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Background: The Minamata Convention embodies a worldwide reduction in the production and use of mercury and mercury-containing products and processes, including a phase-down of dental amalgam. This will change the approach to the use of direct restorative materials in the near future. There is little research as to the influence of clinical factors on dentists' decision-making which may be of use when determining the impact of any change.Methods: An online survey relating to aspects of and attitudes to the use of direct restorative materials was distributed to all dentists who were members of the Australian Dental Association and/or members or fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. Data were statistically analysed.Results: There were 408 respondents to the survey. Eighty-seven per cent of respondents (strongly) disagreed that amalgam was a technically more difficult material to place compared with resin composite, 82% (strongly) disagreed that placement time for amalgam was longer than that for resin composite and 69% (strongly) disagreed that amalgam was more difficult to finish than resin composite. Eighty-three per cent of respondents stated they were confident in their ability to place amalgam restorations. Where physical properties were of importance, indirect restorations were preferred (e.g. parafunction) 54%. The factors considered most important when choosing a direct restorative material included moisture control and aesthetics; least important factors were cost and time to place.Conclusions: There is consensus that amalgam is not more technically difficult to use, place or finish than resin composite and vice versa. There is recognition that both amalgam and resin composite have limitations in terms of physical properties. When choosing a direct restorative material, clinical factors considered to be of greatest importance are moisture control, aesthetics and the need to apply minimally invasive approaches. There is little difference in the opinions of users and non-users of amalgam with respect to these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The importance attached to ethical practice and related informed consent varies among health professionals and is further influenced by working environments, level of knowledge, experience and societal values and beliefs. The objective of this study is to evaluate the ethical conduct of professors, undergraduates and graduate students through questionnaires answered by patients. Methods: One hundred twenty (120) patients at the dental clinics of three different dental schools in São Paulo State were interviewed based on objective and discursive questions about signed informed consent, participation in scientific research, photographs during treatment, requested saliva samples, tooth donation requests, and information about tooth destination after removal. A frequency distribution (absolute and percentage values) was used for a statistical analysis of the data. Results: In all, 65.8% of the patients had given signed informed consent for treatment and 12.5% had not done so; 10.8% did not know if they had participated in scientific research; 54.2% were photographed during dental procedures and 47.1% of them had signed an authorization form; 6.6% were requested to provide a saliva sample and 66.6% of them had signed an authorization form to that effect; 16.1% had a tooth donation requested and 64.4% of them had signed an authorization form to that effect; and 61.3% did not know the destination of the tooth after removal, when donation was not requested. Conclusions: The majority of the patients had signed an informed consent form for treatment, photographs, saliva samples and tooth donation. This demonstrated ethical conduct towards patients on the part of professors, undergraduates and graduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aims of this study were to examine variations in levels of access to public oral health services in New South Wales by teenagers from 2004-05 to 2014-15 and to determine whether more teenagers have been treated with preventive dental items in keeping with the strategic shift statewide towards prevention and early intervention.Methods: This study involved an analysis of a subset of the New South Wales Oral Health Data Collection for teenagers treated in the New South Wales Public Oral Health Service in the financial years 2004-05 to 2014-15. Relevant Australian Dental Association dental service item groups are reported for teenagers by year as a percentage of total visits delivered in that year.Results: The utilization of the New South Wales Public Oral Health Service by teenagers has remained relatively stable over the 11 years at approximately 6%, while the provision of some preventive items increased over the time period.Conclusions: There were important differences found in access by teenagers to preventive items by socio-economic status and rurality, and these differences will be targeted over the coming years by New South Wales Public Oral Health Services and better monitored by a new electronic oral health record being implemented statewide from 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Noise is a source of pervasive occupational hazard for practicing dentists and the patients. The sources of dental sounds by various dental equipments can pose as a potential hazard to hearing system and add to