Future perspectives in pediatric dentistry : where are we now and where are we heading?

Oral diseases in children are still a major public health problem that can negatively impact parents and their children’s quality of life. Even though oral diseases are largely preventable, initial signs of them can be detected in the 1st year of life, and its severity might increase with time if no preventive measures are taken. Based on this, we aim to discuss ”where is pediatric dentistry now?” and ”where is pediatric dentistry heading?” Early life oral health conditions are a good predictor of oral health status in adolescence, adulthood, and elderly people. A healthy childhood provides the foundation and opportunities for life; therefore, pediatric dentists have the unique opportunity to identify the presence of unhealthy habits in the 1st year of life and educate the parents and family members to change them for life. If all educational and preventive strategies fail or are not put into practice, the child might present oral health problems, such as dental caries, erosive tooth wear (ETW), hypomineralization, and malocclusion, that could have a great impact on other stages of life. At the moment, in pediatric dentistry, there are many alternatives to prevent and treat these oral health problems. However, if prevention fails, minimally invasive approaches, and new dental materials and technologies have been developed recently and will be important tools available in the near future in order to enhance children’s oral health

In vitro validation of a hand-held optical reflectometer to measure clinically observed erosive tooth wear

In this study, we analyzed a newly developed optical reflectometer for measuring erosive tooth wear (ETW) in vitro. Three examiners independently assessed the labial surface of 80 deciduous canines and 75 permanent incisors. One examiner performed visual examinations (BEWE), and the other two used the optical pen-size reflectometer to measure surface reflection intensity (SRI) on the same labial surfaces. The examinations were made in duplicate with at least 1 week interval. Intra- and inter-rater agreements were calculated using weighted kappa analysis for BEWE, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) as well as Bland-Altman plots for SRI. The teeth were separated into without (BEWE 0) or with (BEWE 1-3) ETW, and SRI cut-off points were calculated. Intra-rater agreement for the visual examination was 0.46 and 0.82 for deciduous and permanent teeth, respectively. Inter-rater and intra-rater agreement for SRI were good (ICC > 0.7; p < 0.001). SRI measurements produced high specificity values for deciduous and permanent teeth (≥0.74 and ≥ 0.84, respectively), and lower sensitivity values (≥0.37 and ≥ 0.64, respectively), but permanent teeth had generally higher SRI values (p < 0.05). We observed a significant association between BEWE and SRI (p < 0.05). The optical pen-size reflectometer was able to adequately differentiate ETW on permanent teeth, with highly reliable and reproducible measurements, but ETW on deciduous teeth was less accurately differentiated. The reflectometer is a good candidate for clinical research

In vitro evaluation of modified surface microhardness measurement, focus variation 3D microscopy and contact stylus profilometry to assess enamel surface loss after erosive-abrasive challenges

The aim of the study was to compare surface loss values after erosion-abrasion cycles obtained with modified surface microhardness measurement (mSMH), focus variation 3D microscopy (FVM) and contact stylus profilometry (CSP). We cut human molars into buccal and lingual halves, embedded them in resin and ground 200 μm of enamel away. The resulting surfaces were polished. To maintain a reference area, we applied Block-Out resin to partly cover the enamel surface. The samples were incubated in artificial saliva (37°C; 1 h), then rinsed in deionized water (10 s) and dried with oil-free air (5 s). We immersed the specimens individually in 30 mL citric acid (1%, pH 3.6) for 2 min (25°C, 70 rpm dynamic conditions) before brushing them (50 strokes, 200 g) in an automatic brushing machine with toothpaste-slurry. We calculated the surface loss as per mSMH, by re-measuring the length of the same six indentations made before the abrasive challenge. The experiment consisted of five experimental groups that received between 2 and 10 erosion-abrasion cycles. Each group contained 15 specimens and samples in groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 underwent a total of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 cycles, respectively. The resin was removed from the reference area in one piece under 10× magnification and the FVM and CSP were performed. Agreement between the methods was calculated with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and depicted in Bland-Altman plots. All methods presented a linear pattern of surface loss measurements throughout the experiment, leading overall to a strong, statistically significant correlation between the methods (ICC = 0.85; p<0.001). So, despite the different surface loss values, all methods presented consistent results for surface loss measurement

