Dental Area Research Articles

Grey Areas in Restorative Dentistry: Part 2. The Diagnosis: Dental Pain

In order to help those who seek our care with a problem, whether real or perceived, overt or covert, it is essential to make a diagnosis. Arriving at a diagnosis involves multiple steps, including taking a dental/medical history, performing a physical examination, undertaking diagnostic tests, and then examining the data to come to the best explanation for the situation presented. Only after this process can the options for management be properly considered CPD/Clinical Relevance: Pain management is an essential part of dental practice and requires an accurate diagnosis.

Three-Dimensionally-Printed Polymer and Composite Materials for Dental Applications with Focus on Orthodontics.

Three-dimensional printing has transformed dentistry by enabling the production of customized dental restorations, aligners, surgical guides, and implants. A variety of polymers and composites are used, each with distinct properties. This review explores materials used in 3D printing for dental applications, focusing on trends identified through a literature search in PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science. The most studied areas include 3D-printed crowns, bridges, removable prostheses, surgical guides, and aligners. The development of new materials is still ongoing and also holds great promise in terms of environmentally friendly technologies. Modern manufacturing technologies have a promising future in all areas of dentistry: prosthetics, periodontology, dental and oral surgery, implantology, orthodontics, and regenerative dentistry. However, further studies are needed to safely introduce the latest materials, such as nanodiamond-reinforced PMMA, PLA reinforced with nanohydroxyapatite or magnesium, PLGA composites with tricalcium phosphate and magnesium, and PEEK reinforced with hydroxyapatite or titanium into clinical practice.

Grey areas in restorative dentistry: introduction

Grey areas in restorative dentistry: introduction

Grey areas in restorative dentistry: part 1. what are the aims of treatment?

Every dental practitioner makes decisions about how to manage the various clinical and ethical challenges that patients present. There is a need to balance the demands of the patient with the ethical requirements of the profession and the moral position of the practitioner. It is essential to establish with the patient, before any treatment is carried out, what outcomes are required so that a mutually agreed care plan can be drawn up and acted upon. This article explores the clinical and moral and ethical challenges that can arise in the patient–practitioner relationship. CPD/Clinical Relevance: All practitioners will be faced with the issues raised in this article.

DENTAL'S AREA LEARNING MODEL AS AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE AND TEETH BRUSHING SKILLS PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Background: Preschool children have different characteristics from children of other ages, so that maximizing their cognitive, affective and psychomotor potential requires appropriate learning methods. Dental's Learning Area Model is a dental health education model that gives preschool children, especially the 3-4 year age group, the choice to choose the areas they want to learn about dental and oral health so that with this choice children are able to optimize learning according to their criteria and abilities. Objective: Develop a Dental's Area Learning Model as an effort to increase knowledge and skills in brushing teeth and reduce the Plaque Control Record (PCR) of preschool children. Method: Quasy Experiment Pretest And Posttest With Control Group Design, Research subjects were preschool children aged 3-4 years who were divided into 2 groups: 1. Dental's Area Learning Model intervention for 14 days through 4 stages of activities, namely training, simulation, brushing practice teeth and evaluation in children. 2. 14 day tooth brushing model as control. Dependent variable: knowledge and teeth brushing skills. Data were tested using Wilcoxon and Independent t-test. Results: Dental's Area Learning Model is effective in increasing students' knowledge of brushing teeth with a p-value of =0.000 and brushing skills with a p-value of 0.000 (<0.05). Conclusion: Dental's Area Learning Model is effective in increasing knowledge and teeth brushing skills in preschool children

