Comparison of Accuracy of Current Ten Intraoral Scanners.

There have been various developments in intraoral 3D scanning technology. This study is aimed at investigating the accuracy of 10 scanners developed from 2015 to 2020. A maxillary dental model with reference points was printed from Form 2 (FormLabs, Somerville, MA, USA). The model was scanned 5 times with each intraoral scanner (IOS); Trios 3 (normal and high-resolution mode); Trios 4 (normal and high-resolution mode) (3Shape Trios A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark); iTero Element, iTero 2, and iTero 5D Element (Align Technologies, San Jose, California, USA); Dental Wings (Dental Wings, Montreal QC, Canada); Panda 2 (Pengtum Technologies, Shanghai, China); Medit i500 (Medit Corp. Seoul, South Korea); Planmeca Emerald™ (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland); and Aoralscan (Shining 3D Tech. Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China). After the scan, the 3D scanned stereolithography files were created. The various distances were measured five times in X, Y, Z, and XY axes of various scans and with a vernier caliper (control) and from the Rhinoceros software. The data were analyzed using SPSS 18. Test for the normality of the various measurement data were done using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The trueness and precision of the measurements were compared among the various scans using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The significance was considered at P < 0.05. The trueness of the intraoral scans was analyzed by comparing the measurements from the control. Precision was tested through the measurements of repeated scans. It showed that more the distance is less the accuracy for all scanners. In all studied scanners, the trueness varied but precision was favorably similar. Diagonal scanning showed less accuracy for all the scanners. Hence, when scanning the full arch, the dentist needs to take more caution and good scan pattern. Trios series showed the best scan results compared to other scanners.

Influence of Depression and Use of Alcohol and / or Tobacco by Parents in the Oral Health of Children with Disabilities

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the influence of parental depression and substance use in the oral health care of children with disabilities. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 151 children with disabilities and their parents/caregivers. To detect the presence of depression and alcohol or tobacco use, the parents/caregivers answered three questionnaires: two versions of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Then, the children with disabilities underwent oral examination to evaluate biofilm control, gingival condition and the dental carie index (decayed, missing, and filled teeth - dmft ̸ DMFT). Results: There was a statistically significant association between tobacco use and dental caries in deciduous teeth (p=0.046). The children of smokers had six times greater need for dental treatment than that of non-smokers (OR= 6.36; CI= 1.3-30.5). There was no statistically significant association between the oral health of the children with disabilities and parental alcohol consumption and depression (p>0.05). Children with medical condition had a higher need for dental treatment than children with intellectual disability (p=0.003). Conclusion: Parental smoking habits increase dental caries in the deciduous teeth of children with disabilities, but parental depression and alcohol use do not influence the oral health of children with disabilities. Children with medical condition have more treatment needs than children with intellectual disability.

Efficacy, tolerability, and safety of an innovative medical device for improving oral accessibility during oral examination in special-needs patients: A multicentric clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: People with special needs have high unmet oral healthcare needs, partly because dentists find it difficult to access their oral cavity. The Oral Accessibility Spatula aims to improve oral accessibility. This prospective multicenter interventional open-label non-randomized patient-self-controlled trial assessed the ability of the spatula to improve the oral accessibility of special-needs patients during dental examinations. METHODS: The cohort was a convenience sample of minor and adult patients with special needs due to physical, intellectual, and/or behavioral disorders who underwent dental check-up/treatment in five French tertiary hospitals/private clinics in 2016-2018 and evinced some (Venham-Score = 2-4) but not complete (Venham-Score = 5) resistance to oral examination. After inclusion, patients underwent oral examination without the spatula and then immediately thereafter oral examination with the spatula. Primary outcome was Oral Accessibility Score (0-12 points; higher scores indicate visualization and probing of the tooth sectors). Secondary outcomes were patient toleration (change in Venham-Score relative to first examination), safety, and Examiner Satisfaction Score (0-10; low scores indicate unsatisfactory examination). RESULTS: The 201 patients were mostly non-elderly adults (18-64 years, 65%) but also included children (21%), adolescents (11%), and aged patients (3%). One-quarter, half, and one-quarter had Venham-Score = 2, 3, and 4 at inclusion, respectively. The spatula significantly improved Oral Accessibility Score (4.8 to 10.8), Venham-Score (3.1 to 2.6), and Examiner Satisfaction Score (3.4 to 7.2) (all p<0.001). There were no severe spatula-related adverse events. CONCLUSION: The spatula significantly improved oral access, was safe and well-tolerated by the patients, and markedly improved oral examination quality.