Eficácia de diferentes dentifrícios na prevenção do desgaste dentário erosivo em dentes permanentes e decíduos

Os dentifrícios são veículos fundamentais para a aplicação dos fluoretos. Estudos em dentes humanos e bovinos têm mostrado que os fluoretos podem apresentar efeitos diversos na prevenção e na progressão do desgaste dentário erosivo (DDE). No entanto, pouco se sabe sobre seu efeito em dentes decíduos. Objetivo: 1) Avaliar o efeito preventivo de dentifrícios fluoretados por meio da intensidade de reflexão da superfície especular (IRS), da microdureza de superfície (MDS) e da perda da superfície calculada (PSC) utilizando um modelo inicial de erosão/abrasão; 2) avaliar por meio de perfilometria a perda de superfície (PS) em um modelo de erosão/abrasão avançado e 3) comparar esse efeito preventivo entre os dentes permanentes (DP) e dentes decíduos (dd). Material e Métodos: Amostras de esmalte de dentes permanentes (n = 100) e decíduos (n = 100) foram aleatoriamente divididos em cinco grupos (n = 20) de acordo com os dentifrícios testados: G1 – dentifrício placebo (0ppm), G2 – dentifrício com NaF (controle positivo, 1500ppm, Crest®, P & G), G3 - dentifrício anti-erosão com AmF-NaF-SnCl (1400ppm, elmex Erosion Protection®, GABA - Colgate), G4 - dentifrício com SnF (1100ppm, Sensodyne Repair&Protect®, GSK), G5 - dentifrício anti-erosão com NaF para crianças (1450ppm, Sensodyne ProNamel Junior®, GSK) Metade de cada superfície de esmalte foi coberta com resina à base de metacrilato para criar uma área hígida de referência. As amostras foram então submetidas a ciclos de erosão/abrasão, cinco no protocolo inicial e mais 25 para o protocolo avançado, totalizando 30 ciclos para este último protocolo. Em cada ciclo, as amostras foram incubadas em saliva artificial por 1h hora, submetidas ao desafio erosivo (3min; ácido cítrico 1%; pH 3.6; a 25 ° C) e à abrasão (2min de imersão no slurry; 50 movimentos de escovação; 200 g). Os efeitos das duas co-variáveis "dente" e "dentifrício" foram analisados através do teste ANOVA e as comparações entre os dentifrícios foram realizadas por meio do teste de Kruskal-Wallis e entre os tipos de dente (DP e dd) utilizando o teste de Wilcoxon, com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: No protocolo inicial, considerando os resultados de MDS, as amostras do grupo do dentifrício placebo apresentaram valores significativamente menores para os ‘DP’ do que os outros grupos (p<0.05), no entanto sem diferença entre os dentifrícios fluoretados. Para os ‘dd’, o dentifrício placebo (G1) e o dentifrício com SnF (G4) também mostraram valores significativamente menores do que os outros grupos (p<0.05) Nos resultados de IRS, o dentifrício com SnF (G4) apresentou valores menores em ambos os tipos de dente. Além disso, os dentes decíduos apresentaram significativamente maiores valores de IRS que os dentes permanentes, exceto no grupo do dentifrício anti-erosão com AmF-NaF-SnCl (G3). Os dentes decíduos apresentaram maior PSC do que dentes permanentes, exceto no G3. No protocolo avançado de erosão/abrasão os dentes decíduos (dd) mostraram PS significativamente maior do que os dentes permanentes (DP) em todos os grupos (p <0.001). Os valores médios de PS de cada grupo foram: G1 DP 18.18μm (± 3.98), dd 25.65μm (± 9.21); G2 DP 14.76μm (± 2.82), dd 18.11μm (± 3.92); G3 DP 12.62μm (± 5.29), dd 15.61μm (± 6.70); G4 DP 17.12μm (± 2.24), dd 23.41μm (± 7.9); G5 DP 13.24μm (± 1.29), dd 18.28μm (± 8.96). Conclusões: No protocolo de erosão/abrasão inicial dentes decíduos apresentaram valores mais baixos MDS, valores de IRS mais elevados e maior PSC do que os dentes permanentes durante o experimento. O dentifrício anti-erosão com NaF para crianças apresentou