the annoyance levels of the patients. The aim of the study was to analyze the noise levels from various equipments and evaluate the effect of acoustic noise stimulus on dental fear and annoyance levels among patients attending different dental clinic setups in Jaipur, India. Methodology: The sampling frame comprised of 180 patients, which included 90 patients attending 10 different private clinics and 90 patients attending a Dental College in Jaipur. The levels of Acoustic Noise Stimulus originating from different equipments were determined using a precision sound level meter/decibulometer. Dental fear among patients was measured using Dental Fear Scale (DFS). Results: Statistical analysis was performed using chi square test and unpaired t-test. The mean background noise levels were found to be maximum in the pre-clinical setup/ laboratory areas (69.23+2.20). Females and the patients attending dental college setup encountered more fear on seeing the drill as compared to the patients attending private clinics (p<0.001). Conclusion: The sources of dental sounds can pose as a potential hazard to hearing system. It was analyzed that the environment in the clinics can directly have an effect on the fear and annoyance levels of patients. Hence it is necessary control the noise from various dental equipments to reduce the fear of patients from visiting a dental clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the importance of amount of gingival display on smile esthetics and facial attractiveness in males and females with different facial forms by orthodontists as well as lay person. Materials and Methods: Frontal photographs of 18 male and female patients (9 male and 9 female) each, at a posed smile, seeking treatment in the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics were obtained. The photographs were divided in 3 groups based on their facial forms (Short face, Average face and Long face) and were altered by moving the dentition within the lip frame of the captured photograph to bring about different gingival display at smile. The pictures were divided into six groups with gingival exposures of 0 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm and 5 mm. The pictures were rated for attractiveness by four sets of evaluators - male and female Orthodontists and male and female lay evaluators. The statistical analysis methods used for the study included Mean score calculation, standard deviation and Analysis of variance: [test (Mono- Variance)]. The Student t test (two tailed, independent) has been used to find the significance of rating scores between lay person and orthodontist, and also between males and females evaluators. Results: No significant difference in ratings of gingival display in the 3 groups of photographs was noted by lay person and orthodontists. The results point to the fact that the influence of amount of gingival display on smile esthetics was independent of the facial form. It was also observed that gingival display of 0 mm to 2 mm was acceptable to both the lay person and the orthodontists. Conclusion: As the amount of gingival display increased, the ratings for facial attractiveness by both orthodontists and lay person decreased. Higher scores were given by both orthodontists and lay person for photographs which showed gingival display of 0-2 mm, suggesting this value to be most acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose: Scores of the Oral Salutogenic Score (OSS) and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-20 (MOS SF-20) of university students in Taiwan and Japan were determined to compare the oral and general health status of students in these 2 countries. Materials and methods: The oral health of students enrolled in 1 national university and 1 private university from each country were examined by trained dentists. Student ages ranged 18-25 years with 674 (371 males and 303 females) from Taiwan and 1117 (506 males and 611 females) from Japan. For convenience, 1 national university and 1 private university from each country were chosen, and students not majoring in oral health were investigated using a selfadministered questionnaire filled out by all students. The questionnaires consisted of the MOS SF-20 and OSS. The students' oral-health conditions were examined by 10 dentists in Taiwan and Japan after undergoing training on private university students in each country. Results: As to questions concerning general health, 20% of Japanese university students answered "excellent" compared to only 5-10% of Taiwanese university students. Values of the decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT) index were 4.8 and 5.0 for male and female Japanese students, and 5.9 and 8.0 for Taiwanese ones. Values of the DMFT index of the first permanent molar were 2.1 and 2.3 for male and female Japanese students, which were lower than those of Taiwanese (2.3 and 2.9, respectively) (adjusted odds ratio: 13.1; 95% confidence interval: 3.9-44.3). The proportion of Taiwanese students with swollen gums was higher than that of Japanese students (adjusted odds ratio: 5.3; 95% confidence interval: 4.1-6.7). The proportion of Taiwanese students who had access to a family dentist was lower than for Japanese students (adjusted odds ratio: 5.3; 95% confidence interval: 4.1-6.7). Indices of health perception on the MOS for Taiwanese (51.8-58.2%) were lower than those of Japanese students (69.3-72.3%). The Japanese student's