Reducing the spread of COVID-19 within the dental practice: the era of single use.

The year 2020 will be remembered around the world for the Coronavirus pandemic. The better-known Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is transmitted between individuals through the droplets produced by infected people and is an infectious disease caused by a type of Coronavirus when they exhale, cough or sneeze, or touch a contaminated surface and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. The pandemic has activated all those measures that provide for a state of emergency with consequent remodeling of health facilities in cases of urgency that cannot be deferred. In this work, a path within a public or private medical facility was highlighted, using individual protective devices for the patient, establishing behaviors that can reduce the spread of the virus. The COVID-19 path has allowed the health personnel and the staff of the study to be able to work in peace as there is the perception of the total containment of the spread of the virus. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a Coronavirus type transmitted through droplets produced by infected people when they cough, sneeze or exhale. Our proposal in dictating the sequence and types of protective devices to be worn by patients minimizes the contagion between patients in a professional healthcare office and is applicable for any type of infectious emergency.

Dental Prosthetic Rehabilitation Interventions in Elderly Patients Hospitalized in the Nursing Homes of the Lombardy Region: A Retrospective Study.

Background: The difficulty of frail, non-self-sufficient or non-ambulatory collaborating elderly residents in nursing homes to eat due to a lack of teeth or the absence of a dental prosthesis leads to an increasingly evident increase in the patients' systemic pathological state, particularly in older patients who take a lot of medications. Total or partial edentulousness that is not filled with dental prostheses or that is filled with inadequate prostheses, associated with socioeconomic factors, depression, impaired motor functions, heart disease and a large number of chronic diseases including excessive use of drugs, often affects elderlies' feeding. Aim: In this study, prosthetic rehabilitation was performed on some frail elderly residents in 10 nursing homes in the Lombardy district, and, subsequently, meal behavior and social activity were examined in two information questionnaires through compilation. Methods: The research was conducted on only 67 patients, 26 men and 41 women, aged between 75 and 99, who were guests in 10 health facilities (nursing homes) in the Lombard district; only 8 residents did not undergo prosthetic rehabilitation, as they did not cooperate. All the patients who were visited underwent oral prosthetic rehabilitation, and, subsequently, some aspects such as nutrition and socialization were assessed with other residents through the aid of two information dossiers. Results: the results showed that all the residents, despite difficulties in chewing with the new prosthesis, were fed and did not refuse more consistent foods; in addition, there was an improvement in social activity among the residents. Only 19.3% of men and 22% of women continued to eat little; there was an improvement in the participation in social activities among the residents, with a percentage of 73% of men and 88% of women; in particular, during meals 35 residents conversed with the other residents. Discussion: The dental problems of elderly people residing in social welfare homes are increasingly evident when other systemic pathologies are present. It would be desirable to introduce telemedicine in residences for the elderly for the monitoring of dental problems. Conclusions: From the information obtained and from the evaluation of the change in the elderly, it can be concluded that it would be desirable to include specific dental protocols to create a network, including a telematic one, to monitor and perform more dental checks in nursing homes.

Efficacy of Home Oral-Hygiene Protocols during Orthodontic Treatment with Multibrackets and Clear Aligners: Microbiological Analysis with Phase-Contrast Microscope.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the microbiota of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with multibrackets and transparent aligners. The second goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of the oral irrigator on the oral hygiene and periodontal health of orthodontic patients. Fifty patients (27 F, 23 M; mean age 21.5 years) were recruited for the study, then divided into two groups. Group A underwent fixed orthodontic therapy with multibracket, and a home protocol that included manual orthodontic toothbrush, interdental brushes, and one-tuft brushes. Group B used transparent aligners for 22 h a day and a home protocol that included a manual brush with soft bristles and dental floss. After 3 months, all patients of the two groups, A and B, underwent plaque evaluation with a phase-contrast microscope. If the test result showed non-pathogenic bacterial flora, the subject continued with the traditional home oral-hygiene protocol. If the test detected pathogenic flora, the subject changed the home protocol, with a sonic toothbrush and oral irrigator, while the microbiological analysis continued to be performed after 3 months. After 3 months, 10 out of 25 patients treated with multibrackets (group A) and only 3 out of 25 patients with aligners (group B) passed from non-pathogenic flora to pathogenic flora. After 6 months, using the oral irrigator and a sonic toothbrush for 3 months, all subjects returned to non-pathogenic flora. This study confirms that in patients treated with multibrackets, the risk of developing unfavorable microbiota increases compared to those treated with clear aligners. The use of an oral irrigator combined with the sonic toothbrush seems to be able to restore good oral hygiene in subjects with pathogenic flora and therefore to be effective at reducing the risk of caries and gingivitis in orthodontic patients.

COVID-19 and Prosthetic Emergencies, Home Care in Fragile Patients: A Case Report.

