Trainer system appliances in early treatment of malocclusions

Orthodontics is dental specialty focused on preventing and treating morphological and functional irregularities of orofacial system in order to establish adequate function of mastication apparatus, good occlusion and pleasant facial appearance. It has been shown that early treatment of orthodontic anomalies during the period of children’s growth is very important. The purpose of early orthodontic treatment is to eliminate or modify deviant skeletal growth and to stimulate adequate dentoalveolar and skeletal development. As known, the treatment of malocclusions should begin in primary or early mixed dentition, since the status of primary dentition has profound effect on the development of permanent dentition. Functional orthodontic appliances are most commonly used in early orthodontic treatment. The aim of this study was to describe a new prefabricated polyurethane myo-functional appliance clinically proved to be very effective

Antivirus and antibacterial filters for face masks based on silver quantum dots

Available face masks, used to protect the respiratory system from various types of pathogens, show unsatisfactory efficiency because the size of viruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is much smaller than the void spaces in these masks. Difficult breathing through some masks quickly tires out, which makes ordinary people avoid wearing them. These facts suggest that a new strategy is desirable for designing protective face masks. The aim of the study was to present new filters for face masks to protect people exposed to high concentrations of bacteria and viruses, particularly SARS-CoV-2. Methods. Filters for these masks were manufactured of dense cotton fabric impregnated with silver quantum dots. The filters were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and ion-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Wettability properties were determined by measuring contact angles with water, and a color fastness test was performed. Antibacterial assay was performed using Staphylococcus (S.) aureus. Viability quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for virus integrity assay and reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR) assay were used for antiviral activity assessment. Results. In vitro assays showed extremely high efficiency of these filters in destroying S. aureus and SARS-CoV-2 virus. The filters also showed high safety and easy breathing possibilities. Conclusion. The high efficiency of these masks against SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated through numerous tests, and they have been approved as anti-SARS-CoV-2 masks for the first time in the world. In the meantime, this solution has been applied in practice, and the data obtained about that are very encouraging

Marketing implications of loyalty programs on customer relationship management within the airline industry

One of the most remarkable tendencies on the market of airline services is that nowadays almost every airline company strive to build long-term relationships with customers/users of airline services through loyalty programs. The subject of the paper is to explore the role of Frequent Flyer Programs (FFPs) in the scope of customer relationship management in airline industry and to determine whether affiliation to FFPs affects customers to buy tickets from the same airline carrier. For this purpose, an empirical analysis was conducted based on the data obtained from the survey conducted at the Belgrade airport Nikola Tesla, in September 2015. Hypothesis is formed in accordance with the stated aim of the work and was tested by using descriptive and graphical presentation as well as Chi-square statistical test. The results have shown that loyalty programs influence customers when choosing airlines, meaning that Frequent Flyer members tend to use air transportation services of airline carriers which are part of Frequent Flyer Program they belong to, whenever price and timing suit them. Furthermore, the chance of choosing the airline whose Frequent Flyer Program one is member of, increases proportionally to the length of membership and, more importantly, the number of flights that one has realized so far. Based on the tested hypothesis and observed preferences of the travelers, possible marketing implications of the results are pointed out in this article, as well as the analysis of the status and rating of our national airline according to surveyed passengers

Dentofacial changes after treatment with prefabricated functional appliance T4CII

Introduction. Functional maxillary orthodontics has a large number of different mobile devices with different effects on craniomandibular system and great capabilities in solving many orthodontic problems. The aim of this article was to show the effects of 9-month treatment of malocclusion class II, division 1 in a 14-year-old female patient using pre-fabricated functional appliance Trainer T4CII. Case Outline. Skeletal distal relation, deep bite, increased overjet, narrowness and irregular position of upper and lower frontal teeth are indicated for orthodontic treatment with fixed appliance. After refusal of fixed appliance therapy, a female patient was proposed treatment with mobile orthodontic appliance. A pre-fabricated functional appliance Trainer T4CII was delivered to the patient. She was motivated and she was wearing appliance at night and 2-3 hours during the day. After 9 months of treatment there was a significant improvement in the position of upper and lower frontal teeth and reshaping of upper and lower dental arch, yet overbite and overjet were corrected. Conclusion. Surprisingly good and fast improvement of all problems within class II, division 1 in a 14-year-old patient was achieved with prefabricated functional appliance Trainer T4CII

Reliability and validity of Serbian version of children's dental fear questionnaire