Diagnosis of Occlusal Caries with Dynamic Slicing of 3D Optical Coherence Tomography Images.

Detecting the extent of occlusal caries is a clinically important but challenging task required for treatment decision making. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic power of 3D swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) for evaluation of occlusal caries in comparison with X-ray radiography. Extracted human molars not exhibiting American Dental Association (ADA) criteria advanced caries were mounted in a silicone block and digital dental radiographs were captured from the buccal side. Subsequently, occlusal surfaces were scanned with a prototype Yoshida Dental OCT. Thirteen examiners evaluated the presence and extent of caries on radiographs and dynamically sliced 3D OCT video images, using a 4 level scale-0: intact; 1: enamel demineralization without cavitation; 2: enamel caries with cavitation; 3: dentin caries with or without cavitation. Sensitivity, specificity and area under operating characteristic curves (Az) were statistically analyzed (α = 0.05). Reliability analysis showed an excellent agreement among the 13 examiners for both methods. The OCT presented a significantly higher sensitivity and Az value for the detection of caries compared to radiographs (p < 0.05). Radiography showed especially low sensitivity for dentin caries (0-2 versus 3). Dynamic slicing of 3D OCT volumes is a powerful adjunct tool to visual inspection to diagnose the dentin occlusal caries in vitro.

In Vitro Evaluation of Occlusal Caries Detection Methods in Primary and Permanent Teeth: A Comparison of CarieScan PRO, DIAGNOdent Pen, and DIAGNOcam Methods.

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the performance of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS)-II, radiographic examination, CarieScan PRO, DIAGNOdent Pen, and DIAGNOcam methods in detecting occlusal carious lesions. Materials and methods: Two hundred forty extracted primary and permanent teeth were assessed using caries detection methods by two examiners and afterward, the teeth were sectioned. The diagnostic methods were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis method for D1, D2, and D3 thresholds and kappa analysis were used to assess interexaminer agreement. Results: D1 thresholds, the areas under the ROC curve (AUC) values of DIAGNOcam method, were higher for both primary and permanent teeth (0.804-0.968). For both primary and permanent teeth, the highest D2 threshold AUC values were found for ICDAS-II (0.774-0.731) and DIAGNOcam (0.775-0.731) methods. The highest AUC values of D3 threshold were obtained with DIAGNOcam method for permanent teeth (0.708) and with DIAGNOdent Pen method for primary teeth (0.789). Between examiners, very good agreement was found for the DIAGNOdent Pen method in the primary teeth (κ = 0.89), and good agreement was found for the DIAGNOcam method in the permanent teeth (κ = 0.68). The kappa values were moderate for all other methods (0.41-0.57). Conclusions: DIAGNOcam, DIAGNOdent Pen, and visual examination methods may be effective in detecting hidden occlusal caries in primary and permanent teeth.

Distancia intercanina en niños con dentición temporal, mixta y permanente / Intercanine distance in children with temporary, mixed and permanent dentition

