International Association For Dental Research Research Articles

Analysis of conference abstracts of prosthodontic randomised-controlled trials presented at IADR general sessions (2002–2015): a cross-sectional study of the relationship between demographic characteristics, reporting quality and final publication

ObjectivesTo analyse the relationship between demographic characteristics, reporting quality and final publication rate of conference abstracts of prosthodontic randomised-controlled trials (RCTs) presented at International Association for Dental Research (IADR) general...

Implant- supported fixed prostheses give greatest OHRQoL improvement.

Data sources Medline, Cochrane Central, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, Health Technology Assessment Database, Web of Science and the abstracts of conference proceedings for International Association for Dental Research meetings.Study selection Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, and cohort studies measuring pre-treatment to post-treatment change in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) score using validated measures were included.Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers independently screened and selected studies, and extracted data. Risk of bias was assessed independently using the Cochrane tool for RCTs and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale for non-randomised studies. Random effects meta-analysis was used to compare change in OHRQoL scores.Results Twenty one cohort studies and two RCTs were included. Eight studies investigated implant-supported crowns (ISCs), ten studies reported on implant-supported fixed dental prostheses (IFDPs), nine on dental prostheses (TFDPs) and two implant-supported removable dental prostheses (IRDPs). Seventeen papers contributed to the meta-analysis. At nine months the pooled mean OHRQoL change was 15.3 for TFDP, 11.9 for RPD, and 14.9 for IFDP and the pooled standardised OHRQoL change >9 months was 13.2 for TFDP and 15.8 for IFDP. Direct comparisons nine months between TFDP against IFDP and RPD against IFDP significantly favoured IFDP in both cases.Conclusions TFDP and IFDP had short- and long-term positive effects on OHRQoL. RPDs positively affected OHRQoL in the short term. IFDP showed greater short-term improvement in OHRQoL than RPD and TFDP.

Empowering Women Researchers in the New Century: IADR's Strategic Direction.

Gender inequality in science, medicine, and dentistry remains a central concern for the biomedical research workforce today. Although progress in areas of inclusivity and gender diversity was reported, growth has been slow. Women still face multiple challenges in reaching higher ranks and leadership positions while maintaining holistic success in these fields. Within dental research and academia, we might observe trends toward a more balanced pipeline. However, women continue to face barriers in seeking leadership roles and achieving economic equity and scholarship recognition. In an effort to evaluate the status of women in dental research and academia, the authors examined the role of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), a global research organization, which has improved awareness on gender inequality. The goal of this article is to review five crucial issues of gender inequality in oral health research and academics-workforce pipeline, economic inequality, workplace harassment, gender bias in scholarly productivity, and work-life balance-and to discuss proactive steps that the IADR has taken to promote gender equality. Providing networking and training opportunities through effective mentoring and coaching for women researchers, the IADR has developed a robust pipeline of women leaders while promoting gender equality for women in dental academia through a culture shift. As knowledge gaps remained on the levels of conscious and unconscious bias and sexist culture affecting women advancement in academics, as well as the intersectionality of gender with race, gender identity, ability status, sexual orientation, and cultural backgrounds, the IADR has recognized that further research is warranted.

Women Recipients of IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards.

The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Distinguished Scientist Awards are prestigious recognitions of outstanding scientific accomplishments in various areas of dental, oral, and craniofacial research, which correspond to several of the IADR Scientific Groups and Networks. These 17 awards were established over a period of 60 y. The objective of this report is to highlight women recipients of IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards. Additionally, we report the distribution of awards to women scientists over time and compare the number of women nominees, awardees, and gender distribution of the membership. Information about the awards was obtained from the IADR member database and press releases. Information collected included name of the award, year received, and the awardee's name, institution, and position held at the time of the award. For the last 14 y, the time span for which reliable information was available, the gender distribution of the membership of the IADR was also retrieved. Overall, only 13% of the awardees have been women; even in the last 20 y, <20% have been women. In the last 14 y, the number of women awardees paralleled the number of nominees for each award. However, the proportion of women nominees was significantly lower than the female membership each year (P < 0.001). With the exception of 1 y, the percentage of women awardees trailed the women membership of the IADR. In the past 4 y, women represented 12% to 18% of the awardees, whereas they composed 41% to 46% of the IADR's membership. Given the benefits of prestigious recognitions on recruitment and retention of faculty and on attracting new research trainees into a discipline, it is important that policies be implemented to increase the proportion of women nominees for awards to appropriately recognize the efforts of remarkable women scientists.

