Influence of bisphosphonates on alveolar bone density: a histomorphometric analysis

This study is a histomorphometrical analysis of the influence of the bisphosphonate alendronate on alveolar bone density. Eighteen male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 9) that received no medication and an experimental group (n = 9) that received oral alendronate (1 mg/kg) from birth until euthanization at 3 months of age. Semi-serial 4-µm-thick transverse sections were obtained from the region between the roots of the left maxillary first molar, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and examined with a Zeiss Axioskop II optical microscope for histomorphometric analysis. The images were captured with a digital camera coupled with the microscope and connected to a computer, and were analyzed using Image J 1.34s image-analysis software. A 1,200-point grid was positioned onto each digitized image. The number of intersection points of grid lines in the bone tissue was counted. The ratio between the number of points in the bone tissue and the total number of points of the grid (1,200) was used to determine the bone density of the analyzed tissue. Data from the control and experimental groups were compared and analyzed statistically by the Student's t-test (p = 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.3754) in the alveolar bone density between the control and alendronate-treated animals. It may be concluded that the bisphosphonate alendronate did not alter the morphology of the alveolar bone, maintaining its structural tissue characteristics in healthy animals.São Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP) and a research postgraduate scholarship granted by the Brazilian Government Research Funding Agency CAPES. The authors are indebted to the Department of Physiology of Ribeirão Preto Dental School, University of São Paulo, Brazil, and to the histotechnician MS. Fátima Aparecida Silveira from the Service Pathology of Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo (USP), Brazi

Knowledge of undergraduate students of the course in dentistry about the transmission of covid-19 in dental offices / Conhecimento dos estudantes de graduação do curso de odontologia sobre a transmissão da covid-19 em consultórios odontológicos

The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of dental students about the transmission of coronavirus in dental offices, and the biosafety measures that must be adopted to prevent its dissemination. An online questionnaire with 18 questions was applied to  the students to collect the information. The sample was composed of 126 students of the dentistry course of public and private universities who had previous contact with clinical practice. The results revealed that 68.3% of the undergraduates were aware that dentists were among the health professionals who were at most risk for contamination, and 93.7% of them said that the procedures that generated aerosol in the dental office were those that led to the highest chances of transmission of  COVID-19. The responses also showed the awareness of students relative to the need to use all the items of personal protective equipment (PPE), in which 90% of the participants considered masks, caps, gloves, facial protectors, aprons, and protective goggles to be essential for preventing propagation of the virus. When asked about hand hygiene, 92.1% of the students considered soap and water the best option. Based on assessment of patients’ history (recent travels, chronic diseases and present health status), 87% reported that it was also important to obtain these items of  before attending a patient. It was concluded that the undergraduates had knowledge about the transmission and biosafety methods in the dental office, related to COVID-19, which would contribute to the safety of clinical attendance in the universities

Comunicação em saúde entre graduandos de odontologia e seus pacientes / Health communication between undergraduate dental students and their patients

O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar técnicas de comunicação utilizadas pelos graduandos de odontologia, incentivando-os a refletirem sobre seu atendimento, bem como analisar a maneira que os pacientes creem ser atendidos. Foram coletados dados de 164 estudantes do terceiro, quarto e quinto ano por meio do instrumento Student Communication Assessment Instrument (SCAI) e de 164 pacientes atendidos na clínica de odontologia do Centro Universitário da Fundação Hermínio Ometto (FHO), por meio do instrumento Patient Communication Assessment Instrument (PCAI). Ambos os instrumentos apresentam 28 questões relacionadas a 3 categorias (1-sendo atencioso e respeitoso, 2- compartilhando informações, 3- cuidando do seu bem-estar). O PCAI apresenta mais uma categoria com 3 questões relacionadas a experiência com o tratamento odontológico. Todas as questões contendo uma escala de comunicação (ruim/médio/bom/muito bom/excelente). Os resultados mostraram concordâncias superiores a 98% na categoria 1,93% na categoria 2 e na categoria 3, e 96% de concordância na escala bom/muito bom/excelente. Em relação a categoria 4, exclusiva aos pacientes, mais de 92% apontaram como muito bom e excelente em relação a sua experiência com o tratamento odontológico oferecido. Conclui-se que, estudantes e pacientes avaliaram as técnicas de comunicação, sobre atendimento clínico, de forma análoga na escala bom/muito bom/excelente, o que refletiu na satisfação do paciente com o tratamento odontológico