os menores valores de PSC em ambos os dentes permanentes e decíduos, com um melhor efeito preventivo. No protocolo avançado o dentifrício anti-erosão com AmF-NaF-SnCl apresentou o melhor efeito preventivo contra desgaste erosivo nos dentes permanentes. Em dentes decíduos os dentifrícios com NaF (G2), anti-erosão com AmF-NaF-SnCl (G3) e anti-erosão com NaF para crianças (G5) mostraram efeito semelhante.Toothpastes are key vehicles for fluorides application. Studies have shown that various fluorides have different preventive effect on erosive tooth wear (ETW) progression. Little is known about their effect on deciduous teeth. Aim: 1) To evaluate the preventive effect of the toothpastes through surface specular reflection intensity (SRI), surface microhardness (SMH) and calculated surface loss (CSL) in an initial erosion/abrasion model; 2) to evaluate through profilometry the surface loss (SL) in a severe erosion/abrasion model and 3) to compare this preventive effect between permanent teeth (PT) and deciduous teeth (dt). Material and Methods: Enamel samples of permanent (n=100) and deciduous teeth (n=100) were randomly divided into five groups according to toothpastes tested (n=20). G1 – placebo toothpaste (0ppm), G2 – NaF toothpaste (positive control, 1500ppm, Crest®, P&G), G3 – AmF-NaF-SnCl antierosion toothpaste (1400ppm, elmex Erosion Protection®, GABA – Colgate), G4 – SnF toothpaste (1100ppm, Sensodyne Repair®, GSK), G5 – NaF antierosion toothpaste for children (1450ppm, Sensodyne ProNamel Junior®, GSK). Half of enamel sample surfaces were covered with methacrylate-based resin to create a sound reference area. The samples were submitted to erosion-abrasion cycles, 5 in initial protocol and more 25 in severe protocol, totalizing 30 cycles at the end. In each cycle samples were incubated in artificial saliva (1h), submitted to erosive challenge (3min; 1% citric acid; pH3.6; at 25°C) and to toothbrush abrasion (2min immersion in slurry; 50 strokes; 200g) The effects of the two covariables “tooth” and “toothpaste” were analyzed by ANOVA Comparisons among toothpastes were evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis-tests and between PT and dt using Wilcoxon’s rank sum test. Results: In initial protocol, considering the SMH results, placebo toothpaste showed significantly lower SMH values in PT than the other toothpastes (p<0.05), with no differences between the toothpastes. In dt, placebo and G4 also showed significantly different values than the other groups (p<0.05). In SRI results, SnF toothpaste (G4) showed lower erf values in both PT and dt. Deciduous teeth presented significantly higher SRI than permanent (p<0.05), except on AmF-NaF-SnCl antierosion group (G3). Deciduous teeth presented generally higher CSL than PT, except for G3. In the severe protocol deciduous teeth (dt) showed significant higher SL than permanent teeth (PT) in all groups (p<0.001). The mean values of SL of each group were: G1 PT 18.18(±3.98), dt 25.65(±9.21); G2 PT 14.76(±2.82), dt 18.11(±3.92); G3 PT 12.62(±5.29), dt 15.61(±6.70); G4 PT 17.12(±2.24), dt 23.41(±7.9); G5 PT 13.24(±1.29), dt 18.28(±8.96) Conclusions: In initial protocol deciduous teeth presented lower SMH values, higher SRI values and higher surface loss than permanent teeth during the experiment. The NaF antierosion toothpaste for children presented the lowest values of SL in both permanent and deciduous teeth, with a better preventive effect. In severe protocol, AmF-NaF-SnCl antierosion toothpaste showed the best preventive effect against erosion-abrasion cycles in permanent teeth. In deciduous teeth NaF toothpaste, AmF-NaF-SnCl antierosion toothpaste and NaF antierosion toothpaste for children showed similar effect

