UK National Clinical Guidelines in Paediatric Dentistry: Use of fissure sealants including management of the stained fissure in first permanent molars

Are we practising what we preach and are we all singing from the same hymn sheet? An exploration of teaching in paediatric caries management across UK dental schools

BACKGROUND

The evidence underpinning caries management for children has progressed dramatically over the past 20 years. Anecdotally, this is not reflected in the teaching provided to undergraduate dental students, with the ongoing teaching of outdated methods within some dental schools.

AIM

To capture the current undergraduate teaching provision and clinical treatment experience requirement relative to caries management in paediatric dentistry in UK dental schools.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis of current teaching methods on paediatric caries management was obtained using a piloted online data collection form. Question content included current caries teaching methods, assessment of student exposure and competence. The results were analysed descriptively.

RESULTS

Of the 16 UK dental schools, 14 participated. Discrepancy in teaching content was apparent. Many schools (n = 9) taught biological caries management through therapeutic fissure sealants, yet this was not reflected in assessment and clinical requirements. Some schools (n = 4) taught amalgam placement in children, and most (n = 12) operatively taught treatments that would no longer be routinely provided in general dental practice in the UK, including primary tooth pulpotomy.

CONCLUSION

There is substantial variation in the paediatric caries management techniques that are taught across UK dental schools, demonstrating a need for a national consensus to address these disparities.

Reducing pain and discomfort associated with rubber dam clamp placement in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of effectiveness

BACKGROUND

The application of rubber dams is a widely accepted method of tooth isolation in dental practice. Placement of the rubber dam clamp might be associated with levels of pain and discomfort, especially in younger patients. The purpose of the present systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy of the methods for reducing pain and discomfort associated with rubber dam clamp placement in children and adolescents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

English-language literature from inception until September 6th, 2022 was searched in MEDLINE (via PubMed), SCOPUS, Web of Science, Cochrane, EMBASE, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database Global for articles. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing methods of reducing the pain and/or discomfort associated with rubber dam clamp placement in children and adolescents were retrieved. Risk of bias assessment was performed using a Cochrane risk of bias-2 (RoB-2) risk assessment tool and the certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence profile. Studies were summarized and pooled estimates of pain intensity scores and incidence of pain were calculated. The meta-analysis was conducted in the following groups according to type of interventions (LA, audiovisual (AV) distraction, behavior management (BM), electronic dental anesthesia (EDA), mandibular infiltration, inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB), TA), outcome (intensity or incidence of pain), and assessment tool (face - legs - activity - cry - consolability (FLACC), color scale, sounds - motor - ocular changes, and faces pain scale (FPS)): (a) pain intensity using (LA + AV) vs (LA + BM), (b) pain intensity using EDA vs LA (c) presence or absence of pain using EDA vs LA (d) presence or absence of pain using mandibular infiltration vs IANB (e) Comparing pain intensity using TA vs placebo (f) Presence or absence of pain using TA vs placebo. Meta-analysis was conducted using StataMP software, version 17.0 (StataCorp, College Station, Texas). Restricted maximum-likelihood random effect model (REML), Mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval, and log odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI were calculated were calculated.

RESULTS

Initially, 1452 articles were retrieved. Sixteen RCTs were finally included for reviewing and summarizing. Nine articles with a total of 867 patients were included for quantitative meta-analysis. The differences in pain intensity scores were not significant in any comparison groups (group a: [MD = -0.04 (95% CI =  - 0.56, 0.47), P = 0.87, I2 = 0.00%], group b: [MD = 0.25 (95% CI = -0.08, 0.58), P = 0.14, I2 = 0.00%], group c [MD = -0.48 (95% CI = -1.41, 0.45), P = 0.31, I 2 = 0.00%], group d: [MD = -0.67 (95% CI = -3.17, 1.83), P = 0.60, I 2 = 0.00%], group e: [MD = -0.46 (95% CI = -l.08, 0.15), P = 0.14, I 2 = 90.67%], and group f: [MD = 0.61 (95% CI = -0.01, 1.23), P = 0.06, I 2 = 41.20%]. Eight studies were judged as having some concern for risk of bias and the remaining studies were considered as low risk for bias. The certainty of evidence was considered medium for all comparison groups.

DISCUSSION

In the present meta-analysis, a considerable difference was obtained between the included studies regarding intervention methods and pain assessment tools and the analysis was performed in groups with small numbers of the studies. Owing to the mentioned variabilities and the small number of studies, the results of the analysis should be interpreted with caution. The indistinguishability of the manifestations of pain/discomfort from fear/anxiety, particularly in children, should also be considered while using the results of the present study. Within the limitations of the current study, no significant differences were found between the proposed methods for reducing pain and discomfort associated with rubber dam clamp placement in children and adolescents. A larger number of more homogenous studies regarding intervention methods and pain assessment tools need to be conducted in order to draw stronger conclusions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered in PROSPERO (ID number: CRD42021274835) and research deputy of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences with ID number 4000838 ( https://research.mums.ac.ir/ ).

Effectiveness of Pit and Fissure Sealants for Preventing and Arresting Occlusal Caries in Primary Molars: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

The use of pit and fissure sealants have been well supported in permanent teeth, but no concrete evidence is available to support this procedure in primary molars. This review aims to systematically assess randomized controlled trials and summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of different sealants in prevention and arrest of the pit and fissure occlusal caries in primary molars of children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four electronic databases were searched from inception to March 2018. Seven studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative syntheses. Two reviewers independently selected studies, extracted data, assessed risk of bias using the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool, and evaluated the certainty in the evidence adopting the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation approach. Odds ratio and retention rate of different sealants were recalculated and analyzed.

RESULTS

This review identified no significant difference in the overall caries incidence and progression when evaluated over 24 months between (1) resin-based sealant (RBS) and glass ionomer sealants (GIS) or resin-modified GIS; (2) conventional and newly developed RBS; (3) autopolymerized and light-polymerized RBS; (4) RBS with topical fluoride application and topical fluoride alone; and (5) RBS with topical fluoride application and resin infiltration with topical fluoride application. The pooled estimates of the mean retention rates of RBS and GIS on primary molars over an 18-months period were 85.94% and 23.18%, respectively. The certainty in the evidence of each outcome was determined as low or very low mainly because of high risk of overall bias and imprecision.

CONCLUSION

There are currently insufficient well-controlled randomized controlled clinical trials to determine whether sealants are beneficial in preventing or arresting noncavitated occlusal caries in the primary molars.

Efficacy of a non-drilling approach to manage non-cavitated dentin occlusal caries in primary molars: a 12-month randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND. Despite the efficacy of non-drilling approaches to manage non-cavitated dentin occlusal lesions (NCDOL) in permanent teeth, there is no data validating this type of therapy in the primary dentition. AIM. To compare the efficacy of a traditional fissure sealant in managing NCDOL in primary molars. DESIGN. This study is a randomized controlled clinical trial with a split-mouth design. Thirty schoolchildren with two NCDOL were selected and divided into two groups. The experimental group received a resin-based fissure sealant, whereas the control group was treated with a conventional composite resin. Treatment efficacy was evaluated after 1 year by means of clinical and radiographic examinations. RESULTS. The two treatment modalities were found to be similarly effective in managing DONCL in primary molars. CONCLUSION. For the management of non-cavitated dentin occlusal caries in primary teeth, the invasive approach can be replaced with non-drilling fissure sealing techniques.