PECULIARITIES OF TEACHING THE DISCIPLINE "ORTHOPEDIC DENTISTRY, INCL. IMPLANTATION" SPP DENTISTRY AT MILITARY CONDITION

In the conditions of rapid development of modern dentistry, the providing of high-quality dental services is extremely important and requires the presence of qualified specialists. Therefore, their acquisition of professional competences should take place starting from the student ranks. Educational discipline "Orthopedic dentistry, incl. implantation" OPP Dentistry is studied by students during 3-5 courses and ensures that students acquire integral, general and professional competencies for the future provision of high-quality dental consultations and services with the use and application of modern aesthetic orthopedic structures for the replacement of partial and complete defects of the dentition, as well as elimination of pathology, which contributes to the occurrence of defects in the hard tissues of the teeth. In addition, the process of examining patients in order to establish a diagnosis and draw up a treatment plan is important. Therefore, the application of the latest teaching methods includes a combination of both theoretical knowledge and practice and consolidation of acquired and properly mastered practical skills. The education of foreign students is of great importance, which, in connection with military actions and constant air alerts caused by the danger caused by the activity of enemy strategic aviation taking place in our country, is conducted in a mixed format (online for students who are at home (by border) and offline for foreign students living and studying in Ukraine) using innovative multimedia teaching methods. The constant and continuous development of modern technologies in the field of stomatology also requires the introduction of the latest training tools and methods associated with the use of modern methods and technological support. All these challenges today are combined with student education, which takes place under martial law and requires a special approach. Therefore, it is important to provide education seekers with proper professional and safe learning conditions, which will make it possible to fully and comprehensively provide a comprehensive complex of both theoretical and practical training of future dental specialists. Thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the clear consolidation and mutual cooperation of teachers and students, the learning process not only does not stop, but also continues to develop productively, making it possible to provide and provide a sufficient amount of professional competences under the condition of simultaneous and parallel objective control of the acquisition and consolidation of appropriate level of knowledge of students of all courses and areas of dentistry. The purpose of the study is directed to the organization and implementation of the latest teaching methods with the maximum use of modern equipment and methods while respecting life safety. Materials and methods. The Department of Orthopedic Dentistry of the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University implements the educational program "Orthopedic Dentistry, incl. implantation" SPP Dentistry in military time conditions, aimed at students' acquisition of integral, general and professional competencies for the future provision of high-quality dental services. Research results. They indicate the need to introduce the latest actions and methods of training in connection with the constant development of modern technologies in the branch of dentistry. The conclusions of this study indicate the presence of feedback from students who is interested and stimulated by a new approach in studying, combined with real clinical cases and modern methods of their treatment and orthopedic treatment.

Topic Modeling as a Tool to Identify Research Diversity: A Study Across Dental Disciplines

This study investigates the diversity and evolution of research topics within the dental sciences from 1994 to 2023, using Topic modeling and Shannon’s entropy as a measure of research diversity. We analyzed a dataset of 412,036 scientific articles across six dental disciplines: Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, Periodontics, Implant Dentistry, Oral Surgery, and Restorative Dentistry. This research relies on BERTopic to identify distinct topics within each field. The study revealed significant shifts in research focus over time, with some disciplines exhibiting robust growth in article numbers, such as Periodontics and Prosthodontics. However, despite the overall increase in publications, the number of topics per discipline varied, with Restorative Dentistry increasing at a faster rate and exceeding 50 topics over the last 15 years. We observed an increasing diversification of research efforts in disciplines such as Restorative Dentistry, with entropy levels consistently above 2 and progressively increasing. In contrast, fields such as Prosthodontics, despite high publication output, maintained a more specialized research focus, reflected in entropy levels remaining below 1.5. Oral Surgery showed a steep increase in research diversification until 2000, after which it stabilized. Taken together, our findings describe the dynamic nature of dental research and highlight the balance shifts in research focus across several key areas of Dentistry.

The use of Bioceramic Cements in the Obturation of the Root Canal System

As one of the main areas of Dentistry, Endodontics aims to repair periradicular tissues, allowing the affected tooth to reestablish its functions through its treatment. With this objective in mind, different types of root canal sealers (RCS) have been created in order to improve the healing of desired tissues. The main objective of this work is to analyze, through a literature review, studies on the use of second generation bioceramic cement in the voids of root canal systems, highlighting the essential properties in its clinical use, its advantages and disadvantages, and also compare its effectiveness with the oldest cements on the market. The methodology used was bibliographic research, exploring in sources such as research articles, meta-analysis and clinical trials published in Portuguese and English, selected through the search descriptors PubMed, Lilacs and Scielo. The results of the studies showed the efficacy in the use of bioceramic cement in the voids of root canal systems, since they have the ability to fill and seal, manifesting dimensional stability, avoiding the recontamination of the canals, among other benefits. However, in relation to retreatment, this type of sealer presented some difficulties in its removal when traditional techniques were used, being indicated to associate the use of mechanized techniques to improve its removal. It could also be observed the need for further studies in this area, as the analyzed studies have limitations, due to such types of cements being still relatively new to the market, meaning that the long-term success rate of the treatment is still unclear.

A review on modern prosthodontic practice using laser.

Lasers are a very appealing technology in many areas of dentistry because of their minimally invasive nature, quick tissue interaction & response, and ability to heal. Numerous investigations on the possible uses of lasers in dentistry have been carried out since Maiman developed the ruby laser in 1960. Numerous applications such as quick prototyping and computer-aided design, and the study of occlusion in complete denture using three-dimensional laser scanning has been used to develop dentures. Its uses are numerous from fixed prosthodontics to dentinal hypersensitivity treatment to surface treatment of base metal alloys. These days, it even encompasses maxillofacial prosthodontics and dental implantology. Hence, it is of interest to review the use of lasers in clinical prosthodontics.