Eficácia de diferentes dentifrícios na prevenção do desgaste dentário erosivo em dentes permanentes e decíduos

Os dentifrícios são veículos fundamentais para a aplicação dos fluoretos. Estudos em dentes humanos e bovinos têm mostrado que os fluoretos podem apresentar efeitos diversos na prevenção e na progressão do desgaste dentário erosivo (DDE). No entanto, pouco se sabe sobre seu efeito em dentes decíduos. Objetivo: 1) Avaliar o efeito preventivo de dentifrícios fluoretados por meio da intensidade de reflexão da superfície especular (IRS), da microdureza de superfície (MDS) e da perda da superfície calculada (PSC) utilizando um modelo inicial de erosão/abrasão; 2) avaliar por meio de perfilometria a perda de superfície (PS) em um modelo de erosão/abrasão avançado e 3) comparar esse efeito preventivo entre os dentes permanentes (DP) e dentes decíduos (dd). Material e Métodos: Amostras de esmalte de dentes permanentes (n = 100) e decíduos (n = 100) foram aleatoriamente divididos em cinco grupos (n = 20) de acordo com os dentifrícios testados: G1 – dentifrício placebo (0ppm), G2 – dentifrício com NaF (controle positivo, 1500ppm, Crest®, P & G), G3 - dentifrício anti-erosão com AmF-NaF-SnCl (1400ppm, elmex Erosion Protection®, GABA - Colgate), G4 - dentifrício com SnF (1100ppm, Sensodyne Repair&Protect®, GSK), G5 - dentifrício anti-erosão com NaF para crianças (1450ppm, Sensodyne ProNamel Junior®, GSK) Metade de cada superfície de esmalte foi coberta com resina à base de metacrilato para criar uma área hígida de referência. As amostras foram então submetidas a ciclos de erosão/abrasão, cinco no protocolo inicial e mais 25 para o protocolo avançado, totalizando 30 ciclos para este último protocolo. Em cada ciclo, as amostras foram incubadas em saliva artificial por 1h hora, submetidas ao desafio erosivo (3min; ácido cítrico 1%; pH 3.6; a 25 ° C) e à abrasão (2min de imersão no slurry; 50 movimentos de escovação; 200 g). Os efeitos das duas co-variáveis "dente" e "dentifrício" foram analisados através do teste ANOVA e as comparações entre os dentifrícios foram realizadas por meio do teste de Kruskal-Wallis e entre os tipos de dente (DP e dd) utilizando o teste de Wilcoxon, com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: No protocolo inicial, considerando os resultados de MDS, as amostras do grupo do dentifrício placebo apresentaram valores significativamente menores para os ‘DP’ do que os outros grupos (p<0.05), no entanto sem diferença entre os dentifrícios fluoretados. Para os ‘dd’, o dentifrício placebo (G1) e o dentifrício com SnF (G4) também mostraram valores significativamente menores do que os outros grupos (p<0.05) Nos resultados de IRS, o dentifrício com SnF (G4) apresentou valores menores em ambos os tipos de dente. Além disso, os dentes decíduos apresentaram significativamente maiores valores de IRS que os dentes permanentes, exceto no grupo do dentifrício anti-erosão com AmF-NaF-SnCl (G3). Os dentes decíduos apresentaram maior PSC do que dentes permanentes, exceto no G3. No protocolo avançado de erosão/abrasão os dentes decíduos (dd) mostraram PS significativamente maior do que os dentes permanentes (DP) em todos os grupos (p <0.001). Os valores médios de PS de cada grupo foram: G1 DP 18.18μm (± 3.98), dd 25.65μm (± 9.21); G2 DP 14.76μm (± 2.82), dd 18.11μm (± 3.92); G3 DP 12.62μm (± 5.29), dd 15.61μm (± 6.70); G4 DP 17.12μm (± 2.24), dd 23.41μm (± 7.9); G5 DP 13.24μm (± 1.29), dd 18.28μm (± 8.96). Conclusões: No protocolo de erosão/abrasão inicial dentes decíduos apresentaram valores mais baixos MDS, valores de IRS mais elevados e maior PSC do que os dentes permanentes durante o experimento. O dentifrício anti-erosão com NaF para crianças apresentou