RESUMEN Introducción: Los valores de la distancia intercanina representan una referencia auxiliar útil, para predecir problemas de deficiencia de espacio relacionados con el crecimiento transversal de los maxilares. Objetivo: Determinar los valores de la distancia intercanina en niños con oclusión normal en ambas arcadas dentarias y distintos períodos de dentición. Métodos: Fue realizado un estudio de tipo descriptivo y transversal. El universo estuvo comprendido por 6 033 escolares, de los cuales se obtuvo una muestra aleatoria estratificada de 525 niños con edades de 3, 6, 9 y 12 años, seleccionados de acuerdo con las etapas de desarrollo dental: dentición temporal, mixta temprana, tardía y permanente. Fue realizado un examen clínico facial y bucal, para lo cual se aplicaron los criterios de inclusión. Las variables fueron: edad, sexo y distancia intercanina superior e inferior. Para valorar la posible existencia de asociación entre la distancia intercanina y el sexo, así como con la edad, se utilizó la prueba t de Student para muestras independientes y el análisis de varianza (ANOVA), respectivamente. Resultados: La distancia intercanina superior a los 3 años fue: 27,3 mm, 6 años: 30,42 mm, 9 años: 31,67 y 12 años: 32,93 mm, e inferior (23,19 mm, 24,66 mm, 25,61 y 25,98 mm) para los 3, 6, 9, y 12 años, respectivamente. El sexo masculino mostró los mayores valores. Se comprobaron diferencias significativas en relación con el sexo en la distancia intercanina superior a los 6 y 12 años (p= 0,000) y en la inferior en las mismas edades (p= 0,001 y p=0,01), entre las edades (p= 0,000) tanto en superior como inferior. Conclusiones: La distancia intercanina se incrementa en ambos maxilares conjuntamente con la edad. Se comprueba un predominio de mayor anchura del sexo masculino a los 6 y 12 años en ambos maxilares(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Intercanine distance values are a useful auxiliary reference to predict space deficiency problems related to transverse maxillary growth. Objective: Determine intercanine distance values for children with normal occlusion in both dental arches during the different dentition periods. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. The study universe was 6 033 schoolchildren, from whom a stratified random sample was selected of 525 children aged 3, 6, 9 and 12 years, corresponding to the stages of dental development: temporary, early mixed, late mixed and permanent dentition. Facial and oral clinical examination was performed, based on the inclusion criteria. The variables studied were age, sex, upper intercanine distance and lower intercanine distance. The possible association between intercanine distance and sex and age was determined with Student's independent samples t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA), respectively. Results: Upper intercanine distance was 27.3 mm at 3 years, 30.42 mm at 6 years, 31.67 mm at 9 years and 32.93 mm at 12 years. Lower intercanine distance was 23.19 mm, 24.66 mm, 25.61 mm and 25,98 mm at 3, 6, 9 and 12 years, respectively. Male subjects exhibited greater values. Significant differences were found with respect to sex in upper intercanine distance at 6 and 12 years (p= 0.000) and in lower intercanine distance at the same ages (p= 0.001 and p=0.01), as well as in upper and lower intercanine distance across the different ages (p= 0.000). Conclusions: Intercanine distance increases in both jaws with age. A predominance was found of a greater width in the male sex in both jaws at 6 and 12 years of age(AU)

A non-invasive measurement of tongue surface temperature.

Oral temperature, tongue specifically, is a key factor affecting oral sensation and perception of food flavour and texture. It is therefore very important to know how the tongue temperature is affected by food consumption. Unfortunately, traditional methods such as clinical thermometers and thermocouples for oral temperature measurement are not most applicable during food oral consumption due to its invasive nature and interference with food. In this study, infrared thermal (IRT) imager was investigated for its feasibility for the measurement of tongue surface temperature. The IRT technique was firstly calibrated using a digital thermometer (DT). The technique was then used to measure tongue surface temperature after tongue was stimulated by (1) water rinsing at different temperatures (0-45 °C); and (2) treated with capsaicin solutions (5, 10, and 20 ppm). For both cases, tongue surface temperature showed significant changes as a result of the physical and chemical stimulation. Results confirm that IRT is feasible for tongue temperature measurement and could be a useful supporting tool in future for the study of food oral processing and sensory perception.

In vivo imaging in the oral cavity by endoscopic optical coherence tomography.

The common way to diagnose hard and soft tissue irregularities in the oral cavity is initially the visual inspection by an experienced dentist followed by further medical examinations, such as radiological imaging and/or histopathological investigation. For the diagnosis of oral hard and soft tissues, the detection of early transformations is mostly hampered by poor visual access, low specificity of the diagnosis techniques, and/or limited feasibility of frequent screenings. Therefore, optical noninvasive diagnosis of oral tissue is promising to improve the accuracy of oral screening. Considering this demand, a rigid handheld endoscopic scanner was developed for optical coherence tomography (OCT). The novelty is the usage of a commercially near-infrared endoscope with fitting optics in combination with an established spectral-domain OCT system of our workgroup. By reaching a high spatial resolution, in vivo images of anterior and especially posterior dental and mucosal tissues were obtained from the oral cavity of two volunteers. The convincing image quality of the endoscopic OCT device is particularly obvious for the imaging of different regions of the human soft palate with highly scattering fibrous layer and capillary network within the lamina propria.

