Dentin dysplasia type I – a diagnostic challenge both for the dentist and paleodontologist

The last research of calcified tissue like bones and teeth has provided new information with regard to the genetic factors that control the formation of these tissues. The environmental factors like stress, different diet, long range mobility, and health of an individual can be also recorded in the skeleton and teeth. Dentin may be affected by morbid conditions present during development and, like enamel, may be affected by processes after eruption. Dentin dysplasia is one of the congenital disorders of mineralized tooth tissues. It is characterized by dentin abnormality. The pathological conditions affecting teeth have for reconstructing important aspects of the health of past human groups. The aim of the paper was to present the clinical manifestation of dentin dysplasia to get better acquainted with characteristic abnormalities in dentin which can be also used in paleodontology research. Despite many reports and descriptions of cases of patients with dentin dysplasia, etiology, diagnosis and treatment of this disease remain unclear so far but with a help of radiological characteristic image the correct differentiation and recognition is crucial. Another important point is proper and detailed documentation which can be also helpful in the future long term observation

Diastema today and yesterday

Diastema in dentistry is the space between teeth. The most characteristic is maxillary midline diastema between upper central incisors. The aim of the paper was to present the prevalence of diastema and the attractiveness of diastema in different cultures and countries from ancient till contemporary times. In anthropoid apes, diastemas were present in the maxilla between the lateral incisors and canines and in the mandible the pre- and post-canine regions in connection with large elongated canines. The prevalence of individuals with diastema from Late Antique and Early Medieval period was approximately 5% and nowadays it is between 3.7% to as much as 36.8%. The perception of diastema has been the same for ages – it is a symbol of attractiveness

Tooth Decay Prevalence among Children with Somatotropin Hypopituitarism

The malfunction of pituitary gland can be one of the factors disturbing the growth and development of long bones and may have the adverse effect on the development of maxilla, mandible and dentition in children. The aim of the study was to assess the state of dentition by dental caries prevalence among children with short stature in comparison to healthy children. The examined group comprised 110 children who were hospitalized due to growth hormone deficiency and the control group consisted of 41 generally healthy children. To assess the condition of the teeth the mean DMFT index for permanent dentition and dmft index for primary dentition were used. In patients with short stature, the mean DMFT index was 5.0 and in the control group the mean DMFT index was 4.37. In patients with short stature, the average dmft index was 3.37 and in the control group, the mean dmft was 3.39. The prevalence of dental caries for permanent and milk dentition did not differ significantly between the group of children with growth hormone deficiency and the control group

Raman studies on amino acids profiles at the dentin-enamel-junction in human and ancient/recent animal teeth

Raman microscopy enables the delimitation of the Dentin-Enamel Junction (DEJ) in human and animal teeth, by using, e.g., the 1 oscillations of PO43- (960 cm-1) for the boundary with the enamel and of stretching modes for C-H2 (~2935 cm-1) for the boundary with the dentin and it can be strictly compared with the optical image of DEJ. In this way, one can observe the distribution of some elements of collagen fibrils crossing DEJ, by using the oscillations for proline ((C-C) of ring at 855 and 921 cm-1), for hydroxyproline ((C-C) of ring at 876 cm-1), and for phenylalanine ((C-C) of ring ~1003 cm-1). The systematic although not identical drop in the concentrations of these amino acids was observed on passing from the dentin to enamel side. Several other oscillations were traced as well (for organic chain fragments, amide groups). The observation was widened on the zones adhering on the enamel side (up to 15 m) and on the dentin side (15 m outside the boundary) to the DEJ. The investigations suggest the reorganization of the organic matter in these zones

Differences in the morphological structure of the human tongue

Background: The tongue exhibits significant individual variability in terms of shape, color, and surface texture. Due to its location, it is easily accessible for medical examination, although often overlooked. This is due to the inadequate number of studies assessing the morphology of the tongue in the healthy population. Determining the range of normalcy allows for the definition of tongue pathology requiring further diagnostics. The aim of this study is to assess differences in the morphological structure of the tongue in healthy individuals based on existing literature. Morphological structure was evaluated in terms of volume, shape, color, coating, papillae, texture, and lingual tonsil. Materials and methods: PubMed and ResearchGate databases were included for a thorough analysis of morphological differences in tongue structure. Results: Tongue volume stabilizes by the end of the second decade of life and is closely correlated with BMI. Among the shapes of the tongue, forms such as circular, ellipsoidal, hammer-shaped, in the shape of the letter U, V, or W can be distinguished, and the multitude of these terms results from the lack of a uniform classification. There is agreement regarding tongue color, with various shades of pink and white being the most commonly observed, while the presence of another color may indicate disease. The density and size of individual papillae depend on the region of the tongue, age, and the presence of systemic disease. Geographic tongue, hairy black tongue, and fissured tongue are states of papillae pathology. Fissuring of the tongue increases with age, and fissured tongue is more common in men. Conclusions: Differences in the morphological structure of the tongue provide significant information about the health status of each individual. It is necessary to be aware of the physiological changes occurring within the tongue for proper diagnosis

Evidence-based strategies for the minimally invasive treatment of carious lesions: Review of the literature.

