The effect of pre-anesthesia with a needle-free system versus topical anesthesia on injection pain of the inferior alveolar nerve block: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of pain control between a needle-free system and topical anesthesia applied prior to inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was designed as a randomized controlled cross-over clinical study on 60 children (aged 6 to 12 years) requiring dental treatment with IANB in bilateral mandibular molars. As pre-anesthesia, topical anesthesia (TA) was applied on one side and the Comfort-in™ injection system (CIS) on the other side in two separate sessions before IANB. The injection pain during IANB, at both the needle insertion and solution deposition phases, was analyzed using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (PRS) and the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability Scale (FLACC). The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Spearman correlation, and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between TA and CIS in subjective and objective pain evaluations during both the needle insertion and solution deposition. The use of a needle-free system in pre-anesthesia yielded a significant decrease in subjective and objective pain scores (p < 0.001). No statistical difference was found between TA and CIS in terms of patient preference, but patient preference for CIS was significantly higher in older patients (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that the use of a needle-free system in pre-anesthesia yielded a decrease in injection pain of IANB. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Pediatric dentists should be aware of the new injection system in order to decrease the level of injection pain.

Digital versus conventional impression method in children: Comfort, preference and time.

BACKGROUND: The comfortness and effectiveness of digital and conventional impression methods in children have not yet been compared. AIM: To assess the digital and conventional impression methods in children in terms of comfort, preference, and the time required to take impressions. DESIGN: Digital impressions were taken by using an intraoral scanner, and conventional impressions were taken by using alginate from 28 patients by the same operator. In each impression-taking-process, comfort was assessed by both the children and the clinician, and the chairside times were written. Student's t tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analyses, and P < .05 was considered to be significant. RESULTS: The digital impression was considered to be more comfortable in the assessments by both the children and the clinician (P < .001). The total time the digital impression took was 465.89 ± 76.71 second(s) while that of the conventional impression was 450.25 ± 64.08 s when the chairside times of the two impression methods were compared. There was no statistically significant difference (P = .41). CONCLUSION: The digital impression method compared with the conventional impression method was found to be both more comfortable and preferable by the children, but there was no difference in terms of the time required to take impressions.

Advancing dentistry: fractal assessment of bone health in pediatric patients with celiac disease using dental images.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of a gluten-free diet on bone structure in children with celiac disease using fractal analysis on panoramic radiographs. METHOD AND MATERIALS: A total of 49 patients with celiac disease aged 6 to 13 years, separated into two groups as previously and newly diagnosed, and a control group of 32 healthy individuals were evaluated. In previously and newly diagnosed patients with celiac disease, body mass index Z-scores were calculated, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, vitamin D3, and parathormone levels were measured, and bone mineral density Z-scores were obtained from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. In all patients, the fractal dimensions of the right and left temporomandibular condyles were evaluated with the fractal analysis method on panoramic radiographs. RESULTS: The mean values of serum biomarker levels and the body mass index and bone mineral density Z-scores for both celiac groups were within the normal reference range. No statistically significant difference was determined between right and left condyle fractal dimensions values in the three groups examined. In terms of both right and left condyle fractal dimensions values, there was a statistically significant difference between groups. The highest fractal dimensions values were determined in the previously diagnosed group. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in fractal dimensions values were observed among patients with celiac disease following the gluten-free diet. Utilizing fractal analysis on panoramic radiographs can prove valuable for dental practitioners in evaluating bone mineral density due to its cost-effectiveness, easy accessibility, and reduced radiation exposure for patients, enabling them to provide comprehensive oral health care and potential early interventions for patients with celiac disease.

An Updated Comparison of Current Impression Techniques Regarding Time, Comfort, Anxiety, and Preference: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare digital and conventional impressions in terms of impression time, and comfort, anxiety and preference of the patients. METHODS: Digital scans (Trios 3 Cart) and conventional impressions (irreversible hydrocolloid material, hand-mixed) were randomly performed on 39 patients by a single experienced operator in 14-21 day intervals (cross-over design). Impression time, comfort score with visual analog scale (VAS), anxiety level with State-Trait Anxiety Scale, and preference with a questionnaire were recorded. Two techniques were compared with the independent t-test in terms of time, comfort, and anxiety. Patient'-operator' assessment and time-comfort relationship were calculated using Pearson correlation test. RESULTS: No statistical difference was found between the two impression techniques in terms of time (P = .231). The digital technique was found to be more comfortable than the conventional technique in both operators' and patients' comfort scores (P < .001). There was no statistical difference between two techniques with regards to anxiety (P = .668). Patients' and operators' comfort scores showed a strong correlation (P < .001), but no correlation was found between comfort and time (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Digital scan and conventional impression were similar in terms of impression time, and anxiety of patients. Conversely, patients were more satisfied with the digital technique and preferred it.

YouTube™ video content analysis on space maintainers.

AIM: Since it is difficult to understand by patients or parents, YouTube™ videos can be used to describe space maintainers. However, the reliability and quality of the information in the YouTube™ videos about space maintainers have not been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the quality of information provided on YouTube™ about space maintainers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Videos were searched on YouTube™ using the key words of "space maintainers" in the Google Trends application. From the first 120 results, after discarding the ones immediately deemed insufficient, 46 videos were selected for analysis. To classify the video content as high or low, a scoring system formed of seven parameters was used. For a global evaluation of the video quality, the video information and quality index were applied. Data obtained were analyzed statistically using the independent t-test, the Mann-Whitney U-test, and the Chi-square test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated. RESULTS: The quality of the content of videos was found to be mean 2.89 from a maximum of seven points, with 15 (32.6%) videos determined to be of high quality and 31 (67.4%) of low quality. The "likes" index was higher in the high-quality videos (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was determined between the groups responsible for uploading videos to YouTube™ in respect of the quality content (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The content quality of videos on YouTube™ about space maintainers is usually low. High-quality content expected from videos uploaded by specialists/dental practitioners was not provided compared to other groups.