The in vitro and in vivo reproducibility of a video-based digital imaging system for tooth colour measurement.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the robustness of a new custom built video-based digital imaging system (VDIS) for measuring tooth colour and whiteness under in vitro and in vivo conditions. METHODS: The VDIS imaging system was developed for tooth colour measurement and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro validation used extracted human teeth (HT, n=14) stored in water and VITA Classical shade guide tabs (SG, n=16). These were measured by the VDIS at baseline, 5min, 2h, 1 week and 2 weeks to evaluate the system repeatability. For in vivo validation, adult volunteers (male/female, n=34) with two natural, unrestored central incisors had their teeth imaged using the VDIS at baseline, 5min and 2h (3 images each) by two different operators to evaluate time and operator effects. Between taking individual images, subjects moved from the imaging-frame to assess the effect of re-positioning on reproducibility. From the in vitro and in vivo images, the average tooth RGB values were obtained, and the CIELAB values and a tooth whiteness index WIO value were calculated. Repeatability and reproducibility of VDIS imaging system was assessed using appropriate repeated measurement analysis techniques and ANOVA. RESULTS: The measurement variations in vitro were between 1 and 2 units of ΔWIO and the average colour differences were less than 1 ΔE*ab unit. For the in vivo study, analysis of the CIELAB parameters and WIO showed that subject variability accounted for between 82 and 99% of the observed variability in the measurement process. The operator variability was less than 0.5% and the overall measurement error was found to be only 0.3% for WIO. Across assessment times the variability was less than 0.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The dental imaging system V-DIS was shown to be a highly reproducible means for tooth colour and whiteness measurement. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Digital imaging based techniques gives a highly reproducible approach to measuring tooth colour.

Accuracy of Bone Sounding in Assessing Facial Osseous-Gingival Tissue Relationship in Maxillary Anterior Teeth.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of bone sounding (BS) in assessing the facial osseous-gingival tissue relationship (FOGTR) of failing maxillary anterior teeth. Dental records of patients who received immediate implant placement (IIP) at the maxillary anterior area were screened. Mid-FOGTR prior to extraction (BS), and immediately after flapless extraction (direct bone level [DBL] measurement) were analyzed. A total of 160 patients with 190 maxillary anterior teeth were included. The mean FOGTR obtained from BS and DBL were 3.19 ± 0.71 mm and 3.47 ± 1.29 mm, respectively (P = .004). The two measurements were identical 83.2% of the time, within 1-mm discrepancy 4.7% of the time, and > ± 1 mm discrepancy 12.1% of the time. When discrepancy was observed, BS underestimated DBL 14.2% of the time and overestimated 2.6% of the time. Though statistically significant, the correlation was weak (Pearson correlation coefficient r = .238, P = .0018). BS is an acceptably accurate and minimally invasive diagnostic tool for measuring FOGTR. However, while the mean difference between BS and DBL measurement is small (0.28 mm), the large range of difference can be alarming. Therefore, clinicians should always prepare alternative treatment options for IIP prior to extraction.

Building an Oral Endoscope for Use in Equine Oral Examination and Treatment.

The use of oral endoscopy can be very beneficial in that it helps the clinician to perform a more thorough oral examination. However, due to the high cost, most commercially available equine oral endoscopy systems have been out of reach for clinicians who practice equine dentistry outside a large hospital setting. This article details how to set up an oral endoscopy system that can be used on equine patients either in an ambulatory practice or in a hospital setting. The system is more cost-effective than most other systems currently on the market without sacrificing functionality or image quality. The oral endoscope can be wirelessly integrated with a handheld tablet device or larger monitor for real-time viewing of images. It also has the ability to obtain high-resolution digital images and videos that can be easily incorporated into the patient's medical record. Incorporation of this system into equine practices has the potential to provide improved care for dental patients and to help overcome some of the inherent challenges of equine dentistry.

Evaluation of Qualitative Changes in Simulated Periodontal Ligament and Alveolar Bone Using a Noncontact Electromagnetic Vibration Device with a Laser Displacement Sensor.

