Search

Objectives: To assess the differences between adjunctive therapy with Concentrated Growth Factor (CGF), Platelet-rich Fibrin (PRF) membranes, and available control groups in the clinical outcomes of root coverage. Materials and methods: Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) were identified in Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases to assess the treatments after 6 months using a Bayesian random-effect network meta-analysis (NMA) framework regarding reduction in pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), recession depth (RD), and width (RW), as well as, keratinized tissue width (KTW) and thickness (KTT) gain, and complete (CRC) and mean (MRC) root coverage percentages. Results: Thirty-two RCTs were included, from which 27, 18, 12, eight, one, and one studies investigated PRF, connective tissue graft (CTG), flap alone, CGF, enamel matrix derivative (EMD), and dehydrated amniotic membrane, respectively. Thirty studies comprising CTG and flap-alone arms other than CGF and PRF were added to NMA. No significant difference has been found between CGF and PRF; however, CGF have a higher probability of being a better treatment than PRF in PD, CAL, and RW reduction and KTW gain, and PRF has a higher probability for being better in MRC, CRC, KTT gain, and RD reduction. PRF was significantly superior to flap-alone in terms of KTT gain and RD reduction. CGF had the highest probability of being the best treatment in PD and RW reduction, but in other outcomes, CTG was superior. PRF was significantly superior to flap-alone in terms of KTT gain and RD reduction. Conclusions: Both adjunctive CGF and PRF demonstrated improvements regarding root coverage outcomes. Although there is no significant difference between PRF and CGF, these two membranes might have different impacts on different outcomes. Further studies are required for a more comprehensive conclusion, especially on CGF. Clinical relevance: CTG is recommended for achieving ideal results in root coverage procedure. Since PRF and CGF both have a higher probability for being superior to flap alone, both could be suggested in cases which less than ideal outcomes are acceptable and minimization of patient discomfort is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Endodontic therapy has been regarded as a safe treatment option with highly promising results in preserving natural teeth. Numerous factors may influence the longevity of endodontically treated teeth (ETT), thus altering their success/survival rate. This study aimed to determine the survival and success rates of endodontically treated premolars and molars with different complex restorative/prosthodontic treatments. Materials and Methods: A total of 190 patients with an ETT were included, who had received final coronal restoration up to 14 days after the temporary one and at least one year prior to the enrollment. The investigator evaluated the quality of endodontic filling, coronal restoration, mobility, and proximal contacts. Data were analyzed with multiple binary logistic regression and the Chi-Square test. Results: The average duration of followup was 28.6±11.9 months. Overall, 89.4% (170/190) of the teeth survived. The overall success rate for the investigated teeth was 70.5% (134/190). Success rates of 100% for crown, 95.7% for post and core crown (PCC), and 94.7% for amalgam build-up with post were achieved. However, the success rates were 75%, 52.5%, and 50% for amalgam build-up, composite build-up, and PCC with crown lengthening, respectively. The Chi-square test revealed that there was a significant difference between the different restorations in terms of success (P<0.001). Multiple binary logistic regression models revealed that coronal leakage (P=0.048), obturation void (P=0.037), obturation length (P=0.020), mobility (P=0.002), type of the restoration (P<0.001), and proximal contact (P<0.001) were significant predictors for success. However, apical lucency, root length, marginal caries, tooth type, and post did not appear to be significant indicators of success (P>0.05). Conclusions: ETT with minimal mobility, exhibiting underfilled obturations without visible voids, and having received crown/PCC/amalgam build-up with a post, along with the presence of both proximal contacts, tend to exhibit a significantly high success rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Electromyography (EMG) biofeedback has been suggested as a relatively new approach to help resolve muscle disorders. This research aimed to evaluate the influence of 8 weeks of proximal pelvic muscle training and biofeedback on pain, muscle strength, and their EMG activity in individuals suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Materials & Methods This randomized clinical trial was performed on 30 young people aged 22 to 45 with PFPS. People in the intervention group (15 people) received EMG biofeedback of the abductor (gluteus medius) and external rotator (gluteus maximus) muscles along with routine physiotherapy treatments, including stretching exercises, isometric exercises of gluteal and quadriceps muscles, and conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. In the control group (15 people), routine physiotherapy treatments were only performed on the patients. The participants of two groups were treated for 8 weeks, 3 sessions every week. Pain by a visual analog scale (VAS), maximal voluntary isometric strength (MVIC) of the abductor and external rotator muscles of the thigh with a dynamometer, and activity of