cluster randomized intervention trial with an elderly home as the unit of randomization. Seven out of 65 elderly homes accommodating a total of 78 caretakers and 462 elderly residents were selected in Bangalore city, India, out of which 3 elderly homes were assigned to the intervention group and 4 to the control group. Oral health knowledge of caretakers was assessed using a pre-tested proforma; later, oral health education was provided to the caretakers of the intervention group. Oral health education was given at the end of 6 months to the caretakers of the control group. Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and paired proportion test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was significant improvement in the oral health knowledge of the caretakers from baseline in the interventional group. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that there was a significant improvement in the oral health knowledge among the caretakers. Educating the caretakers for assisting or enabling residents for maintaining oral hygiene is essential.

The awareness and attitudes of students of one indian dental school toward information technology and its use to improve patient care.

BACKGROUND: Many obstacles need to be overcome if digital and electronic technologies are to be fully integrated in the operation of dental clinics in some countries. These obstacles may be physical, technical, or psychosocial barriers in the form of perceptions and attitudes related to software incompatibilities, patient privacy, and interference with the patient-practitioner relationship. The objectives of the study are to assess the perceptions of Indian dental students of one school toward the usefulness of digital technologies in improving dental practice; their willingness to use digital and electronic technologies; the perceived obstacles to the use of digital and electronic technologies in dental care setups; and their attitudes toward Internet privacy issues. METHODS: The study population consisted of 186 final year undergraduate dental students from the A. B. Shetty Memorial institute of Dental Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Mangalore, India. Survey data were analyzed descriptively . RESULTS: Most students indicated that information technology enhances patient satisfaction, the quality of dental record, diagnosis, treatment planning, and doctor-doctor communication. Cost of equipment and need for technical training were regarded as major obstacles by substantial proportions of respondents. DISCUSSION: Most dental students at our school feel that the information technology will support their decision making in diagnoses and devising effective treatment plans, which in turn increase patient satisfaction and quality of care. Students also perceived that lack of technical knowledge and the high cost of implementation are major barriers to developing information technology in India.