Commentary: Challenges and Opportunities for Women in Dental Research.

This commentary integrates and expands on the preceding articles in this issue that document and celebrate a century of women's achievements in the International Association for Dental Research (IADR). The increasing participation and leadership of women in dental and craniofacial research and within the IADR were viewed from the perspective of a changing culture of science. The steps that have been taken by the IADR to develop greater inclusiveness are acknowledged, and some of the challenges that remain are discussed in terms of obstacles that are most often social or cultural in origin. Comparisons are made across countries, and the social determinants that lead to differences in women's participation are described. Recommendations are made for developing strategies to change elements of our institutional cultures that have provided advantages to some groups of researchers more than to others. The unconscious biases and a lack of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that limit the participation of members of some groups limit the progress and achievements of science in general.

Then and Now-A Look Inside the Lives of 11 Women Presidents of the IADR.

Extraordinary women scientists-past, current, and elected presidents of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR)-showcase pathways for success and leadership. In this series of autobiographical essays, these women of various cultural backgrounds with diverse areas of research describe their journeys in the passionate pursuit of excellence, despite the frequent obstacles and challenges. Through interviews and in their own words, we recap highlights of their dental research journeys and inspirations, their career trajectories toward the IADR presidency, and the benefits and challenges that they faced in their careers and personal lives. The purpose of this special issue is to honor these women, their life journeys, and how they have contributed to oral health research.

Management of gag reflex for patients undergoing dental treatment.

Management of gag reflex for patients undergoing dental treatment.

An International Working Definition for Quality of Oral Healthcare.

To assess and improve the quality of oral healthcare, we must first agree on what constitutes good care. Currently there is no internationally accepted definition for quality of oral healthcare. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to establish a working definition for quality of oral healthcare that would help to advance further improvements in the field of quality improvement in oral healthcare. The development of the working definition included a 3-step approach: 1) literature screening; 2) expert-based compilation of an initial list of topics, leaning on the National Academy of Medicine framework for quality of care; and 3) a World Café with voting, which took place during the annual general meeting of the International Association for Dental Research in 2018. Following this approach, the collective intelligence of involved participants yielded a comprehensive list of items, prioritized by relevance. The resulting working definition comprises 7 domains—patient safety, effectiveness, efficiency, patient-centeredness, equitability, timeliness, access to care—and 30 items, which together characterize quality of oral healthcare. This aspirational working definition provides the potential to facilitate further conversations and activities aiming at quality improvement in oral healthcare.Knowledge Transfer Statement:This special communication describes the development of a working definition for quality of oral healthcare. The findings of this study are intended to raise awareness of the relevance of quality improvement initiatives in oral healthcare. The working definition described here has the potential to facilitate further conversations and activities aiming at quality improvement in oral healthcare.

Efficacy of light-emitting diode light polymerization units used in private practices in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Efficacy of light-emitting diode light polymerization units used in private practices in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tooth Sensitivity After Dental Bleaching With a Desensitizer-containing and a Desensitizer-free Bleaching Gel: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the risk and intensity of tooth sensitivity (TS) after dental bleaching with a desensitizer-containing and a desensitizer-free bleaching gel in adult patients. Color change and risk of gingival sensitivity was also evaluated. A comprehensive search was performed MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database (LILACS), Brazilian Library in Dentistry (BBO), EMBASE and Cochrane Library, and System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe (SIGLE) without restrictions to identify randomized clinical trials. Abstracts from the annual conference of the International Association for Dental Research (1990-2016), unpublished and ongoing trials registries, dissertations, and theses were also searched. The quality of the evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations: Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. After duplicates were removed, 1352 articles were identified. After title and abstract screening, only 47 studies remained for qualitative evaluation. Most of the studies had unclear risk of bias. No difference between groups were observed for the risk ratio of TS (risk ratio = 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.74-1.33); intensity of TS (standardized difference in means [SMD] = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.79-0.70); color change in shade guide units (SMD - 0.04; 95% CI = 0.50-0.42); color change in ΔE* (SMD = 0.41 (95% CI = 0.07-0.89); and risk ratio of gingival irritation (SMD = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.81-1.36). Except for the risk of TS, graded as moderate quality of evidence, all other outcomes were rated as low and very low quality. Incorporating desensitizers in the bleaching gel did not reduce the risk of TS, and the quality of this evidence was considered moderate. On the other hand, the intensity of TS, color change, and risk of gingival irritation was similar between groups, but the quality of the evidence for these outcomes was graded as low or very low, thus reducing the level of confidence in these outcomes.