physical functioning, social functioning, health perceptions, and pain scores were significantly better than those of Taiwanese students (P <0.001). The Taiwanese student's mental health score was significantly higher than that of Japanese students (P <0.05). Conclusion: The status of oral and general health of Taiwan students was worse than that of their Japanese counterparts. This might have been due to differences in regularity of visiting family dental services, health perceptions, public oral-health policies, preventive strategies during early life stages, and health perceptions of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Attached gingiva is important for maintaining periodontium in a healthy state. The present study tries to find the normal values of width of attached gingiva in a periodontally healthy Indian population. Material and Methods: The width of attached gingiva was measured with a periodontal probe in periodontally healthy patients attending the periodontics department. Descriptive statistical analysis was done to get the mean, which will represent the normal values of width of attached gingiva for the population. Results: Female patients had a greater width than males and the 20 to 30 year old group had the greatest width of attached gingiva. The mean values of attached gingiva varied in different areas of the mouth with greatest width in maxillary central incisors and least in mandibular molars. Conclusion: Width of attached gingiva varies with age, gender and in different areas of the mouth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether there are differences in self-awareness and perception of an individual's own profile among various groups. Materials and Methods: Laypeople, orthodontic patients, and first (D1) and third-year dental (D3) students were surveyed (n = 75 each). The participants answered a questionnaire regarding how they felt about their own profile and teeth. They also chose from among various silhouettes the one that most resembled their own profile. Profile photos of participants were analyzed by two orthodontists who matched the individual to the depicted silhouettes. Agreement between participants and experts was evaluated using the Kappa statistic. Differences among groups in identifying their own profiles and differences among profile types in satisfaction with their appearance were compared using χ². Results: Overall agreement between the individuals' perceptions of their own profiles and evaluation by orthodontists was 53% (κ = .15). The four groups were different in their ability to recognize their own profile (P < .05). D3s were most accurate (64%, κ = .28), followed by D1s (57%, κ = .10), orthodontic patients (48%, κ = .19), and laypeople (43%, κ = .04). Individuals who considered themselves as having a Class II or III profile were less satisfied with the appearance of their profiles (P < .05). Those who considered themselves as having a Class III profile were also less happy with the appearance of their teeth (P < .05). Conclusions: This study suggests that about half the population cannot characterize their own profile. However, subjects who perceived their own profiles as being different from average were more likely to be unhappy with their facial appearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Continuing professional development (CPD) has been long considered an integral component of professional practice across a range of health professions. It is believed to ensure the maintenance of practitioner clinical competence and knowledge of current concepts. This study investigated the participation in and attitudes of Victorian dental personnel to CPD activities. Methods: A self-administered cross-sectional survey of a random sample of registered dental care providers (n = 451) was conducted from March to June 2005 using an anonymous, postal, self-administered questionnaire. Results: The response rate was low (48.1 per cent). Nearly 90 per cent of respondents attended a CPD course in 2004, with the mean hours of attendance ranging from 8.3 to 36.9 hours, depending on registration category. Nearly half of the dentists attended more than 20 hours of CPD courses, while less than 20 per cent of prosthetists attended more than 15 hours of CPD courses. Three-quarters of respondents supported mandatory CPD as a condition of registration. Conclusions: There was a high level of participation in continuing professional development activities by surveyed Victorian dental care providers in 2004, although more than half of the dentists and specialists, and nearly two-thirds of therapists, hygienists and prosthetists would fail to meet the new DPBV mandatory requirements for CPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: The mouth is regarded as a mirror and the gateway to health. Integration is required between the dental practitioner and the patient, if good dental health is to be attained. Various treatment modalities of late frequently require appointments, which are more than one in number for completion of the entire treatment program. This study was taken up to determine the impact of reported dental attendance patterns of patients on the oral health and treatment quality in teaching hospitals and also on the quality of life in rural areas.Aims and Objectives: 1. To assess the reasons for irregular dental care in the patients attending the clinics in teaching hospitals. 