Scientific evidence available after 18 years of application of fibrin rich in platelets and leukocytes in the repair of surgical wounds: An integrative review

Introduction: In the last 18 years, Platelet and Leukocyte Rich Fibrin (L-PRF) has emerged as an innovative biomaterial in regenerative medicine and dentistry, standing out for its ability to continuously release growth factors and promote more efficient healing. However, the variability in the preparation and application of L-PRF, together with the lack of standardization, represent major challenges, increasing the need for further research to improve and standardize its clinical use. Materials and Methods: This study is an integrative review, with no need to submit it to the Research Ethics Committee. The guiding question was: “What is the main evidence in the literature on the applications of platelet- and leukocyte-rich fibrin in dentistry?”. Results and Discussion: L-PRF has proved effective in various areas of dentistry. In implantology, it accelerates bone healing and improves implant integration. In periodontics, it promotes regeneration of bone damage and improves the quality of periodontal tissue. In gingival recessions and soft tissue lesions, it accelerates regeneration and reduces post-operative discomfort. In periodontal and maxillofacial surgery, it contributes to a faster and more comfortable recovery from swelling and pain. Variability in the preparation and application of L-PRF is still a challenge, and standardization of protocols is essential to ensure more consistent and predictable results. Conclusion: After 18 years, L-PRF has shown beneficial effects in dentistry, especially in terms of bone regeneration and improved post-operative healing. However, the standardization of protocols seems to be crucial in order to improve its clinical results.

Current Progress in the Development of Resin Materials with Nanofillers for 3D Printing of Denture Base

Background: Advanced manufacturing techniques, such as three-dimensional (3D) printing, use digital models from computer-aided design to produce 3D objects. They are frequently employed in different areas of dentistry, such as orthodontics, oral implantology, and prosthodontics. Purpose: The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview of 3D-printing technology for denture bases and explore the influence of incorporating different fillers into 3D-printed denture base resins on their physical, mechanical, and biological characteristics. Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching papers published between 2010 and 2023 in several online databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane library, and Google Scholar. The main inclusion criteria used during the search was identifying the papers which added nanoparticles in the resin as an agent to bring different functional characteristics within the 3D-printed denture base resin. Furthermore, even though the search criteria were set for finding papers from the past 10 years, development in this field has accelerated in the past 4–5 years. Findings: Various fillers have exhibited promising results in terms of their ability to improve the functional properties of the 3D-printed denture base resins. However, such improvements come at a higher cost with careful resin preparation when considering the filler particles, the fabrication complexities and the extensive post-processing that is required. Conclusions: The use of 3D-printing approaches and fillers to fabricate dentures is associated with significant benefits in terms of imparting functional properties, consistency in fabrication and opportunities for innovation. However, further research is required to acquire a better understanding of the holistic, long-term performance of various filler materials, concentrations, their clinical relevance and particularly the potential health risks from the fillers.

The Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Pedodontics: A Scoping Review of Evidence-Based Literature.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a revolutionary technology with several applications across different dental fields, including pedodontics. This systematic review has the objective to catalog and explore the various uses of artificial intelligence in pediatric dentistry. A thorough exploration of scientific databases was carried out to identify studies addressing the usage of AI in pediatric dentistry until December 2023 in the Embase, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases by two researchers, S.L.R. and A.L.G. From a pool of 1301 articles, only 64 met the predefined criteria and were considered for inclusion in this review. From the data retrieved, it was possible to provide a narrative discussion of the potential implications of AI in the specialized area of pediatric dentistry. The use of AI algorithms and machine learning techniques has shown promising results in several applications of daily dental pediatric practice, including the following: (1) assisting the diagnostic and recognizing processes of early signs of dental pathologies, (2) enhancing orthodontic diagnosis by automating cephalometric tracing and estimating growth and development, (3) assisting and educating children to develop appropriate behavior for dental hygiene. AI holds significant potential in transforming clinical practice, improving patient outcomes, and elevating the standards of care in pediatric patients. Future directions may involve developing cloud-based platforms for data integration and sharing, leveraging large datasets for improved predictive results, and expanding AI applications for the pediatric population.