these muscles, including maximum contraction, integrated EMG and onset EMG using EMG, were measured before and after the interventions. Results MVIC and EMG of the gluteus medius muscle demonstrated that the intervention group had more maximum EMG activity (P=0.043) and MVIC (P=0.003) than the control group. MVIC and the maximum EMG activity of the gluteus maximus muscle showed no significant difference between the two groups. Still, the increase in the integrated EMG of this muscle in the intervention group indicated a greater increase than in the control group (P=0.0001). Moreover, people in the intervention group had significantly less pain than the group of routine exercises alone after 8 weeks of treatment (P=0.016). Conclusion Adding 8 week biofeedback training of abductor and external rotator muscles to the routine therapeutic exercise in PFPS can lead to pain reduction, improvement of muscle strength and better performance of these muscles. This change could potentially slow down the degenerative process of the patellofemoral joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychological factors and clinical outcomes of therapeutic exercise after 3 months in individuals undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Another aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 3 months of therapeutic exercise on the psychological factors of these patients. Materials & Methods This quasi-experimental study involved 29 patients with an average age of 62.76 years who had undergone TKA for their first knees. These patients performed therapeutic exercises for three months. Pain intensity and range of motion (ROM) of flexion and extension were assessed 3 times: before surgery, at the beginning of physiotherapy and 12 weeks after therapeutic exercises. Patients' functional ability and psychological indicators were evaluated in two phases: Before surgery and at the end of the 12th week. Clinical outcomes, including pain, knee ROM, and functional ability, were assessed using the visual analog scale, goniometer and Oxford knee score, respectively. The depression index was assessed with the Beck depression inventory (BDI) second version, anxiety with the state-trait anxiety index, fear of movement with the tampa scale of kinesiophobia (TSK) questionnaire and pain catastrophizing with the pain catastrophizing scale questionnaire. Results The results showed that two psychological indices, including trait anxiety and pain catastrophizing, had a significant negative correlation with the clinical outcomes of physiotherapy after TKA. The higher the trait anxiety before surgery was, the lower the pain reduction during the activity (r=-0.574, P=0.002) and the lower the improvement in functional abilities (r=-0.402, P=0.038). Also, the higher the index of preoperative pain catastrophizing, the lower the pain reduction during activity (r=-470, P=0.013) and the lower the improvement in functional abilities (r=-0.436, P=0.023). No significant correlation was found between other psychological indicators before surgery and the clinical outcomes of physiotherapy. On the other hand, among the psychological factors, trait anxiety (P=0.01) and fear of movement (P=0.01) were significantly improved after 3-month therapeutic exercise. Conclusion Psychological factors can play an essential role in predicting the clinical outcomes of physiotherapy after TKA. In addition, the improvement of psychological factors after therapeutic exercises may indicate that these psychological problems can be improved by reducing pain and achieving better ROM during treatment, so psychological factors are not considered an obstacle to surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the anesthetic efficacy of 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine via primary intraosseous (IO) injection with the QuickSleeper device vs inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) for mandibular first molars diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). Sixty-four patients with a first mandibular molar with SIP were randomly divided into 2 groups: IO (n = 32) and IANB (n = 32). Each received either an IO injection with the 5th generation QuickSleeper device or a conventional IANB with 1.7 mL 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine. Success was defined as no/mild pain upon the access cavity preparation and initial filing. Injection pain, anesthetic onset, heart rate (HR) change, HR recovery time, and duration of anesthesia were also recorded and analyzed. The success rates were 40.6% for IANB and 81.2% for IO (P <.001). IO exhibited a significantly lower injection pain (P =.027), a shorter onset of action (P <.001), a greater heart rate increase (P <.001), a faster heart rate recovery time (P <.001), and a shorter duration of action (P <.001) vs IANB. Primary IO anesthesia using the fifth generation of the QuickSleeper device was more successful than IANB when using 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine to anesthetize mandibular first molars with SIP. The QuickSleeper device appeared to be a viable alternative to IANB for mandibular anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnant women have poor knowledge of oral hygiene during pregnancy. One problem with the follow-up of dental caries in this group is zero accumulation in the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index, for which some models must be used to achieve valid results. The studied population may be heterogeneous in longitudinal studies, leading to biased