2. To assess the satisfaction of the patient as regards the treatment rendered in the teaching institutes. 3. To correlate the gender of the patient with the regularity in the recall attendance.Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a systematic random sampling method and every alternate subject was selected from the patients attending the OPD of Department of Periodontics and Community Dentistry. The data was collected using the interview method with the help of a structured, pretested questionnaire.Results and Conclusion: Out of 288 patients, 94 failed to attend the recall appointments. In these 94 patients, various reasons for not attending recall were assessed and lack of time was found to be the most common reason for non-attendance. Relationship between age and reasons for not reporting was found to be significant (P < 0.01). Patient satisfaction survey showed that 51.54% of the patients were satisfied with the dental treatment rendered. The present study also showed that males are more prompt in attending recall appointments as compared to females. A positive and significant correlation between literacy and patient reporting status was found (P< 0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major drawback of implant therapy is the comparatively long healing period involved. Early and immediate loading of dental implants can significantly decrease the treatment time and thus result in an increase in patients' comfort. In this report, 3 cases of placement and immediate loading of the final implants are presented. In 2 of these cases, where preliminary augmentation was necessary, provisional implants were placed after the procedure and immediate provisional dentures were delivered. With the exception of 1 case, in which 1 implant failed, no adverse events were observed. All cases are in function now for 3 to 5 years after implant placement. The observations from this limited number of cases confirm that immediate loading of implants could be a viable treatment option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the first longitudinal results of an alumina (70%)-zirconia (30%) ceramic restorative system for implant-supported, single-tooth replacement in the anterior maxillary jaw. Eighteen patients (9 men, 9 women, mean age = 42.4 years) were treated with 22 implants placed into 19 extraction sockets and 3 residual ridges. Eight implants were immediately loaded with nonoccluding provisional prostheses. All implants were definitively loaded with fully occluding ceramic restorations after osseointegration and soft tissue maturation. Patients were monitored from 7 to 30 months (mean = 18.1 months) after loading. All implants osseointegrated and were successfully restored. One case of abutment screw loosening occurred because of patient parafunction (bruxing), and another patient reported chewing pain attributed to malocclusion. Both problems were successfully resolved without further incidence. Within the context of this study, single-tooth replacement in the anterior maxillary jaw was successfully achieved with alumina-zirconia ceramic single-tooth restorations with up to 30 months of clinical function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An open bite is one of the most difficult malocclusions the clinician has to deal with. In recent years, interest has increased regarding mechanics that reduce dependency upon patient compliance for success. Some patient-independent mechanism for molar intrusion or vertical control is desirable. The rapid molar intruder (RMI) appliance consists of two elastic modules that are secured to orthodontic bands on the upper and lower first molars. Vertical forces from these modules typically produce intrusion of the permanent molars in four to six months. The RMI modules may be used in the mixed dentition or incorporated in full-fixed mechanics in the permanent dentition. To avoid buccal flaring of the molars, these modules should be attached to a transpalatal arch and a mandibular lingual arch. Case reports are provided to stimulate interest in further investigation of the properties of this appliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to compare patient, parent and clinician perceived need for orthodontic treatment in relation to normative orthodontic treatment need as measured by the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). A prospective cross sectional study was designed to address this aim. The sample comprised 103 patients attending the 'new' patient clinic at the Jordan University Hospital. The patients' mean age was 15.3 years (standard deviation 3.8 years); 33 per cent were males and 67 per cent females. One clinician scored the patients' normative orthodontic treatment need using the IOTN, than determined perceived need using a 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS). The subjects then assessed their own perceived need and aesthetic component (AC) score and the parents carried out similar assessments for their children. All scoring was carried out blind. The parents had the highest average perceived need scores, followed by patient and clinician scores (6.6, 6.1 and 5.4 cm, respectively). A significant difference was found between the parents and the clinician (P < 0.05). When the relationship between perceived need and clinician-measured normative orthodontic treatment need was investigated, significant differences were found with the dental health component (DHC) for all three