Association of risk factors with temporomandibular disorders in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966

Objective: To investigate the association between risk factors and pain-related symptoms and clinical signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in Northern Finland Birth Cohort (NFBC) 1966.Material and methods: A total of 1962 subjects (1050 women, 912 men) attended the follow-up study. The questionnaires included the subjects’ background information concerning living conditions and general health, socioeconomic factors, and dental health. The clinical examination was performed using the modified protocol of Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) presented at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Conference in 2010. Cross-tabulation, a chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to analyze differences between groups.Results: Female gender showed statistically significant association with symptoms and signs of TMD, while marital status, living conditions, and socioeconomic group showed no association. A strong association was found between self-reported health condition as well as general health problems [i.e. depression, migraine, fibromyalgia (FM), gastrointestinal diseases] and TMD pain-related symptoms and pain on palpation in the masticatory muscles and TMJs.Conclusion: In conclusion, general health problems and female gender had a strong association with pain-related symptoms and clinical signs of TMD. These findings are important to take into account when diagnosing and treating TMD patients. Conversely to earlier presented results, no statistically significant association was shown here between marital status, living conditions or socioeconomic group and pain-related symptoms and clinical signs of TMD.

Oral health of the Latin American elders: What we know and what we should do-Position paper of the Latin American Oral Geriatric Group of the International Association for Dental Research.

The purpose of this review was to gather information and discuss oral health status of older people in the Latin American and Caribbean region (LAC). Scarce data are available to portrait the oral situation of older people in the region. This review paper is the result of a meeting of the IADR's Latin American Geriatric Oral Research Group held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in November of 2016, part of the activities of an IADR Regional Development Programme (RDP). A group of researchers from 8 countries of LAC held a discussion using 5 questions related to the oral health situation of older Latin Americans, the most appropriate strategies to face the problem and the challenges for the future, with an open discussion format. In a second step, a group of 6 experts refined the answers and reviewed the existent literature. The review of the evidence revealed that only a few LAC countries have information, which suggests the need for multinational efforts to understand the oral health status and programmes in place. Of the few studies available, it is possible to observe poor oral health as a common feature of older adults in the region. There is a need for the development of national surveys and standardised tools for the assessment of oral health in older adults. Also, intense advocacy to modify and influence public health policies in the different countries of the LAC is strongly recommended.

Impressions from London at the 96th General Session meeting of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR)

Impressions from London at the 96th General Session meeting of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR)

Which adhesive strategy for non-carious cervical lesions?

Data sourcesMedline, Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database (LILACS), Brazilian Library in Dentistry (BBO), Cochrane Library, System for Information on Grey literature in Europe (SIGLE), ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Periódicos Capes Theses database, Current Controlled Trials (www.controlled-trials.com), International Clinical trials registry platform (http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/), the ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov), Rebec (www.rebec.gov.br) and EU Clinical Trials Register (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu), abstracts of the annual conference of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and their regional divisions.Study selectionTwo reviewers selected studies; parallel or split-mouth randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing adhesive strategies were considered.Data extraction and synthesisData were abstracted by two reviewers and into four follow up periods, 1 year; 18 months to 2 years; 3 years and 4 to 5 years. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess study quality. Data outcomes were dichotomous and summarised using relative risks and random effects meta-analysis.ResultsTwenty-nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. Bonding strategy did not influence postoperative sensitivity (risk ratio [RR] 1.04; 95% CI 0.81 to 1.34) or retention rates (RR = 1.04; 95% CI 0.81 to 1.34). The etch-and-rinse approach produced less marginal discoloration at 18 months to 2 years (RR 1.51; 95% CI 1.21 to 1.90) and at 4 to 5 years (RR 1.81; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.55) (p<0.0007).ConclusionsComposite resin restorations placed with self-etch and etch-and-rinse adhesives produce restoration with similar clinical service and POS, however using etch-and-rinse adhesives one can reduce marginal discoloration.

Topical intra-pocket anaesthetic gel reduces the risk and intensity of pain during periodontal scaling and root planing and probing.