Background/Aim. Dental anxiety leads to avoidance of dental treatment and could lead to impaired oral health. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of the Serbian version of Children’s Fear Survey Schedule Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) and the relations between dental anxiety and oral health status in a sample of Serbian schoolchildren. Methods. The CFSS-DS scale was translated into Serbian and administered to 231 (12-year old) patients of the Pediatric Dental Department, Public Health Center Čukarica, Belgrade. The number of healthy, decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT score) in children was determined by a clinical exam. Results. The average CFSS-DS score was 26.47 ± 10.33. The girls reported higher anxiety than the boys (p < 0.05). Most common fears were drilling, choking, going to the hospital and anesthesia. Lower CFSS-DS scores were recorded in children with all healthy teeth (p < 0.05). Children with higher CFSS-DS scores mostly visit the dentist due to pain or parental insistence, and those with lower anxiety scores more often visited dentist due to regular check-ups or non-invasive treatments (p < 0.01). A high value of the Cronbach's coefficient of internal consistency (α = 0.88) was found in the entire scale. Conclusion. The Serbian version of CFSS-DS questionnaire is reliable and valid psychometric instrument for evaluation of dental fear in Serbian children. Dental anxiety negatively affects dental attendance and oral health of the examined schoolchildren

The efficacy of the interventional health education program for oral health improvement in school children

Introduction. Dental caries and gingivitis are common in school children although they can be prevented through the health education and application of preventive measures. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of caries, gingivitis and orthodontic irregularities in school children and to assess the efficacy of health education program in relation to the plaque and gingivitis control as well as caries treatment. Material and Methods. This study included 56 second grade students with early mixed dentition and 56 seventh grade students with permanent dentition, from elementary school “Borislav Petrov Braca” in Pancevo. DMFT/dmft index, Plaque index (PI) according to Sillness-Löe, and the prevalence of gingivitis and orthodontic anomalies were determined by clinical examination. The Interventional Program included oral hygiene education and the application of prophylactic measures. At one and six months follow-ups, PI, gingival health and changes in DMFT/dmft structure were reexamined. Results. Gingivitis was recorded in 78.56% of II and 50% of VII grade students. In the II grade students, mean DMFT was 1.36±1.41, and dmft 5.07±2.66. In the VII grade students mean DMFT was 4.36±3.34. The most common orthodontic anomalies were narrow maxilla, deep bite and distal bite. After six months of conducting the Program, reduction of gingivitis and number of carious teeth in DMFT/dmft structure as well as oral hygiene improvement were achieved in both age groups. Conclusion. Oral hygiene, dental status and the prevalence of orthodontic anomalies in school children indicate the necessity to intensify preventive measures. Health education programs contribute to improvement of oral health and increase motivation for self-care in children

Adopting xRM in Higher Education: E-Services Outside the Classroom

This paper explores the role of extended relationship management (xRM) in the higher education ecosystem. With the ultimate goal of the institution’s future sustainable development, the university has developed and implemented a customized model of integrated e-services to foster a relationship with its leading stakeholder group—students. Furthermore, our study introduces a comprehensive model of xRM e-services. The main objective of this paper was to assess students’ behavioral intentions, acceptance, and long-term usage of the xRM e-services. A theoretical model was developed based on the UTAUT2 framework. The evaluation of the acceptance and usage of the xRM e-services was assessed by using a partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) methodology. The results indicate that factors such as habit and effort expectancy have a significant relationship with students’ behavioral intentions, while there is a strong positive influence of their intentions on actual use of the xRM e-services. The emergence of habit as the strongest predictor of behavioral intention indicates that the digitization of traditional touch-points has become an important part of students’ everyday lives at university

Oral Health Related Quality of Life and Dental Status of Adult Patients

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the oral health-related quality of life in adult patients who visit the Dental Clinic of the Faculty of Stomatology, Pancevo, using a Serbian version of 14-items Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP14) Questionnaire. Material and Methods: A total of 89 respondents (42 women and 47 men, mean age 52.83 ± 13.74 years) filled in the questionnaire themselves. Three calibrated dentists recorded the oral health status of the respondents (number of healthy, decayed, filled and missing teeth), the type and time of wearing prosthodontic replacements, if they existed, and assessed the need for prosthodontic treatment. The total OHIP-14 score was calculated by adding scores for all fourteen items; OHIP-14 subscale scores were calculated by adding the scores for the two items in each of the seven subscales. Results: Mean total OHIP score was 10.25 ± 8.89. Patients with less than eight extracted teeth, wearers of fixed prosthodontic appliances and patients without replacements who did not need prosthodontic treatment reported better oral health-related quality of life. The most severe oral impacts assessed by the subscale OHIP14 scores were recorded in psychological discomfort (2.44 ± 2.18), physical pain (1.87 ± 1.73) and psychological disability subscale (1.83 ± 1.88). Women more often than men were dissatisfied with their diet and had been irritable in contact with other people. Conclusion: Further studies using the OHIP14 questionnaire in a larger sample will permit identification of key factors related to poor oral health and planning of treatment protocols and preventive programs for the adult population in Serbia