Evaluating periodontal tissue condition is an important diagnostic parameter in periodontal disease. Noncontact electromagnetic vibration device (NEVD) was previously developed to monitor this condition using mechanical parameters. However, this system requires accelerometer on the target tooth. This study assessed application of laser displacement sensor (LDS) to NEVD without accelerometer using experimental tooth models. Tooth models consisted of cylindrical rod, a tissue conditioner, and polyurethane or polyurethane foam to simulate tooth, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone, respectively. Tissue conditioner was prepared by mixing various volumes of liquid with powder. Mechanical parameters (resonant frequency, elastic modulus, and coefficient of viscosity) were assessed using NEVD with the following methods: Group A, measurement with accelerometer; Group B, measurement with LDS in the presence of accelerometer; and Group C, measurement with LDS in the absence of accelerometer. Mechanical parameters significantly decreased with increasing liquid volume. Significant differences were also observed between the polyurethane and polyurethane foam models. Meanwhile, no statistically significant differences were observed between Groups A and B; however, most mechanical parameters in Group C were significantly larger and more distinguishable than those of Groups A and B. LDS could measure mechanical parameters more accurately and clearly distinguished the different periodontal ligament and alveolar bone conditions.

Análise de fatores clínico-demográficos, psicológicos, hormonais e genéticos na síndrome da ardência bucal e ardor bucal secundário / Analysis of clinical and demographic factors, psychological, hormonal and genetic in burning mouth syndrome and secondary burning mouth

A síndrome da ardência bucal (SAB) é uma condição clínica pouco esclarecida caracterizada por sensação espontânea de ardência, dor ou prurido na mucosa oral, sem alterações locais ou sistêmicas identificáveis. Sua etiopatogenia é incerta, não havendo até o momento uma padronização dos critérios utilizados para o seu diagnóstico. O presente estudo objetivou verificar a associação de fatores psicológicos, hormonais e genéticos com a SAB no sentido de propor uma melhor caracterização de sua natureza. Além de uma análise descritiva da amostra estudada, os aspectos analisados foram especificamente os níveis de estresse e sua fase, depressão, e ansiedade, compondo os fatores psicológicos; mensuração dos níveis séricos de cortisol e desidroepiandrosterona (DHEA); bem como a verificação sobre a ocorrência de polimorfismos no gene da Interleucina-6 (IL6). Foram realizadas análises comparativas entre um grupo de pacientes com SAB e um grupo composto por indivíduos com ardor bucal secundário (AB). Os resultados revelaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos com relação aos seguintes aspectos: xerostomia (p=0,01) e hipossalivação em repouso (p<0,001), que foram mais prevalentes no grupo SAB; sintomas de depressão (p=0,033), também mais presentes no grupo SAB; e dosagem de DHEA, que apresentou níveis mais reduzidos no grupo SAB (p=0,003).

A dosagem desse hormônio mostrou-se amplamente sensível e específica para o diagnóstico da síndrome em estudo, sendo verificado que níveis séricos de DHEA abaixo de 0,37µg/mL para mulheres, utilizando-se os procedimentos propostos na pesquisa, possuem um Odds Ratio de 4,0 [95%IC (0,37 a 2,71)]. Foi verificado ainda que o alelo C do polimorfismo rs2069849 da IL-6 pode representar um alelo de risco para a ocorrência de ardor bucal em ambos os grupos, no entanto, não se pode garantir sua real implicação nos processos inflamatórios da SAB. Os presentes resultados sugerem uma provável influência da depressão, bem como de níveis diminuídos do hormônio DHEA na SAB. (AU)

The burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a clinical condition characterized by spontaneous burning sensation, pain or itching in the oral mucosa without identifiable local or systemic changes. Its pathogenesis is uncertain, with no observable standardization in previous literature of the criteria used for its diagnosis. The present study aimed to determine demographic, psychological, hormonal and genetic factors in patients with BMS and secondary burning mouth to propose a better characterization of the nature and classification of this condition. Besides a descriptive analysis of the sample of 163 individuals, were analyzed the levels of stress and its phase, depression and anxiety; measurement of serum levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), as well as checking on the occurrence of polymorphisms in the gene of interleukin-6 (IL6). Comparative analysis between a group of patients with BMS and a group of individuals with secondary burning mouth (BM) were performed. The results revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to the following aspects: xerostomia (p=0.01) and hyposalivation at rest (p<0.001), which were more prevalent in the BMS group; symptoms of depression (p=0.033), more present in the BMS group, and dosage of DHEA, which showed lower levels in BMS patients (p=0.003). The dosage of this hormone was largely specific and sensitive for the diagnosis of the studied syndrome, and was verified that serum levels of DHEA below 0.37 µg/mL in women, using the procedures proposed in this research, have an Odds Ratio of 4.0 [95 % CI (0.37 to 2.71)]. These results suggest a possible influence of depression and decreased levels of the hormone DHEA in the pathogenesis of BMS. (AU)

Gingival crevicular fluid as a source of biomarkers for periodontitis.