A case of home care is proposed on a frail non-ambulatory patient who presents an old lower total prosthesis in resin broken in several parts. The various pieces of the prosthesis were joined by the patient, as if it were a puzzle, using a glue for plastics and wood. The union of the parts attached with glue was the consequence of the lockdown in the COVID-19 period and of the economic hardship experienced by the elderly disabled patient during the pandemic period. The procedure for preserving the glued parts was carried out carefully, trying not to modify the edges of the glued pieces, to join them correctly, thereby restoring the correct occlusion to subsequently perform the relining. The old lower total prosthesis obtained after the repair and relining operations allowed for the restoration of the patient's chewing and smile. The procedure presented is easily repeatable, risk-free and achievable even in a short time, satisfying elderly non-self-sufficient patients who need interventions for prosthetic emergencies during a period of confinement.

Concentrated Growth Factors (CGF) Combined with Melatonin in Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR): A Case Report.

During implant restorative dentistry, common and crippling postoperative complications are pain and swelling of perioral soft tissues which engraving on patient quality of life. Concentrated growth factors (CGF), a novel generation of autologous platelet concentrate, and melatonin, endogenous indoleamine with also bone regenerative properties, may be useful for reconstruction of bony defects as well as in prosthetic and esthetic rehabilitation. We report a clinical case in which guided bone regeneration was performed combining CGF, melatonin and heterologous biomaterial. Great postoperative recovery without any complications was reported. In conclusion, in restorative dentistry the combined use of CGF and melatonin may have important roles in restoring bone defect, in improving implant osteointegration and, not less important, in preventing postoperative complications.

Laser Decontamination and LED Photobiomodulation Promote Bone Regeneration and Wound Healing by Secondary Intention, in Alveolar Ridge Preservation-Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation: A Pilot Experience.

Background: Tooth loss reduces crestal bone with important resorption of alveolar dimensions, reducing the possibility of placing implants after wounds healing. Objective: The goal of this pilot experience was to consider, in alveolar ridge preservation, the regenerative and decontaminating potential of oxygen high-level laser therapy (OHLLT), a high-frequency and high-power diode laser combined with hydrogen peroxide 10 volumes 3%, and to evaluate wound closure during the 14-21 days after surgery. Methods: For this study we selected 15 patients (age range from 30 to 70 years old) who underwent alveolar ridge preservation (three patients were treated in the anterior maxilla, 12 in the mandibular jaw, with molars and premolars involved). A clinical and radiographic examination was performed at baseline. In this pilot experience, after the extractions, the sockets were treated with photodynamic therapy without dye (OHLLT/SiOxyL+ protocol) to decontaminate the area that was treated, combined with allografts, Osteobiol, granulometry 25, Platelet-Rich Fibrin and collagen membranes, Biogide/Geistlich. Photobiomodulation (PBM) sessions with ATP38 were made for the first 4 months every 2 weeks. Clinical evaluations were performed at 14, 21, 90, and 240 days. Radiographic evaluations with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) were performed at 240 days, before the second surgery. Two hundred seventy days after the first surgery, a new surgical treatment was made with the same concepts adopted in the first surgery, to place implants. Results: All alveolar ridge preservation surgeries were successful, with minimal bone resorption after 9 months. Closure of gingival tissue healed by secondary intention was achieved after 14 days for all patients, except one, who showed wound closure after 21 days. Conclusions: This pilot experience showed that this technique allowed to obtain new bone and wound healing by secondary intention in treated sites and to place implants in all patients, without other bone augmentation techniques, thanks to extracellular matrix induced by photodynamic laser therapy on grafts materials and to PBM made each 2 weeks for the first 4 months postsurgery. The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Ethics Committee of the School of Medicine and Surgery at the Milano Bicocca University (protocol n. 11/17), and derived from the approval of Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), protocol 30 July 2007-0040488.

Pain Reduction during Rapid Palatal Expansion Due to LED Photobiomodulation Irradiation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: The purpose of this research is to assess the analgesic efficiency of Photobiomodulation (PBM) in pain reduction in young patients during rapid maxillary expansion therapy. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients were included and allocated to an experimental group [Rapid Palatal Expansion (RPE) and PBM] and a control group (RPE only) at random. Inclusion criteria were skeletal age from CVS1 to CVS3, examined on the cephalometric lateral teleradiography, with cervical vertebra staging and completed eruption of upper first molar. Exclusion criteria were previous orthodontic treatment, bone disease, disability, or skeletal age from CVS4. Patients referred the pain they felt using a Numerical scale rate (NRS), ranging from 0 to 10, with specific intervals of time: 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, and from days 2 to 7. The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test was used to evaluate differences in NRS reported values between the two groups. Results: The final sample included 30 patients, 14 males and 16 females, with a mean age of 7.8 ± 1.2 years. The pain that was felt at each time interval and the maximum score of pain were significantly lower in the experimental group (p < 0.05) and decreased faster in the experimental group, with a score test near to 0 after 2/3 days. Conclusions: PBM is efficient in reducing the intensity and the time of pain felt by young patients that undergo rapid maxillary expansion.