estimates. We aimed to assess the impact of oral health education on dental caries in pregnant women using a suitable model in a longitudinal experimental study with heterogeneous random effects. Materials and Methods: This longitudinal, experimental research was carried out on pregnant women who visited medical centers in Tehran. The educational group (236 cases) received education for three sessions. The control group (200 cases) received only standard training. The DMFT index assessed oral and dental health at baseline, 6 months, and 24 months after delivery. The Chi-square test was used for comparing nominal variables and the Mann–Whitney U test for ordinal variables. The zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) model was applied under heterogeneous and homogeneous random effects using R 4.2.1, SPSS 26, and SAS 9.4. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: Data from 436 women aged 15 years and older were analyzed. Zero accumulation in the DMFT was mainly related to the filled teeth (51%). The heterogeneous ZIP model fitted better to the data. On average, the intervention group exhibited a higher rate of change in filled teeth over time than the control group (P = 0.021). Conclusion: The proposed ZIP model is a suitable model for predicting filled teeth in pregnant women. An educational intervention during pregnancy can improve oral health in the long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The Acceptable Noise Level (ANL), which is an effective clinical tool for quantitative assessment of noise tolerance, is affected by some known variables related to both subject and testing materials. The present study examined how the characteristics of different babble noises may affect the ANL results in normal adult listeners. Methods: Forty Persian listeners with normal hearing participated. In addition to typical ANL testing with 12-talker noise, the ANL was obtained in 8 different conditions varying in number of talkers from 2 to 10 in the babble noises presenting forward and backward. Results: There was a significantly lower ANL for 2-talker babble compared to 4, 8, 10, and 12-talker babble in both forward and backward noise conditions. With the increase in talkers in noise, the ANL becomes worse but reaches almost a plateau with more than 4 talkers in babble noise. There was a statistically significant difference between 2-talker forward and 2-talker backward noises, with no difference for the other conditions. Conclusion: This finding that the ANL is affected by the number of talkers in babble noise and by the forward and backward background noise suggests that informational masking and listening in dip mechanisms are involved in ANL for normal hearing people at least. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The amount of thoracic kyphosis and its mobility may be affected by gender in older adults. This study investigates gender differences in thoracic kyphosis and thoracic spine mobility in healthy older adults. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 36 participants among which 21 were female and 15 were male with an age range of 65-80 years participated. The amount of thoracic spine kyphosis was measured in a relaxed standing position and the position of maximum correction of thoracic kyphosis using a flexible ruler between the spinous processes of T12 and C7. The difference between the thoracic kyphosis of the relaxed state and the condition of the maximum correction is used to determine the degree of thoracic spine mobility. Finally, men and women were compared in terms of thoracic kyphosis and thoracic spine mobility. The student t-test was employed to compare kyphosis and spinal mobility between men and women, and the paired student t-test was used to compare kyphosis angle in a relaxed posture and maximum kyphosis correction status. Meanwhile, the Pearson test was utilized to evaluate the relationship between variables. Results: Although there was no statistically significant difference in the mean thoracic kyphosis of relaxation (P=0.13) and maximal correction (P=0.18) status of healthy old men and women, there was a significant positive relationship between the rate of kyphosis angle and the amount of mobility of thoracic kyphosis (P=0.003; r=0.48). Conclusion: There is no difference in the degree of kyphosis and thoracic spine mobility in older men and women. In addition, people with more thoracic kyphosis had more spinal mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Stroke is one of the most debilitating diseases among adults worldwide and leads to persistent rehabilitation needs even at the chronic stage. Achieving good postural control is a critical requirement for daily activities which enhances quality of life (QoL) in patients with stroke. There is increasing evidence that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can be considered a promising adjunct technique to improve motor recovery after stroke. Evidence of augmented neuroplasticity after tDCS suggests that paired rehabilitation followed by consecutive use of tDCS may optimize recovery outcomes. Although a few randomized controlled trials have been conducted on upper limb rehabilitation in chronic stroke using tDCS, no study focused on balance training in chronic stroke patients. The present randomized, sham-controlled, double-blinded clinical study addresses brain stimulation targeting postural control using tDCS in chronic stroke. Methods: The study participants included chronic ischemic stroke individuals with postural