Resulting in a high economic and biological cost, the traditional therapeutic approach to carious lesion management is still largely restorative. Minimally invasive (MI) treatment offers an attractive alternative to managing carious lesions in a more conservative and effective manner, resulting in enhanced preservation of tooth structure. The aim of this review was to summarize the evidence behind several MI alternatives for carious lesion management, including the use of sealants, infiltration, atraumatic restorative treatment (ART), and selective carious tissue removal (e.g., indirect pulp capping, stepwise removal, or selective removal to soft dentine). Relevant literature was screened, and articles reporting randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews of strategies to manage non-cavitated or cavitated carious lesions in adults and children were included. Fifty six articles met the inclusion criteria. For non-cavitated lesions, the use of sealants is supported by strong evidence, while the evidence for infiltration of proximal lesions is moderate. For deep cavitated lesions, selective removal to soft dentin and/or stepwise excavation is supported by strong evidence. The use of the ART technique to restore cavitated lesions is also supported by strong evidence as a suitable strategy that has been used extensively in the literature concerning non-dental settings. Preservation of tooth structure through the use of MI treatment for both non-cavitated and cavitated lesions is supported by moderatestrong evidence, which supports the paradigm shift towards routine use of more conservative strategies in the treatment of carious lesions

European student wellness, stress, coping, support and perceptions about remote dental training during COVID-19

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare wellness, stress, ability to cope, social support and perceptions about remote training amongst European dental students during COVID-19. Methods: 1795 undergraduate dental students from six countries and eight dental schools participated. The anonymous survey collected data about different aspects in each of the following domains: wellness, stress, ability to cope, social support and perceptions about remote training. Complex multi-item scales were used for all domains. Results: There were differences amongst countries in all the domains. Overall, student stress scores were lower than either their coping or support scores. The highest wellness score (mean ±sd) was observed in Romania: 62.5% ± 11.2% whilst the highest mean stress scores were observed in Albania: 46.3% ± 11.7% and Lithuania: 42.2% ± 13.8%. Overall, student stress and coping ability scores were lower and their support scores higher. About 10% of students did not have any support. In the linear multivariable regression analysis, significant predictors of wellness were being female (β = 0.073), not being in a graduating year (β = 0.059), having less stress (β = 0.222), ability to cope (β = 0.223) and having support (β = 0.179). The student positive perceptions about remote training were predicted by less stress (β = 0.080), coping (β = 0.182) and support (β = 0.057). Conclusions: Students varied in wellness, stress, coping, social support and perceptions of remote training. Also, there were significant differences amongst students from different countries. Coping was the best predictor of both student wellness and their positive perceptions about remote training

Compobond – composite or bond? Proprietary clinical observation of Vertise Flow material

Introduction. The development of modern dentistry and the introduction of new technologies have led to the creation of Vertise Flow, a self-adhering, light-curable, semi-liquid composite belonging to a new class of materials – "compobonds". Aim. The paper aims at an evaluation of functional characteristics as well as a clinical assessment of restorations made with the self-adhering, light-curable Vertise Flow composite immediately after placement. Material and methods. Sixty-seven restorations made of Vertise Flow (KerrHawe) were placed in 42 subjects of both sexes aged 16–70 years. The restorations were evaluated for functional characteristics such as ease-of-placement into the cavity, adaptation to the cavity walls, polishing properties and aesthetics, as well as the time to work with the material. Clinical evaluations of restorations immediately after placement were made using the four-category Ryge’s scale taking into account: surface structure, anatomic form and marginal adaptation. In addition, the patient's subjective feelings about the smoothness of the surface, aesthetics and the presence of any postoperative sensitivity to temperature changes were taken into account. Results. A very good rating of 100% was obtained in terms of aesthetics and polishing properties as well as working time with the material. In assessing the restorations using Ryge’s scale, it was found that immediately after placement, all of them were rated very well in the analyzed categories. Based on the subjective assessment of patients, it was found that the vast majority of restorations met the expectations in terms of aesthetics and smoothness – more than 95% receiving very good ratings. Conclusions. Working with the self-adhering, semi-liquid Vertise Flow composite produces a satisfactory aesthetic effect in the perception of the physician and the patient. The fast placement technique of the material significantly reduces the operating time. Preliminary clinical evaluations of the material are positive

Assessment of Oral Hygiene of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Svrha rada bila je procijeniti oralnu higijenu pacijenata s multiplom sklerozom. Materijali i postupak: Ispitano je 86 bolesnika s multiplom sklerozom (MS-om) i 54 zdrave osobe. Stanje oralne higijene ocijenjeno je indeksom OHI-S u skladu s Greenom i Vermillionom te ograničeno samo na plak. Dobiveni podaci statistički su analizirani testom Hi-kvadrat. Rezultati: Dobiveni rezultati pokazali su da je 44,2 posto pacijenata s multiplom sklerozom i 54,2 posto zdravih osoba imalo dobru oralnu higijenu. Srednja vrijednost indeksa OHI-S bila je 1,29 za skupinu s MS-om i 1,08 za kontrolnu. Zaključak: Visoke vrijednosti indeksa OHI-S kod osoba s MS-om u odnosu prema kontrolnoj skupini pokazale su lošije stanje oralne higijene kod pacijenata sa sustavnom bolesti.Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the oral hygiene in patients with multiple sclerosis. Material and Methods: 86 patients with multiple sclerosis and 54 healthy persons were examined. The state of oral hygiene was evaluated with the use of OHI-S index according to Green and Vermillion limited only to dental plaque. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: Obtained results showed that 44,2 % of patients with multiple sclerosis and 54,2% of healthy persons had good oral hygiene (code 0). The mean value of OHI-S index was 1,29 in MS group and 1,08 in the control group. Conclusion: Higher values of OHI-S index among multiple sclerosis cases than in control group indicates poorer oral hygiene status in patients with a systemic disease