groups (P < 0.05). Differences between AC and perceived need scores were also significant for the patients and parents, but not for the clinician (P > 0.05). The present study has shown that perceptions of orthodontic treatment need are multifactorial and influenced by elements other than health measures of normative orthodontic treatment need and perceptions of aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine what smoking cessation services dental professionals in Ontario's Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Health Unit (WDGHU) provide before disseminating a smoking cessation information package. Methods: Data were collected with 540 self-administered questionnaires mailed to 60 local dental offices. Replies were requested from all dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and other dental staff working in each dental office. Results: Completed responses were obtained from 126 dental personnel in 28 (47%) of the 60 dental offices surveyed. The proportion of dental offices, dentists and hygienists providing cessation services to most patients was as follows: asking patients about tobacco-use status, 46%, 31% and 32%; advising tobacco users to quit, 46%, 32% and 29%; assessing tobacco users' interest in quitting, 46%, 25% and 19%l and assisting interested patients to quit, 25%, 6% and 13%, respectively. Conclusion: This survey indicates that most dental professionals in the WDGHU do not provide proven smoking cessation services. An opportunity exists to increase the proportion of dental professionals providing proven smoking cessation interventions as part of routine patient services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental clinicians are confronted with an increasing number of medically compromised patients who require implant surgery for their oral rehabilitation. However, there are few guidelines on dental implant therapy in this patient category, so that numerous issues regarding pre- and post-operative management remain unclear to the dental clinician. Therefore, the aim of the present review is to offer a critical evaluation of the literature and to provide the clinician with scientifically based data for implant therapy in the medically compromised patient. This review presents the current knowledge regarding the influence of the most common systemic and local diseases on the outcome of dental implant therapy, e.g., abnormalities in bone metabolism, diabetes mellitus, xerostomia, and ectodermal dysplasias. Specific pathophysiologic aspects of the above-mentioned diseases as well as their potential implications for implant success are critically appraised. In line with these implications, guidelines for pre- and post-operative management that may assist in the successful implant-supported rehabilitation of this patient category are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorhexidine is commonly used in dentistry in various forms. Allergic reactions to chlorhexidine of both immediate and delayed type have been reported. Although the incidence is low there may be severe manifestations in some patients. This report presents a case of allergy to chlorhexidine following topical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the prevalence of syphilis among patients attending the dental clinic of the Federal School of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, Nigeria. Methodology: Venous blood samples randomly collected from 46 female and 54 male patients were screened for antibodies to Treponema pallidum using syphilis ultra rapid test strip (ACON, USA). Results: The result of the study showed that out of the 100 patients screened, 1% yielded positive for Treponema pallidum antibody. Conclusion: While the occurrence rate was low, it nevertheless constitutes a viable source of occupational infection. The need for observance of standard precautionary measures by dental professionals and proper sterilization of instruments are emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented which discusses case of an accidental administration of formalin to a dental patient.

An erratum to the article "Anticoagulant therapy and its impact on dental patients: a review" that was published in an earlier issue is presented.

The article discusses research on a dentistry technique to preserve esthetics through minimally invasive extraction and immediate implant placement. The author stipulates that careful screening is important for the inclusion in this technique. All patients must be in good systematic health with no acute infection in the surgical site. The author demonstrates three cases in the study using this technique, each showing good esthetic results.

The article discusses research on platform switching, a new concept in implant dentistry to control crestal bone loss. Crestal bone loss occurs routinely in implants in which the abutment is the same width as the implant. In platform switching, small-diameter abutments are placed in larger-diameter implants. The study showed that patients with these narrow abutments do not demonstrate the expected bone loss at the crest.

The article discusses research on a technique that was used to immediately restore a single-tooth implant that was placed at the time of tooth extraction on a patient that had a failing maxillary right central incisor. The final restoration consisted of a custom abutment and a cemented crown. The result showed an esthetic outcome.