RESUMO
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of sodium perborate mixed with distilled water and sodium perborate mixed with 30% hydrogen peroxide as non-vital bleaching agent of anterior discolored teeth. Materials and methods: A randomized controlled trial was undertaken among 61 patients who presented with 70 discolored anterior teeth at the Conservative and Family Dentistry Clinics of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. The 70 teeth were randomly allocated into two groups of treatments. In Group A, the test group, the coronal part of endodontically treated teeth was further treated with sodium perborate mixed with distilled water while group B, the control group, the coronal part of endodontically treated teeth were also further treated with sodium perborate mixed with 30% hydrogen peroxide. Information on study participants biodata and satisfaction with treatment were obtained. Tooth shade assessment was done using shade guide units of the vitapan shade guide at baseline and during recall visits on days 7, 14, and 21. Frequencies, means, and standard deviations were generated. The Chi-squared test was used to determine the association between two categorical variables at p < 0.05. Results: In the control group, the mean ± SD tooth shade was 12.5 ± 3.2, 8.7 ± 3.8, 4.9 ± 2.8, and 3.1 ± 2.2 at baseline, Day 7, Day 14, and Day 21, respectively. In the test group, the corresponding values were 12.8 ± 3.2, 9.6 ± 3.9, 5.6 ± 3.0, and 4.0 ± 2.9. The mean ± SD tooth shade scores of the control and test groups were 12.5 ± 3.2 and 12.8 ± 3.2, respectively (p = 0.15). Twenty-two (62.9%) and 19 (54.3%) of the study participants in the control and test groups, respectively, reported that they were extremely satisfied (p = 0.60). Conclusion: The effectiveness of sodium perborate mixed with distilled water and sodium perborate mixed with 30% hydrogen peroxide in lightening the coronal part of endodontically treated non-vital discolored anterior teeth was similar. Both bleaching agents demonstrated similar patient satisfaction.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Oral histopathology services are oral diagnostic procedures. General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) are routinely exposed to oral lesions that require biopsies. Hence, the study's objective of assessing the perception and the utilization of oral histopathology services by GDPs. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at dental clinics distributed across Southwest Nigeria. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of sections addressing the socio-demographic/professional aspects; the beliefs of GDPs and their utilization of oral histopathology services was used to collect data. A modified 5-point Likert rating scale was used to indicate the extent of agreement or disagreement with statement constructs. Analysis was done using SPSS for windows version 20.0. Significance was assessed at 5%. RESULTS: There were 56.1% males and 43.9% females. The peak age range was 30-39 years (35.4%), while 58.5% had ≤ 10 years of practice and 79.3% work in government dental centres. Many of the respondents (61.0%) thought suspicious lesions should be biopsied, 47.6% thought that specialists' skills were not required for biopsy. Furthermore, 53.7% had poor perception scores while 81.1% of those who had seen oral lesions that required biopsies, had poor utilization scores. CONCLUSION: The GDPs had a poor perception and utilization of oral histopathology services. Continuous medical education is needed to increase awareness amongst dentists.