Data sourcesMedline, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, BBO, Cochrane Library, SIGLE, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Periódicos Capes Theses, Current Controlled Trials, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, the ClinicalTrials.gov, Rebec (www.rebec.gov.br), EU Clinical Trials Register (www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu), abstracts of the annual conference of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and its regional divisions. Reference lists of primary studies and related articles from PubMed.Study selectionRandomised controlled trials, parallel, crossover or split-mouth designs comparing intra-pocket anaesthesia with an anaesthetic gel with placebo in patients requiring periodontal probing or SRP were considered.Data extraction and synthesisTwo authors shortlisted 11 final articles based on the inclusion criteria. Data extraction was performed by three authors using customised forms after calibration. The risk of bias in the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane collaboration tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised controlled trials.1ResultsThe authors used VAS and Heft-Parker scale to measure pain intensity and reported Hedge's g standardised difference in the means. The mean reduction in VAS and Heft-Parker scale were - 0.576 (CI = - 0.94 to - 0.22; p = 0.002) and - 1.814 (CI = - 3.38 to - 0.245; p = 0.023) respectively. This indicates a positive effect of anaesthetic gel in pain intensity reduction. For risk of pain, the authors reported the odds ratio of 0.025 (CI 0.003-0.25; p = 0.002). As far as the need for rescue anaesthesia using the same anaesthetic gel and/or injected anaesthetics, the odds ratio was 0.358 (95% CI 0.174-0.736; p = 0.005). Both these findings show the efficacy of anaesthetic gel in controlling the risk of pain during SRP and probing.ConclusionsThe risk and intensity of pain during probing and SRP as well as the need for additional rescue anaesthesia using the same anaesthetic gel and/or injected anaesthetics is reduced with the application of topical intra-pocket anaesthetic gel.

Surveillance and monitoring of oral health in elderly people

Continued ageing of the global population is expected to pose significant challenges to maintaining optimum lifelong health in individuals and populations. Oral health is an essential element of general health and quality of life throughout an individual's life course, yet it is often neglected in integrated approaches to general health promotion. Surveillance and monitoring systems are essential for developing oral health policy and strategy at both national and community levels. As major oral diseases, dental caries and periodontal diseases are core indicators for surveillance at every stage of life. In addition, oral mucosal lesions and masticatory function are essential indicators, especially in an ageing population. The assessment of risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption or dietary habits (e.g., sugar intake) is also important for oral disease prevention. Although surveillance is conducted through clinical examinations (normative assessments), this method is becoming more difficult to use because of high costs and human resource shortages, even in high-income countries. Alternative and less resource-demanding approaches, such as self-reported protocols, are therefore needed at the global level. The World Health Organization's (WHO) oral health surveillance and monitoring activities have evolved into the Oral Health STEPwise approach, which includes questionnaire surveys (Step 1) and clinical examinations (Step 2). Collaboration between international organisations such as the World Dental Federation (FDI), WHO and the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) is now needed to coordinate global oral health surveillance and monitoring systems.

Little evidence to support or refute interventions for the management of burning mouth syndrome.

Data sourcesCochrane Oral Health's Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline Ovid, Embase Ovid, US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register (ClinicalTrials.gov) and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Handsearch of the proceedings from the British Society for Oral Medicine (BSOM), British Society for Dental Research (BSDR) and the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).Study selectionAll included studies were randomised placebo controlled trials comparing a treatment to placebo with no language or year of publication restrictions. Symptom relief and changes in quality of life were considered primary outcomes.Data extraction and synthesisTeams of two authors independently screened for inclusion, extracted data using an ad-hoc tool and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane's tool. Outcomes were analysed for <3 months (short term) and ≥3 to ≤6 months (long term). For single studies with multiple interventions, the number of participants in the control group was adjusted to half before combining the results. For crossover studies without washout periods, the first period was analysed. RRs (risk ratios) and 85% confidence intervals were calculated for dichotomous outcomes and MDs (mean differences) and 95% confidence intervals for continuous data.ResultsA total of 23 studies encompassing 1121 patients were included. One study was considered as having overall low risk of bias, four unclear and the rest as high risk of bias. The interventions were grouped into: antidepressants and antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, cholinergics, dietary supplements, electromagnetic radiation, physical barriers, psychological therapies and topical treatments. Short-term symptom relief was demonstrated by: energy waves (one study, 58 participants) MD -30.36, 95% CI -44.22 to -16.50, physical barriers (one study, 50 participants) MD -1.1 95% CI -2.14 to 0.06, the anticonvulsant gabapentin (one study, 100 participants) RR 4.00, 95% CI 2.09 to 7.67 and topical benzodiazepine (two studies, 111 participants) MD -1.89 95% CI -2.19 to -1.59. Long term symptom relief was achieved with topical benzodiazepine (one study, 66 participants) MD -1.39 95% CI -1.96 to 0.83ConclusionsFrom studies mostly classified as high risk of bias, there is insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of any particular intervention for the management of BMS.

AOD Award of Excellence 2017.

AOD Award of Excellence 2017.