A flipped classroom approach for dental undergraduate pre-clinical skills training in fixed prosthodontics

Proficiency in practical areas of pre-clinical dentistry must be demonstrated by students in a simulated environment before commencing treatments on patients. Time within simulation teaching laboratories is a finite resource, and this time pressure can lead to behaviours that are detrimental to fine motor skill development. The objective of this case study was to apply a flipped classroom approach for dental undergraduates during pre-clinical skills training to increase time for simulation. A flipped classroom method was implemented during the fixed prosthodontic (dental crown or ‘caps’) component, with lectures and instructional videos delivered in advance of practical sessions. A student evaluation questionnaire was completed by 64 of the 71 participating students (90.14%) and this was compared to the previous cohort who received the traditional didactic face-to-face demonstrations. Statistically significant improvements were identified by students in several areas. Simulation is a widespread teaching modality in healthcare education; adopting a flipped classroom approach can help educators deliver this training in a manner that enhances student development and the current case study is one such positive example in the field of undergraduate dental education. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0 .

The potential effect of silver nanoparticles to inhibit microbial activity in orthodontic adhesive appliances: A literature review

Silver nanoparticles have been the focus of research in various areas of dentistry, including orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment requires a long period of time, so the brackets are in the oral cavity for a long time. This can potentially trigger the formation of white spot lesions because plaque sticks more easily to the surrounding enamel. Using silver nanoparticles mixed with orthodontic adhesives has been reported to increase antibacterial and antimicrobial characteristics. This literature review aims to investigate the effect of adding silver nanoparticles to orthodontic adhesive devices in inhibiting antimicrobial activity. This study method was carried out by searching the online electronic databases PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar with the keywords "silver nanoparticles AND antimicrobial", "silver nanoparticles AND orthodontic adhesive", "silver nanoparticles AND composite resin", which is an original article published the year 2019- 2023. The results of research from 10 articles that met the inclusion criteria showed that orthodontic adhesives with silver nanoparticles effectively inhibited microbial activity, such as Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans), Lactobacillus acidophilus (L.acidophilus), Streptococcus sanguinis (S.sanguinis) and Candida albicans through increased release of Ag+ ions. Silver has been known to have effects, including producing minimal bacterial resistance compared to antibiotics. Even though it results in a decrease in the shear bond strength (SBS), the decrease level is still within clinically tolerable limits. It can be concluded that research needs to continue to be developed to obtain the right concentration and composition of the addition of silver nanoparticles so that an orthodontic adhesive material is obtained that is not only superior in its antibacterial properties but also in its mechanical properties.

Pre-prosthetic atraumatic laser-assisted mandibular rehabilitation: Er,Cr:YSGG 2780 nm for alveoloplasty and mucocele removal. A case report

Lasers are a popular technology in many areas of dentistry due to their low invasiveness, quick tissue response, and rapid healing time. Mucoceles develop from minor salivary glands, whereas bony exostosis is a prosthodontic challenge that prevents optimal prosthetic management. Scarring, pain, and discomfort are common drawbacks of traditional surgical approaches, which are followed by prolonged postoperative healing. Laser-assisted mandibular rehabilitation is a promising approach with predictable results. The patient complained of severe pain during denture fabrication, as well as a small, painless swelling on the inner aspect of the lower lip. The patient was able to receive the planned complete dentures after undergoing atraumatic laser-assisted removal of mucocele and bone exostosis with an Er,Cr:YSGG (Erbium, chromium-doped, yttrium, scandium, gallium, and garnet) laser treatment at 2780 nm. Both procedures were completed quickly, and there were no postoperative complications to report. Blanching overlying both lesions quickly faded after healing and was replaced by a healthy pink mucosal color; both lesions were monitored until complete healing. The Er,Cr:YSGG effectively ablated and removed both soft and hard tissue lesions with minimal bleeding and pain.

Pre-prosthetic atraumatic laser-assisted mandibular rehabilitation: Er,Cr:YSGG 2780 nm for alveoloplasty and mucocele removal. A case report

Lasers are a popular technology in many areas of dentistry due to their low invasiveness, quick tissue response, and rapid healing time. Mucoceles develop from minor salivary glands, whereas bony exostosis is a prosthodontic challenge that prevents optimal prosthetic management. Scarring, pain, and discomfort are common drawbacks of traditional surgical approaches, which are followed by prolonged postoperative healing. Laser-assisted mandibular rehabilitation is a promising approach with predictable results. The patient complained of severe pain during denture fabrication, as well as a small, painless swelling on the inner aspect of the lower lip. The patient was able to receive the planned complete dentures after undergoing atraumatic laser-assisted removal of mucocele and bone exostosis with an Er,Cr:YSGG (Erbium, chromium-doped, yttrium, scandium, gallium, and garnet) laser treatment at 2780 nm. Both procedures were completed quickly, and there were no postoperative complications to report. Blanching overlying both lesions quickly faded after healing and was replaced by a healthy pink mucosal color; both lesions were monitored until complete healing. The Er,Cr:YSGG effectively ablated and removed both soft and hard tissue lesions with minimal bleeding and pain.