control impairments who passed the exclusion criteria. Active or sham anodal tDCS was delivered to the lesioned leg motor cortex combined with balance training. The experimental group received active anodal tDCS stimulation (2 mA) for 20 min, daily for 5 days paired with balance training. Linear and nonlinear approaches were used to analyze postural sway changes pre-and post-intervention. Postural sway fluctuation, functional balance assessment using the Berg balance scale, and timed up-and-go test were conducted to compare the active and sham groups. Conclusion: This trial could have significant implications for balance rehabilitation after stroke in the ambulatory setting. If effective, this novel approach may improve rehabilitation protocol in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnant women have poor knowledge of oral hygiene during pregnancy. One problem with the follow-up of dental caries in this group is zero accumulation in the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index, for which some models must be used to achieve valid results. The studied population may be heterogeneous in longitudinal studies, leading to biased estimates. We aimed to assess the impact of oral health education on dental caries in pregnant women using a suitable model in a longitudinal experimental study with heterogeneous random effects. Materials and Methods: This longitudinal, experimental research was carried out on pregnant women who visited medical centers in Tehran. The educational group (236 cases) received education for three sessions. The control group (200 cases) received only standard training. The DMFT index assessed oral and dental health at baseline, 6 months, and 24 months after delivery. The Chi-square test was used for comparing nominal variables and the Mann-Whitney U test for ordinal variables. The zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) model was applied under heterogeneous and homogeneous random effects using R 4.2.1, SPSS 26, and SAS 9.4. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: Data from 436 women aged 15 years and older were analyzed. Zero accumulation in the DMFT was mainly related to the filled teeth (51%). The heterogeneous ZIP model fitted better to the data. On average, the intervention group exhibited a higher rate of change in filled teeth over time than the control group (P = 0.021). Conclusion: The proposed ZIP model is a suitable model for predicting filled teeth in pregnant women. An educational intervention during pregnancy can improve oral health in the long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Experiencing dizziness/vertigo is often an indication of dysfunction in the vestibular system. Recent findings show a connection between peripheral vestibular dysfunction and cognitive impairments. The Neuropsychological Vertigo Inventory (NVI) can assess physical, emotional, and cognitive issues in individuals with dizziness/vertigo. The aim of this research was to translate, cultural adaptation and evaluation of the reliability and validity of NVI to Persian. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, the NVI scale was translated and adapted to the Iranian cultural context following the international quality of life assessment protocol for translation and equivalence. After obtaining face validity, the scale was administered to 140 patients with peripheral vestibular system dysfunction and 70 control group (age between 25 and 80 years). After one week, 50 participants were asked to complete the questionnaire again. Eventually, reliability was evaluated with both methods of internal consistency and test-retest reproducibility. Results: Out of the 28 items in the NVI scale, 3 items were modified to better align with the cultural conditions of Iranians. The impact scores for most items in this scale were found to be higher than 1.5. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient values for the overall scale (0.90) and test-retest reliability with intra-class correlation coefficient for the overall scale (0.91) were confirmed. Conclusion: The Persian version of NVI scale demonstrates excellent validity and reliability, and it exhibits a high level of content alignment with the original version. Therefore, it can be a useful tool to better understand the physical, emotional and cognitive disturbances in patients with vertigo/dizziness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To our knowledge, there is scant research on the use of rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) method for evaluating bladder base displacement in pregnant women. The RUSI is a non-invasive and simple method that assesses the function of pelvic floor muscles (PFM) based on the movement of the bladder base. Objectives: This study aims to assess the reliability of the RUSI for the assessment of PFM function in pregnant women during voluntary muscle contractions. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 18 pregnant women with different gestational ages participated. The amount of bladder base displacement during PFM contraction was assessed in all women and considered an indicator of PFM function. The test re-test reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plot. The percentages of standard error of measurement (SEM%) and minimal detectable change (MDC%) were also calculated. Results: The mean amount of bladder base displacement during PFM contraction at time points 1 and 2 was 4.89±1.43 and 4.81±1.41, respectively. The ICC was 0.989 (95% CI, 0.969%, 0.996%), which indicates excellent reliability. The Bland-Altman plot showed that all the points were within the 95% limits of agreement with no considerable trend or bias. The SEM% and MDC% were 3.09% and 8.41%, respectively. Conclusion: The intra-rater reliability of the RUSI to assess PFM function in pregnant women is high, and can be useful for further studies on the PFMs in pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Muscle imbalance in patella stabilisers leads to patellar lateral glide and can cause patellofemoral pain syndrome. This study investigated the effect of progressive strengthening exercises of the vastus medialis oblique on pain and patellar alignment in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome and patellar lateral glide. Methods: A double-blind, randomised controlled trial was conducted with 40 individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome with patellar lateral glide aged 20–40 years. The study group received vastus medialis oblique-specific strengthening exercises and routine physiotherapy treatment, and the control group received routine physiotherapy treatment only (stretching exercises, gluteal and quadriceps isometric exercises and conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). Participants performed these exercises three times a week for 8 weeks. Pain intensity was measured before and after the intervention using a visual analogue scale and patellar alignment was measured using ultrasonographic parameters, including the trochlear angle, patella offset angle and distance between patellar tip and trochlear groove. Results: In the between-groups comparison, there was a significant decrease in pain intensity in both the study and control groups, although the study group had a greater decrease (study group before intervention: 71.15 ± 1.54, study group after intervention: 22.21 ± 0.35, P=0.001); control group before intervention: 70.09 ± 1.22, control group after intervention: 31.82 ± 0.36 (P=0.001)) and patella offset angle (in the study group compared to the control group after 8 weeks of intervention. In within-groups comparison, a significant decrease of the patella offset angle in the study group was observed (before intervention: 16.2 ± 1.53; after intervention: 13.2 ± 1.87, P=0.001). No significant differences were found for the other parameters. Conclusions: Specific strengthening of the vastus medialis oblique muscle in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome and patellar lateral glide can lead to pain reduction and improvement of patellar alignment to correct lateralisation. This change may delay the process of patellofemoral joint degeneration. Including vastus medialis oblique-specific strengthening exercises in standard physiotherapy treatments may help to reduce pain levels in people with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Implications for practice: Investigating the main cause of patellofemoral pain syndrome could have an essential role in the rehabilitation treatment of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Patients with knee osteoarthritis (KO) commonly show quadriceps muscle weakness. One of the important reasons for this weakness is arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI), a process in which neural inhibition causes the failure of quadriceps activation. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of cross-education on the AMI and the maximum extensor force of quadriceps in women with unilateral KO. Materials & Methods In this study, 21 women with unilateral KO (grade 2) participated. The AMI and the maximum extensor force of the quadriceps in the affected knee were measured before, immediately after, and 15 minutes after cross-education. The cross-education included isometric training of the contralateral quadriceps in 5 sets of 8 repetitions in one session. For measuring the AMI and maximum extensor force of the quadriceps, a burst of electrical stimulation was superimposed on the maximal voluntary contractions in 6 seconds. Results Immediately after one session of cross-education, the AMI of the affected knee significantly decreased and the maximum extensor force of quadriceps significantly increased compared to the pretest phase (P=0.001). Fifteen minutes after cross-education, AMI significantly increased compared to the post-test phase (P=0.018), but was still lower than that in the pre-test phase (P=0.001) Conclusion One session of cross-education can reduce AMI and increase maximum extensor force of quadriceps in women with KO, and this effect remains for at least 15 minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Questionnaires are useful tools for clinicians. This study aimed to translate the Dizziness Handicap Inventory for Patient Caregivers (DHI-PC) into Persian (DHI-PC-P) and assess its psychometric properties for children aged 5-12 years. Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical psychometrics study. After obtaining permission from the developers of the DHI-PC, translation into Persian and cross-cultural adaptation were done according to the international guidelines for self-assessment tools recommended by the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. Participants were 21 parents (mean age: 38.05 years, SD=6.1 years, 18 female) and their children with dizziness (mean age 8.69 years, SD=2.41 years, 9 female) between the ages of 5-12 years old. Face validity, content validity, and test-retest reliability at an interval of 14-21 days were evaluated for the DHI-PC-P. Results: The face validity was confirmed qualitatively by the experts' opinions and quantitatively by calculating the item impact score. Content validity was confirmed by calculating the content validity index and the content validity ratio (0.97 and 0.86, respectively). The internal consistency was good (Cronbach's alpha=0.90). For the testretest reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient was obtained 0.94, indicating an excellent reliability. Conclusion: The DHI-PC-P can be used clinically as a valid and reliable tool for children with dizziness aged 5-12 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent metabolic conditions in the world. One of its consequences is overactive bladder (OAB), which is a syndrome whose symptoms appear during the urine storage phase in the form of increased urinary frequency or urinary urgency. The prevalence of this disorder is estimated to be 22.5-24.2 % in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recently, a useful technique for the treatment of OAB, named transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS), has been introduced. This study aims to investigate the effect of TTNS in women with T2D and OAB. Methods This randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 40 women with T2D and OAB symptoms, who were divided into two control and intervention groups. The control group performed pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training daily for one month, while the intervention group received 12 sessions of TTNS combined with PFM training. Before and after the intervention, the lower urinary tract symptoms were recorded using the Persian version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire for Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS). Independent t-test, paired t-test, Wilcoxon test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test were performed for data analysis using SPSS software, version 24. Results There was no significant difference between the two groups in the ICIQ-FLUTS score, incontinence quality of life, or PFM strength, and endurance (P>0.05). However, their scores were significantly different after treatment in each group compared to the pre-treatment phase (P≤0.05). Conclusion The combination of TTNS and PFM training has no advantage over PFM training alone in managing OAB symptoms and improving PFM strength and quality of life in women with T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effect of flexi-bar and stabilization exercises on static and dynamic postural control in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain. Patients and methods: In this randomized controlled study conducted between November 2019 and March 2020, 38 patients (19 males, 19 females; mean age: 33.8±6.2 years; range, 20 to 45 years) were randomly assigned into flexi-bar (n=19) and stabilization (n=19) groups. Both groups received general physiotherapy for three sessions per week, a total of 10 sessions. Besides, the flexi-bar group received flexi-bar exercises, and the stabilization group received stabilization exercises. Postural sway was assessed with a force platform in three difficult conditions, including open eye, close eye, and one-leg standing and dynamic posture with the modified Star Excursion Balance Test. Results: After the intervention, both groups showed a significant improvement in static and dynamic postural control (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were found between groups after treatment, while only the phase-plane portrait of opened eyes condition was significantly improved (p=0.03), in the flexi-bar group compared to the stabilization group. Conclusion: Both flexi-bar and stabilization exercises effectively improved static and dynamic postural control, but none of the exercises was superior to the other. Flexi-bar is recommended as an effective tool in low back pain rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to compare the accuracy and agreement between cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) in the assessment of canal transportation and centering ratio following root canal instrumentation with rotary files. Material and Methods: Twenty mesiobuccal canals of mandibular molars were prepared using the 2Shape sequential rotary system. CBCT and micro-CT scans were performed before and after instrumentation, and the magnitude of transportation and centering ratio were measured. The acceptable transportation was set at ≤0.15 mm. The accuracy and agreement between CBCT and micro-CT were calculated, and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and kappa coefficient were determined to assess the agreement between the two modalities. Statistical analyses were performed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Transportation was detected by both modalities at all distances from the apex after instrumentation. The agreement between CBCT and micro-CT in assessing canal transportation was observed in 80%, 85%, 75%, and 75% of specimens at 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-mm from the apex, respectively. The ICC for transportation and centering ratio was much lower than 0.75, indicating poor agreement between the modalities. The kappa coefficient did not show acceptable agreement between the methods. Conclusions: CBCT and micro-CT demonstrated poor agreement in assessing canal transportation and centering ratio. Micro-CT remains the preferred modality for in vitro investigations, while CBCT should be limited to clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]