Prevalence of Tooth Mortality among Adults in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Patients' Perceptions Regarding Acceptance of Dental Implants as an Option for the Replacement of Missing Teeth: An Observational Study

INTRODUCTION

Dental implants enhance the self-assurance and overall well-being of individuals by providing oral comfort during mastication and a notable degree of contentment. The objectives of the present study were to assess patients' perception of opting or non-opting for dental implants as a replacement for missing teeth and to determine the correlation between various factors and perceived demand for dental implant treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 214 partially edentulous individuals aged between 21 and 50 years. These patients sought treatment to replace their missing teeth. The participants were provided with detailed information regarding various options for replacing their missing teeth, including removable prostheses, fixed partial dentures, and dental implants. The researchers recorded and evaluated the reasons behind the patients' decision to opt for or decline dental implant treatment using the chi-squared test. Categorical variables were summarized as percentages (n %). The association between variables and binary data was examined using point biserial correlation, whereas, for continuous data, the Pearson correlation coefficient was employed.

RESULTS

About 65 (30.4%) patients opted for dental implant treatment and 149 (69.6%) patients did not opt for dental implant treatment. Missing teeth were found in 120 women (56.08%) and 94 men (43.92%). The main reason for seeking dental implant treatment was the need for improvement in functions such as chewing in 65 (100%) patients, followed by the need for improvement in oral health in 57 (88%), aesthetics in 54 (83%), need for bone and adjacent teeth preservation in 52 (80%), and durability of dental implants in 46 (71%) patients. The main reasons for not seeking dental implant treatment and opting for fixed prostheses other than dental implants or removable prostheses cost 149 (100%), fear of surgery 132 (91%), underlying health issues 121 (81%), lack of knowledge about dental implants 120 (80.5%), and time management issues 92 (62%). Gender, age, and number of missing teeth showed a negative correlation, whereas level of education, social status, and oral health awareness showed a positive correlation with the perceived need for dental implant treatment.

CONCLUSION

Dental implant treatment was preferred by 30.4% of patients, which was influenced by gender, sex, level of education, social status, awareness of oral health, and number of missing teeth. Cost, fear of surgery, underlying medical conditions, lack of knowledge, and time management are some reasons for not opting for dental implant treatment.

Comparative evaluation of masticatory efficiency, clinical performance, and patient satisfaction of single implant-retained mandibular overdenture versus conventional complete denture: A prospective in vivo study

AIM

The aim of this within-subject prospective clinical study was to investigate the scope of single implant mandibular overdenture by assessing its masticatory efficiency, clinical performance, and patient satisfaction compared to conventional complete dentures.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

Prospective In Vivo Study.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This prospective in vivo study was conducted in the Department of Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge, Christian Dental College, Ludhiana. A total of 12 completely edentulous patients received a single implant in the mandibular anterior midline region. After the healing period, the conventional maxillary and mandibular dentures were fabricated. 15 days post insertion of the conventional dentures, patients were evaluated for masticatory efficiency, clinical performance including retention and stability, and patient satisfaction. To evaluate the masticatory efficiency blue raspberry and original pink "Hubba Bubba tape gum" were used as a test food. Colorimetric analysis was done to assess variance of hue. To assess clinical performance, retention, and stability of the mandibular denture was recorded using a digital force gauge and was tabulated as per CU-modified Kapur's criteria. OHIP-14 index was used to assess patient satisfaction. After evaluation of the parameters of conventional dentures, the denture was converted into an implant-retained mandibular denture by chairside conversion with locator attachments. 15 days post-implant loading, parameters of the implant retained mandibular overdenture were assessed again followed by statistical analysis.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED

The masticatory efficiency was assessed using a paired t-test. The patient satisfaction was sequentially assessed with Wilcoxon signed rank test and thereafter paired t-test was used to compare between conventional complete denture and overdenture. Clinical performance was assessed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

RESULTS

The masticatory efficiency of single implant mandibular overdenture was higher than that of conventional complete dentures. The clinical performance of the overdenture was higher than that of the conventional denture. Stability being a time-dependent parameter might need longer follow-ups for further conclusions. Patient satisfaction with single implant retained overdenture was significantly higher than conventional complete dentures.

CONCLUSION

Single implant mandibular overdenture has improved masticatory efficiency, clinical performance, and patient satisfaction compared to conventional complete dentures.