Global, Regional, and National Prevalence, Incidence, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years for Oral Conditions for 195 Countries, 1990–2015: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors

The Global Burden of Disease 2015 study aims to use all available data of sufficient quality to generate reliable and valid prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) estimates of oral conditions for the period of 1990 to 2015. Since death as a direct result of oral diseases is rare, DALY estimates were based on years lived with disability, which are estimated only on those persons with unmet need for dental care. We used our data to assess progress toward the Federation Dental International, World Health Organization, and International Association for Dental Research’s oral health goals of reducing the level of oral diseases and minimizing their impact by 2020. Oral health has not improved in the last 25 y, and oral conditions remained a major public health challenge all over the world in 2015. Due to demographic changes, including population growth and aging, the cumulative burden of oral conditions dramatically increased between 1990 and 2015. The number of people with untreated oral conditions rose from 2.5 billion in 1990 to 3.5 billion in 2015, with a 64% increase in DALYs due to oral conditions throughout the world. Clearly, oral diseases are highly prevalent in the globe, posing a very serious public health challenge to policy makers. Greater efforts and potentially different approaches are needed if the oral health goal of reducing the level of oral diseases and minimizing their impact is to be achieved by 2020. Despite some challenges with current measurement methodologies for oral diseases, measurable specific oral health goals should be developed to advance global public health.

Orthodontic retention to have and to hold.

Data sourcesCochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, Embase, US National Institutes of Health Trials Registry and The World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Trials Registry Platform, abstracts from the British Orthodontic Conference, the European Orthodontic Conference and the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) from 2011 to 2015 and the bibliographies of identified studies.Study selectionRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving children and adults who had had retainers fitted or adjunctive procedures undertaken to prevent relapse following orthodontic treatment with braces were considered.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers independently selected studies, abstracted data and assessed study quality. For continuous data mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated with ratios (RR) and 95% CI for dichotomous outcomes.ResultsFifteen studies involving a total of 1722 patients were included. Seven studies were considered to be at high risk of bias, four at low risk and four at unclear risk. For removable retainers versus fixed retainers (three studies) there was low quality evidence that thermoplastic removable retainers provided slightly poorer stability in the lower arch than multistrand fixed retainers: MD (Little's Irregularity Index, 0 mm is stable) 0.6 mm (95% CI 0.17 to 1.03) and of less gingival bleeding with removable retainers: RR 0.53 (95%CI; 0.31 to 0.88). Patients found fixed retainers more acceptable to wear, with a mean difference on a visual analogue scale (VAS; 0 to 100; 100 being very satisfied) of -12.84 (95% CI -7.09 to -18.60).For different types of fixed retainers (four studies) data from three studies (228 patients) comparing polyethylene ribbon bonded retainer versus multistrand retainer were pooled showing no evidence of a difference in failure rates. RR = 1.10 (95%CI; 0.77 to 1.57).Pooled data from two trials (174 patients) comparing the same types of upper fixed retainers, showed a similar finding: RR =1.25 (95%CI; 0.87 to 1.78).For different types of removable retainers (eight studies) one study at low risk of bias comparing upper and lower part-time thermoplastic versus full-time thermoplastic retainers showed no evidence of a difference in relapse (graded moderate quality evidence). Another study, comparing part-time and full-time wear of lower Hawley retainers, found no evidence of any difference in relapse (low quality evidence). Two studies at high risk of bias suggested that stability was better in the lower arch for thermoplastic retainers versus Hawley, and for thermoplastic full-time versus Begg (fulltime) (both low quality evidence). In one study, participants wearing Hawley retainers reported more embarrassment more often than participants wearing thermoplastic retainers: RR 2.42 (95% CI 1.30 to 4.49; one trial, 348 participants, high risk of bias, low quality evidence). They also found Hawley retainers harder to wear. There was conflicting evidence about survival rates of Hawley and thermoplastic retainers.For combination of upper thermoplastic and lower bonded versus upper thermoplastic with lower adjunctive procedures versus positioner (one study) there was no evidence of a difference in relapse between the combination of an upper thermoplastic and lower canine to canine bonded retainer and the combination of an upper thermoplastic retainer and lower interproximal stripping, without a lower retainer. Both these approaches are better than using a positioner as a retainer.ConclusionsWe did not find any evidence that wearing thermoplastic retainers fulltime provides greater stability than wearing them part-time, but this was assessed in only a small number of participants. Overall, there is insufficient high quality evidence to make recommendations on retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces. Further high quality RCTs are needed.