Comparing the effect of dry and wet brushing on dental plaque removal in children.

AIMS: This study was aimed to assess the efficacy of wet and dry brushing on cleaning outcome of tooth surfaces. METHODS: Forty-three children aged 10-12 years were randomly selected and instructed for this brushing project. Each case served as self-control. Each patient was requested to brush through one of the wet/dry techniques for 1 week and other technique on the 2nd week. Samples had a washout step using pumice prophylaxis prior to each brushing week. Tooth Cleanliness Index was used to measure the plaque removal level. Two uniform Oral-B toothbrushes were used one for each week through the Modified Stillman technique. Mann-Whitney test was employed along with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to analyze the data. RESULTS: The level of brushing efficacy was slightly higher in males with no statistically significant difference between sexes. Remaining plaque measured was higher in wet group with significant difference (7.3 ± 1.7 for dry brushing and 7.6 ± 2.6 for wet brushing) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dry and wet brushing did not show a significant difference in their capacity to remove plaque indicating that dry brushing could be considered as an acceptable brushing technique.

The effect of metal artifacts on the identification of vertical root fractures using different fields of view in cone-beam computed tomography.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of metal artifacts on the accurate diagnosis of root fractures using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images with large and small/limited fields of view (FOVs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty extracted molar and premolar teeth were collected. Access canals were made in all teeth using a rotary system. In half of the teeth, fractures were created by the application of mild pressure with a hammer. The teeth were then randomly put into a wax rim on an acryl base designed in the shape of a mandible. CBCT scans were obtained using a Newtom 5G system with FOVs of 18 cm×16 cm and 6 cm×6 cm. A metal pin was then placed into each tooth, and CBCT imaging was again performed using the same fields of view. All scans were evaluated by two oral and maxillofacial radiologists. The specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and likelihood ratios (positive and negative) were calculated. RESULTS: The maximum levels of sensitivity and specificity (100% and 100%, respectively) were observed in smallvolume CBCT scans of teeth without pins. The highest negative predictive value was found in the small-volume group without pins, whereas the positive predictive value was 100% in all groups except the large-volume group with pins. CONCLUSION: The specificity of CBCT decreased with the presence of a pin in the large-volume group, but not in the small-volume group.