Automation in Dentistry with Mechanical Drills and Lasers for Implant Osteotomy: A Narrative-Scoping Review

The popularity of implants is increasing with the aging population requiring oral-dental rehabilitation. There are several critical steps in the implant workflow, including case selection, implant design, surgical procedure, biological tissue responses, and functional restoration. Among these steps, surgical osteotomy procedures are a crucial determinant of clinical success. This brief review was aimed at outlining the current state of the field in automation-assisted implant surgical osteotomy technologies. A broad search of the literature was performed to identify current literature. The results are outlined in three broad categories: semi-automated static (image-guided) or dynamic (navigation-assisted) systems, and fully-automated robotic systems. As well as the current mechanical rotary approaches, the literature supporting the use of lasers in further refinement of these approaches is reviewed. The advantages and limitations of adopting autonomous technologies in practical clinical dental practices are discussed. In summary, advances in clinical technologies enable improved precision and efficacious clinical outcomes with implant dentistry. Hard-tissue lasers offer further advancements in precision, improved biological responses, and favorable clinical outcomes that require further investigation.

Impact of oral conditions on oral health-related quality of life among Indians- a systematic review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This review assessed the impact of oral conditions on Oral Health Related Quality of Life among Indians.

METHODS

Databases, including PubMed and Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycInfo were systematically searched for English Language studies conducted among Indians up to July 2022. Two independent reviewers assessed studies selected for retrieval for methodological quality using standardised quality assessment instruments for analytical cross-sectional studies in JBI SUMARI.

RESULTS

Fourty one publications were included in this review (N = 23,090). Studies includes both cross sectional study and Randomized Controlled Trials. Based on the JBI critical appraisal tools, the quality of the included studies was low to high. Twenty-six studies were considered for the meta-analysis. Individuals with dental caries [OR: 3.54 (95% CI 2.24- 5.60), ten studies, 4945 participants] and malocclusion [ OR: 5.44 (95% CI 1.61, 18.39), six studies, 3720 participants] had poor OHRQoL compared to individuals without oral conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the various definitions of the exposures and instruments used to assess Oral Health-Related Quality of Life, our review found that people with dental caries and malocclusion have a significantly higher experience of poor quality of life.

PROSPERO SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NO

CRD42021277874.

Comparative Analysis of Edentulism in a Sample of Mexican Adults with and without Type 2 Diabetes

The objective of the present study was to compare the prevalence of edentulism in Mexican adults with and without a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) when they are seeking dental care. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1921 medical records of Mexican adults 40 years of age and older who sought dental care at clinics of a public university in Mexico. The dependent variable was edentulism, clinically determined through an oral examination. The main independent variable was the self-report of previous T2DM diagnosis made by a physician. Sociodemographic, socioeconomic and behavioral covariates were included in a multivariate binary logistic regression model. Overall edentulism prevalence was 8.4% (95% CI = 7.1-9.6). The prevalence of T2DM was 14.3% (n = 274). The prevalence of edentulism among individuals with T2DM was 13.1%, but only 7.6% among individuals without T2DM. In the multivariate binary logistic regression model, a previous T2DM diagnosis increased the probability of being edentulous 1.61 times (95% CI = 1.03-2.50). For each year a person's age increased, the likelihood of being edentulous increased by 12% (95% CI = 10-14%). In summary, a higher prevalence of edentulism was present in Mexican adults with T2DM and in those of older age. This information may be used by dental care providers and health policymakers to improve approaches to preventive care, as well as to characterize and anticipate care needs more accurately for the adult and older adult populations.

Maintaining Tooth Vitality With Super Minimally Invasive Pulp Therapy

In aging humans, tooth loss is a predictor of decreased longevity. Tooth loss is mainly caused by dental caries and periodontal disease. Pulpitis refers to inflammation of the dental pulp caused by bacterial infection secondary to dental caries. It is accompanied by severe toothache and has infectious disease-associated pathophysiology. Pulpitis is mainly treated by pulpectomy, which is aimed at removing the infected dental pulp and controlling pain by removing nociceptive nerve fibers. However, teeth without dental pulp have a poor prognosis. In this report, we proposed a novel “super minimally invasive pulp” therapy for treating pulpitis without pulpectomy, which combines antibiotics, steroids, and ultrasound-guided trigeminal nerve block (UGTNB) to protect the dental pulp. UGTNB is used as an analgesic for severe pain, antibiotics for pulp infections, and steroids as antiinflammatory drugs. This novel therapy could improve the longevity of the tooth and thereby oral health.