Interpretation of biosafety in endodontics by means of a literature review using PRISMA 2020 methodology

Biosafety is of great importance in all areas of health care, including endodontic procedures, since they represent a high risk of biological transmission of diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis, among others. The aim of the study was to interpret biosafety in endodontics by means of a literature review using PRISMA 2020 methodology. It was an observational, retrospective and descriptive study corresponding to the exploratory level, following the guidelines of the PRISMA 2020 methodology, combining the terms 'biosafety' and 'endodontics' in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The results highlighted the importance of biosafety in endodontic procedures and it was found that endodontics is used to treat different types of endodontic infections with high bacterial loads, so the correct use of biosafety barriers and protocols is necessary, since the area of dentistry has a high risk of biological contagion. It was also shown that biosafety comprises a set of rules, precautions and guidelines used in various scientific research and teaching activities to prevent risks or infections associated with exposure to agents that may be infectious or present significant biological, chemical or physical risks. It was concluded that endodontics and its procedures require strict compliance with biosafety protocols to ensure a high success rate and safeguard the health of the professional, the patient and the work team

Перспективи використання телемедицини в стоматології

Telemedicine is one of the innovative directions that has been actively developing for many years and is able, at least partially, to meet the needs of the medical and educational spheres. This is a relatively new direction in the health care system, based on the possibilities of rapid exchange of medical information between medical workers and patients, specialists of different medical institutions who may be at different distances to provide qualified medical care, as well as application in the field of medical education. The aim is to analyse the possible prospects for using telemedicine resources in various areas of dentistry. The introduction of telemedicine in the field of practical health care, including in such a specific field as dentistry, was facilitated by the lack of specialized medical care and specialists, the uneven geographical distribution of primary and specialized care, high national costs for health care, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, emergencies and military operations. Telemedicine is designed to improve the quality of medical care by minimizing the time between the diagnosis of a disease, the selection of a personalized scheme and the start of its effective treatment, and also provides and expands access to specialized and high-quality medical services in regions where they are not available. Telemedicine is developing at the intersection of several fields - medicine, telecommunications, and information technologies. Today, telemedicine includes various forms, projects and procedures, among which the main ones are: telemedical consultation (remote discussion of a clinical case) - deferred and in-person remote consultation; biotelemetry (telemonitoring); home (individual) telemedicine; telescreening; telepresence; teleassistance; Distance Learning. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Scientometric analysis of dissertation papers on pediatric dentistry in Russia

BACKGROUND: One of the crucial directions of scientific research within the scientific specialty “Dentistry” is the study of pediatric dentistry as an independent area of scientific knowledge and development of its scientific directions. Comprehensive research on the development of scientific directions and assessment of modern trends in the field of pediatric dentistry over the past quarter century has not been conducted. Analysis and comparison of scientific research conducted on each problem of pediatric dentistry is warranted.
 AIM: To assess the state of scientific research and identify priority areas in pediatric dentistry from 1993 to 2020.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 977 dissertation abstracts on pediatric dentistry, previously selected and added to the database, were analyzed. This study focused on dental issues in children and adolescents as presented in dissertation materials from 1993 to 2020.
 RESULTS: A scientific search of electronic databases revealed 977 dissertation abstracts on dental care issues in children. On average, 35.0±2.5 studies were presented annually for consideration by dissertation councils. The main research directions were as follows: pediatric therapeutic dentistry, 375 studies (38.4%); orthodontics and dentofacial anomalies in children, 229 dissertations (23.4%); epidemiology, public health, and organization of dental care for children, 125 studies (12.8%); surgical dentistry and maxillofacial surgery in children, 203 studies (20.8%); pediatric orthopedic dentistry, 33 studies (3.4%); and highly focused research (morphology, anesthesiology, etc.), 12 studies (1.2%).
 CONCLUSION: The study of pediatric dentistry issues in Russia has a comprehensive nature, representing one-fifth of all scientific research in dentistry as a whole.

Direct 3D printing aligners - past, present and future possibilities.

The aim of this paper is to introduce the general dentist to recent advances in 3D printing technology used in orthodontics. 3D printing is a highly evolving area of dentistry with continual developments. New advances now allow the in-house delivery of printed aligners. Advocates of this new technology suggest the benefits of more prescriptive and controlled tooth movement in comparison to conventional thermoformed appliances. However, there is currently limited evidence on the efficiency of this material and more research needs to be carried out to validate this new technology.