In evaluating the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases, the diagnostic potential of gingival crevicular fluid has been extensively explored during the last twenty years, from initially just confirming health and disease states to more recently investigating it as a potential prognostic tool. As host susceptibility is a critical determinant in periodontal disease pathogenesis, the inflammatory mediator levels present in gingival crevicular fluid represent relevant risk indicators for disease activity. Considerable work has been carried out to identify the many different cytokine inflammatory pathways and microbial stimuli that are associated with periodontal disease pathogenesis. Now, 'omics' approaches aim to summarize how these pathways interact and probably converge to create critical inflammatory networks. More recently, gingival crevicular fluid metabolomics appears promising as an additional diagnostic method. Biofilm structure and the host inflammatory response to the microbial challenge may induce specific inflammatory signatures. Host genetics and epigenetics may also modulate microbial colonization, adding to the multiplicity of potential causal pathways. Omics analyses of gingival crevicular fluid, measuring microbial and host interactions in association with the onset and progression of periodontal diseases, still show the potential to expand the landscape for the discovery of diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic markers.

The Use of Fluorescence Technology versus Visual and Tactile Examination in the Detection of Oral Lesions: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: This study compared the effectiveness of the VELscope® Vx versus visual and tactile intraoral examination in detecting oral lesions in an adult, high risk population. METHODS: The pilot study compared the intra oral findings between 2 examination types. The sample was comprised of 30 participants who were addicted to either cigarettes or a dual addiction (cigarettes plus hookah). High risk population was defined as males who were current cigarette smokers or had a dual addiction. Two trained and experienced licensed dental hygienists conducted all examinations. Throughout the study, all visual and tactile intraoral examinations were conducted first by one dental hygienist first, followed by the VELscope® Vx fluorescence examinations by the second dental hygienist. All subjects received an inspection of the lips, labial and buccal mucosa, floor of the mouth, dorsal, ventral and lateral sides of the tongue, hard and soft palate, and visual inspection of the oropharynx and uvula. Both evaluations took place in 1 visit in the Dental Hygiene Research Center at Old Dominion University and external sites. All participants received oral cancer screening information, recommendations, referrals for tobacco cessation programs and brochures on the 2 types of examinations conducted. RESULTS: Participants were considered high risk based on demographics (current smokers and mostly males). Neither visual and tactile intraoral examination nor the VELscope® Vx examination showed positive lesions. No lesions were detected; therefore, no referrals were made. Data indicated the duration of tobacco use was significantly higher in cigarette smokers (14.1 years) than dual addiction smokers (5 years) (p>0.005). The average numbers of cigarettes smoked per day were 13.5 compared to 14.2 cigarettes for dual addiction smokers. CONCLUSION: Results from this study suggest the visual and tactile intraoral examination produced comparative results to the VELscope® Vx examination. Findings from this study support that the VELscope® Vx is still considered an adjunct technology and cannot be used exclusively for oral cancer screening.

Scanning laser-line source technique for nondestructive evaluation of cracks in human teeth.

This paper describes the first application of a remote nondestructive laser ultrasonic (LU) system for clinical diagnosis of cracks in human teeth, to our knowledge. It performs non-contact cracks detection on small-dimension teeth samples. Two extracted teeth with different types of cracks (cracked tooth and craze lines), which have different crack depths, are used as experimental samples. A series of ultrasonic waves were generated by a scanning laser-line source technique and detected with a laser-Doppler vibrometer on the two samples. The B-scan images and peak-to-peak amplitude variation curves of surface acoustic waves were obtained for evaluating the cracks' position and depth. The simulation results calculated by finite element method were combined with the experimental results for accurately measuring the depth of crack. The results demonstrate that this LU system has been successfully applied on crack evaluation of human teeth. And as a remote, nondestructive technique, it has great potential for early in vivo diagnosis of cracked tooth and even the future clinical dental tests.

