Oral Healthcare Services Delivered During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Report from Eastern Mediterranean Region

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe oral healthcare services administered during the lockdown in the Eastern Mediterranean region and to investigate the role of socio-professional characteristics of dental practitioners or their self-reported COVID-19 infection. Material and Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to dental practitioners in all healthcare sectors in Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Results: There was a total of 335 participants, with the majority being females (N=225, 67.2%) and general practitioners (N=202, 60.3%). Cellulitis was the most common emergency encountered (N=108). The most common urgent procedures were for pulpitis, abscesses, and pericoronitis (N=191, 130, and 95, respectively). Country-specific significant associations were pulpitis in Egypt and Jordan, broken symptomatic teeth in Jordan, and biopsy in Egypt (p<0.05). The Ministry of Health was significantly associated with the management of dental infections, avulsion, and orthodontic emergencies, while university hospitals were significantly associated with advanced restorative procedures (p<0.05). Male practitioners performed significantly more procedures, particularly surgical emergencies (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dental infections were the most common complaints among dental patients during lockdown. Countryand sector-specific dental procedures are detected. Male gender seems to play a determinant role in performing a higher number of procedures, particularly for surgical emergencies (AU).

Intraoral Wound Dehiscence After Open Reduction Internal Fixation of Mandibular Fractures: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: The high prevalence of intraoral wound dehiscence (IOWD) following open reduction internal fixation of mandibular fractures has not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to investigate and assess possible risk factors for IOWD related to patients and surgical technique. METHODS: All patients who did not have diabetes, were not medically compromised such as patients with nutritional deficiencies or endocrine disorders, did not smoke, did not consume alcohol, and had mandibular fractures managed through open reduction internal fixation and via intraoral vestibular incision from January 2007 to December 2019, at Al-Azhar University Hospitals, in Cairo, Egypt were included in the study. Study data were collected and grouped according to the demographic characteristics of patient age and sex and fracture-related factors of cause, side, site, displacement severity, fixation device, infection, and history of dehiscence. Follow-up of all patients was conducted daily during the first week and weekly during the first month after surgery. Data were analyzed using cross-tabulation with Pearson chi-squared test to calculate the significance of associations between various independent variables and occurrence of IOWD; P less than or equal to .05 was viewed as statistically significant. RESULTS: The study included 69 mandibular fracture patients (age range, 13-55 years [mean, 28.13 ± 11.5 years]) treated using different osteosynthesis fixation devices, including miniplates, lag screws, and heavy locking plates. No statistically significant differences were noted between groups in terms of age, sex, and surgical attributes of fracture site, displacement severity, or fixation type with regard to IOWD (P > .05). None of the included patients were medically compromised, smoked, or used alcohol. Intraoral wound dehiscence occurred in 7 patients (10.1%) and was managed conservatively through copious irrigation with warm saline and chlorhexidine mouthwash in intermittent cycles of 5 times a day for 2 weeks; when infection was present, antibiotic prescription and drainage were provided. Complete wound closure was achieved after a maximum period of 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: A small proportion of mandibular fracture patients are expected to have IOWD complication even if a meticulous and appropriate surgical technique is implemented. Intraoral wound dehiscence has a good prognosis and it may require a maximum of 2 weeks to obtain healing with secondary epithelization of the bared bony sites.

Effect of using Photobiomodulation, stabilization, and anterior repositioning splints on the pain level of subjects with temporomandibular joint disc displacement with reduction / Efeito do uso da terapia a laser de baixa potência, placas planas e placas reposicionadoras anterior, no nível de dor de indivíduos com deslocamento anterior do disco articular com redução

Objective: was to evaluate the effect of four conservative treatment modalities on the pain level of patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) anterior disc displacement with reduction (ADDwR). Material and methods:100 subjects (64 females and 36 males) were selected, divided into four groups, 25 patients of each. Subjects of Group I have been treated with behavioral therapy. Subjects of Group II had been treated with Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT). Subjects of Group III had been treated by anterior repositioning splint (ARS). Subjects of Group IV had been treated by a stabilization splint. The pain was evaluated by visual analog score (VAS) from 0 to 10. Statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA test for comparison between groups. Within each group, a comparison between baseline and after treatment was done using paired t-test (p<0.05). Results: There was a statistical difference between the pain scores of the different groups after treatment (p≤0.05). Also, there were statistical differences between all groups (p≤0.05) except that between group II and group III (p˃0.05). Conclusion: The use of stabilization splint and ARS are effective non-invasive methods for reducing the pain level in the treatment of TMJ ADDwR cases.(AU)

Objetivo: avaliar o efeito de quatro modalidades de tratamento conservador no nível de dor de pacientes com deslocamento anterior do disco articular com redução. Material e Métodos: foram selecionados 100 indivíduos(64 mulheres e 36 homens), divididos em quatro grupos, 25 pacientes cada. Os indivíduos do Grupo I foram tratados com terapia comportamental. Os indivíduos do Grupo II foram tratados com terapia de fotobiomodulação. Os indivíduos do Grupo III foram tratados com placa de reposicionamento anterior. Os indivíduos do Grupo IV foram tratados com uma placa de estabilização. A dor foi avaliada pelo escala visual analógica (EVA) de 0 a 10. A análise estatística foi feita usando o teste ANOVA de uma via para comparação entre os grupos. Dentro de cada grupo, uma comparação entre a linha de base e após o tratamento foi feita usando o teste t pareado (p <0,05). Resultados: Houve diferença estatística entre os escores de dor dos diferentes grupos após o tratamento (p ≤ 0,05). Além disso, houve diferenças estatísticas entre todos os grupos (p ≤0,05), exceto entre o grupo II e o grupo III (p˃0,05). Conclusão: O uso de placa de estabilização e reposicionadora anterior são métodos não invasivos eficazes para reduzir o nível de dor no tratamento de casos de deslocamento anterior de disco articular sem redução.(AU)