os menores valores de PSC em ambos os dentes permanentes e decíduos, com um melhor efeito preventivo. No protocolo avançado o dentifrício anti-erosão com AmF-NaF-SnCl apresentou o melhor efeito preventivo contra desgaste erosivo nos dentes permanentes. Em dentes decíduos os dentifrícios com NaF (G2), anti-erosão com AmF-NaF-SnCl (G3) e anti-erosão com NaF para crianças (G5) mostraram efeito semelhante.Toothpastes are key vehicles for fluorides application. Studies have shown that various fluorides have different preventive effect on erosive tooth wear (ETW) progression. Little is known about their effect on deciduous teeth. Aim: 1) To evaluate the preventive effect of the toothpastes through surface specular reflection intensity (SRI), surface microhardness (SMH) and calculated surface loss (CSL) in an initial erosion/abrasion model; 2) to evaluate through profilometry the surface loss (SL) in a severe erosion/abrasion model and 3) to compare this preventive effect between permanent teeth (PT) and deciduous teeth (dt). Material and Methods: Enamel samples of permanent (n=100) and deciduous teeth (n=100) were randomly divided into five groups according to toothpastes tested (n=20). G1 – placebo toothpaste (0ppm), G2 – NaF toothpaste (positive control, 1500ppm, Crest®, P&G), G3 – AmF-NaF-SnCl antierosion toothpaste (1400ppm, elmex Erosion Protection®, GABA – Colgate), G4 – SnF toothpaste (1100ppm, Sensodyne Repair®, GSK), G5 – NaF antierosion toothpaste for children (1450ppm, Sensodyne ProNamel Junior®, GSK). Half of enamel sample surfaces were covered with methacrylate-based resin to create a sound reference area. The samples were submitted to erosion-abrasion cycles, 5 in initial protocol and more 25 in severe protocol, totalizing 30 cycles at the end. In each cycle samples were incubated in artificial saliva (1h), submitted to erosive challenge (3min; 1% citric acid; pH3.6; at 25°C) and to toothbrush abrasion (2min immersion in slurry; 50 strokes; 200g) The effects of the two covariables “tooth” and “toothpaste” were analyzed by ANOVA Comparisons among toothpastes were evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis-tests and between PT and dt using Wilcoxon’s rank sum test. Results: In initial protocol, considering the SMH results, placebo toothpaste showed significantly lower SMH values in PT than the other toothpastes (p<0.05), with no differences between the toothpastes. In dt, placebo and G4 also showed significantly different values than the other groups (p<0.05). In SRI results, SnF toothpaste (G4) showed lower erf values in both PT and dt. Deciduous teeth presented significantly higher SRI than permanent (p<0.05), except on AmF-NaF-SnCl antierosion group (G3). Deciduous teeth presented generally higher CSL than PT, except for G3. In the severe protocol deciduous teeth (dt) showed significant higher SL than permanent teeth (PT) in all groups (p<0.001). The mean values of SL of each group were: G1 PT 18.18(±3.98), dt 25.65(±9.21); G2 PT 14.76(±2.82), dt 18.11(±3.92); G3 PT 12.62(±5.29), dt 15.61(±6.70); G4 PT 17.12(±2.24), dt 23.41(±7.9); G5 PT 13.24(±1.29), dt 18.28(±8.96) Conclusions: In initial protocol deciduous teeth presented lower SMH values, higher SRI values and higher surface loss than permanent teeth during the experiment. The NaF antierosion toothpaste for children presented the lowest values of SL in both permanent and deciduous teeth, with a better preventive effect. In severe protocol, AmF-NaF-SnCl antierosion toothpaste showed the best preventive effect against erosion-abrasion cycles in permanent teeth. In deciduous teeth NaF toothpaste, AmF-NaF-SnCl antierosion toothpaste and NaF antierosion toothpaste for children showed similar effect