Análise de fatores clínico-demográficos, psicológicos, hormonais e genéticos na síndrome da ardência bucal e ardor bucal secundário / Analysis of clinical and demographic factors, psychological, hormonal and genetic in burning mouth syndrome and secondary burning mouth

A síndrome da ardência bucal (SAB) é uma condição clínica pouco esclarecida caracterizada por sensação espontânea de ardência, dor ou prurido na mucosa oral, sem alterações locais ou sistêmicas identificáveis. Sua etiopatogenia é incerta, não havendo até o momento uma padronização dos critérios utilizados para o seu diagnóstico. O presente estudo objetivou verificar a associação de fatores psicológicos, hormonais e genéticos com a SAB no sentido de propor uma melhor caracterização de sua natureza. Além de uma análise descritiva da amostra estudada, os aspectos analisados foram especificamente os níveis de estresse e sua fase, depressão, e ansiedade, compondo os fatores psicológicos; mensuração dos níveis séricos de cortisol e desidroepiandrosterona (DHEA); bem como a verificação sobre a ocorrência de polimorfismos no gene da Interleucina-6 (IL6). Foram realizadas análises comparativas entre um grupo de pacientes com SAB e um grupo composto por indivíduos com ardor bucal secundário (AB). Os resultados revelaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos com relação aos seguintes aspectos: xerostomia (p=0,01) e hipossalivação em repouso (p<0,001), que foram mais prevalentes no grupo SAB; sintomas de depressão (p=0,033), também mais presentes no grupo SAB; e dosagem de DHEA, que apresentou níveis mais reduzidos no grupo SAB (p=0,003)...

The burning mouth syndrome(BMS) is a clinical condition characterized by spontaneous burning sensation, pain or itching in the oral mucosa without identifiable local or systemic changes. Its pathogenesis is uncertain, with no observable standardization in previous literature of the criteria used for its diagnosis. The present study aimed to determine demographic, psychological, hormonal and genetic factors in patients with BMS and secondary burning mouth to propose a better characterization of the nature and classification of this condition. Besides a descriptive analysis of the sample of 163 individuals, were analyzed the levels of stress and its phase, depression and anxiety; measurement of serum levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), as well as checking on the occurrence of polymorphisms in the gene of interleukin-6 (IL6). Comparative analysis between a group of patients with BMS and a group of individuals with secondary burning mouth (BM) were performed. The results revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to the following aspects: xerostomia (p=0.01) and hyposalivation at rest (p<0.001), which were more prevalent in the BMS group; symptoms of depression (p=0.033), more present in the BMS group, and dosage of DHEA, which showed lower levels in BMS patients (p=0.003). The dosage of this hormone was largely specific and sensitive for the diagnosis of the studied syndrome, and was verified that serum levels of DHEA below 0.37 μg/mL in women, using the procedures proposed in this research, have an Odds Ratio of 4.0 [95 % CI (0.37 to 2.71)]...

Oral Health Scales: Design of an oral health scale of infectious potential

Objectives: In this paper we propose a new Global Oral Health Scale that will allow the infectious potential of the oral cavity, clinically manifest as local and focal infections, to be condensed into a single parameter. Study design: Based on a number of oral health scales previously designed by our group, we designed a final version that incorporates dental and periodontal variables (some of them evaluated using corroborated objective indices) that reflect the presence of caries and periodontal disease. Results: The application of the proposed oral health scale requires the examination of 6 sites per tooth (mesio-buccal, medio-buccal, disto-buccal, disto-lingual, medio-lingual and mesio-lingual). The following variables are analysed: number of tooth surfaces with supragingival plaque, determined using the O'Leary index; number of teeth with caries and the severity of the caries; number of tooth surfaces with gingival inflammation, determined using the Ainamo and Bay index; and number of tooth surfaces with pockets ≥4 mm and severity of the pockets. These variables are then grouped into 2 categories, dental and periodontal. The final grades of dental and periodontal health correspond to the grades assigned to a least 2 of the 3 variables analysed in each of these categories. The category (dental or periodontal) with the highest grade is the one that determines the grade of the Global Oral Health Scale. Conclusion: This scale could be particularly useful for the epidemiological studies comparing different populations and for analysis of the influence of distinct degrees of oral health on the development of certain systemic diseases (AU)

Commercial saliva collections tools.

Saliva has been used as a specimen for diagnostics purposes for many years, but it has only been in the last 10 years that a number of new tools have been developed that promise to greatly increase the use of oral specimens for broad-based diagnosis and potentially screening applications. This article focuses on tools that are commercially viable or can play a role in whole saliva collection and future testing for critical diseases.