A bibliometric analysis of minimally invasive dentistry: A review of the literature from 1994 to 2021.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Minimally invasive dentistry is a technique for the maximal preservation of healthy tooth structures and has been a focus of attention in dental research. However, a detailed bibliometric analysis focusing on research related to minimally invasive dentistry is lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this bibliometric analysis was to analyze leading countries and organizations and to identify the preferred journals, the most productive authors, and the most commonly used keywords in the field of minimally invasive dentistry. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The search was performed by using the Scopus database, and publications pertinent to the field of minimally invasive dentistry from 1994 to 2021 were identified. A bibliometric analysis with reference to citations and documents, authors, journals, and keywords was performed. A total of 391 articles published in Scopus indexed journals between 1994 and January 2021 were analyzed by using a software program. RESULTS: A continuing yet steady increase in research publications was identified, with a substantial increase in publications since 2013. The United States and Germany were the countries that published the most articles (98 and 46, respectively), articles that received 1877 and 806 citations, respectively. Cardiff University, UK, was the most productive organization that received 212 citations. The most highly cited articles were from the Q1 category. Blum from King's College London was the highest-cited author in this field. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable advancement has been made in minimally invasive dentistry, as demonstrated by the increase in the number of publications linked with collaboration among various authors, nations, and institutes. This citation analysis gives a perspective on the progress of research in the field of minimally invasive dentistry and allows identification of the most significant and pertinent research areas.

Management of recurrent aphthous ulcers using low-level lasers: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The exact etiology of recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAS) is unknown. The management of RAS is not always straightforward. The aim of this review is to critically analyze and summarize the clinical literature focusing on the management of aphthous ulcers using low-level lasers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Medline (PubMed), Web of Knowledge (ISI), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Embase databases were searched electronically for studies published in last 20 years (1995-2015) using the keywords "recurrent aphthous stomatitis," "aphthous ulcers," and "laser." RESULTS: A total of 85 articles were found during the initial search; 76 studies were excluded for not fulfilling the criteria whereas nine studies were deemed suitable for this review. Among the included studies, two articles were case reports and seven were randomized clinical trials. Study design, sample size, type of intervention and control of each study were critically analyzed and summarized according to the CONSORT protocol. In majority of the patients, immediate pain relief and accelerated ulcer healing was observed following irradiation with lasers. CONCLUSIONS: Although various types of lasers have succeeded in providing immediate pain relief to patients, carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers have the unique advantage of requiring a short exposure time (5-10s). In order to ascertain the efficacy of laser for treating ulcers in the clinical setting, more clinical trials are required.

Surface characterization analysis of failed dental implants using scanning electron microscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the failure of 15 dental implants (Paragon/Zimmer) in relation to their surface quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised of 15 dental implants (7 mm D Advent Implant, 3.9 mm D apex design implant), which were followed from surgery to completion of prosthetic restorations. The implants were placed during a 6-year period from 2003-2009 in non-smoking patients (male; 7, females; 5). There were eight upper and seven lower implants. Surface characterization after immersion in SBF of these failed implants was investigated using SEM and EDS compared to that of an unused implant of the same brand. RESULTS: Results revealed that, following immersion in SBF, the implant surfaces showed new components like Ca(+), Na(+) and Cl(-), but in trace quantities. CONCLUSIONS: After SEM observation and EDS analysis, it was concluded that the apatite layer formation could not be verified.

Influence of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus on periodontal tissues during orthodontic tooth movement: a systematic review of animal studies.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) may adversely affect periodontal tissues during orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). The aim of this review is to systematically analyze and review animal studies investigating the effect of DM on periodontal tissues during OTM. An electronic search was conducted via PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CONTROL) using the keywords "diabetes," "orthodontics," and "tooth movement" for studies published between January 2000 and August 2016. After elimination of duplicate items, the primary search resulted in 89 articles. After exclusion of irrelevant articles on the basis of abstract and title, full texts of 25 articles were read to exclude additional irrelevant studies. Seven animal studies were included in this review for qualitative analysis. When compared to healthy animals, more bone resorption and diminished bone remodeling were observed in diabetic animals in all studies. Furthermore, DM decreased the rate of OTM in one study, but in another study, DM accelerated OTM. DM may adversely affect bone remodeling and tooth movement during application of orthodontic forces. However, a number of potential sources of bias and deficiencies in methodology are present in studies investigating the association between OTM and DM. Hence, more long-term and well-designed studies are required before the exact mechanism and impact of DM on outcomes of orthodontic treatment is understood.