Efficacy of toothpastes in the prevention of erosive tooth wear in permanent and deciduous teeth.

AIM To evaluate the erosive preventive effect of toothpastes in permanent (PT) and deciduous teeth (dt). DESIGN Enamel samples were divided into five groups (n = 20): G1: placebo toothpaste; G2: NaF toothpaste; G3: AmF-NaF-SnCl anti-erosion toothpaste; G4: SnFtoothpaste; and G5: NaF anti-erosion toothpaste for children. The samples were exposed to five erosion-abrasion cycles (artificial saliva incubation; 3 min in 1% citric acid; 2 min in slurry, toothbrush abrasion, 50 strokes, 200 g). Surface microhardness (SMH), surface specular reflection intensity (SRI), and cumulative surface loss (CSL) were measured. Comparisons among toothpastes were evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis tests and comparisons between PT and dt were evaluated using Wilcoxon's rank sum test. RESULTS G1 exhibited significantly lower SMH values in PT than the other toothpastes (p < 0.05), with no significant differences among the others groups. In dt, G1 and G4 exhibited significantly different values than the other groups (p < 0.05). G4 exhibited lower values of SRI in both types of teeth. Deciduous teeth presented significantly higher SRI than PT (p < 0.05), except for G3. Deciduous teeth generally presented higher CSL than PT, except for G3. CONCLUSIONS Deciduous teeth were more prone to mineral loss than permanent teeth. G5 exhibited better efficacy for both teeth, while G3 exhibited a better preventive effect only for deciduous teeth. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Erosive tooth wear prevalence in children is growing and deciduous teeth are more susceptible than permanent teeth. Considering this, it is important to know the preventive effect of different toothpastes in an initial erosion-abrasion model

Photography in pediatric dentistry : basis and applications

There is a lack in the literature regarding the production of digital images in pediatric dentistry. Some technical difficulties on the obtaining the image, such as reduced size of the oral cavity, behavioral aspects and clinical time are important features that may compromise the image quality as well as the clinical procedure. The perfect photograph is pediatric dentistry could be difficult, because repetitions can compromise the management of the child patient. However, programs and tools of images editing can be used to improve the photograph. The aim of this review was to clarify the applications of photography in pediatric dentistry. Moreover, concepts of production and images storage, the child management, adapted equipments, ethical considerations, indications of photography for research and as a diagnosis method were addressed.Atualmente, há uma lacuna na literatura em relação à produção de imagem em odontopediatria. Algumas dificuldades na técnica, como a reduzida abertura bucal, aspectos comportamentais da criança e o tempo clínico são variáveis importantes que podem comprometer tanto a qualidade das imagens quanto o procedimento clínico em si. Uma fotografia perfeita do paciente odontopediatrico pode ser difícil de ser obtida, pois as repetições podem comprometer o manejo do paciente. No entanto, programas e ferramentas de edição de imagem podem ser usados para melhorar a qualidade da fotografia. O objetivo dessa revisão foi elucidar as aplicações da fotografia em odontopediatria, desde os conceitos de produção até o armazenamento e edição da imagem. Além disso, abordar o manejo da criança, adequação dos equipamentos, considerações éticas e indicações da fotografia como método de pesquisa e diagnóstico