Comunicação em saúde entre graduandos de odontologia e seus pacientes / Health communication between undergraduate dental students and their patients

O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar técnicas de comunicação utilizadas pelos graduandos de odontologia, incentivando-os a refletirem sobre seu atendimento, bem como analisar a maneira que os pacientes creem ser atendidos. Foram coletados dados de 164 estudantes do terceiro, quarto e quinto ano por meio do instrumento Student Communication Assessment Instrument (SCAI) e de 164 pacientes atendidos na clínica de odontologia do Centro Universitário da Fundação Hermínio Ometto (FHO), por meio do instrumento Patient Communication Assessment Instrument (PCAI). Ambos os instrumentos apresentam 28 questões relacionadas a 3 categorias (1-sendo atencioso e respeitoso, 2- compartilhando informações, 3- cuidando do seu bem-estar). O PCAI apresenta mais uma categoria com 3 questões relacionadas a experiência com o tratamento odontológico. Todas as questões contendo uma escala de comunicação (ruim/médio/bom/muito bom/excelente). Os resultados mostraram concordâncias superiores a 98% na categoria 1,93% na categoria 2 e na categoria 3, e 96% de concordância na escala bom/muito bom/excelente. Em relação a categoria 4, exclusiva aos pacientes, mais de 92% apontaram como muito bom e excelente em relação a sua experiência com o tratamento odontológico oferecido. Conclui-se que, estudantes e pacientes avaliaram as técnicas de comunicação, sobre atendimento clínico, de forma análoga na escala bom/muito bom/excelente, o que refletiu na satisfação do paciente com o tratamento odontológico

Crown dilaceration in permanent teeth after trauma to the primary predecessors: report of three cases

Crown dilaceration of permanent teeth occurs due to the non-axial displacement of the already formed hard tissue portion of the developing crown at an angle to their longitudinal axis due to trauma to the primary predecessors. This is a rare condition, representing only 3% of the total of injuries to developing teeth and usually occurs in permanent maxillary incisors because of the close proximity of their tooth germs to the primary incisors, which are more susceptible to trauma. This alteration frequently results from the intrusion of a primary tooth when the child is around 2 years of age, at which time half of the crown of the permanent successor is already formed. Teeth with dilacerated crowns may either erupt with buccal or lingual displacement or remain impacted. The treatment may involve endodontic, orthodontic, restorative and prosthetic procedures. This paper reports the restorative treatment proposed to reestablish the esthetics and function of the affected teeth in three cases of crown dilaceration in permanent maxillary incisors after trauma to their primary predecessors

Current data on the characterization of oral clefts in Brazil Informações atuais sobre a caracterização das fissuras orofaciais no Brasil

This study aimed at investigating the current distribution of the several types of clefts among the patients receiving treatment at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies (HRAC-USP), Bauru, Brazil, for the first time during the year 2000. A total of 803 unoperated patients with cleft lip and/or palate, with or without additional malformations, with no recognizable syndromes, who came to the HRAC-USP for enrollment for treatment during the year 2000. A predominance of complete cleft lip and palate, either unilateral or bilateral, was observed (37.1%), followed by isolated cleft palate (31.7%) and isolated cleft lip (28.4%). A discrete relationship between cleft palate and the female gender was noticed (53%), and males were more affected by the other types of clefts (around 60%). The findings revealed a predominance of complete clefts of the primary and secondary palate, the treatment of which is more complex, and whose frequency is greater in males.<br>Foi objetivo do presente estudo investigar a distribuição atual dos vários tipos de fissuras entre pacientes que compareceram ao Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais (HRAC-USP), Bauru, Brasil, pela primeira vez, no ano de 2000. No total, 803 pacientes não operados com fissura de lábio e/ou palato, com ou sem malformações adicionais, sem síndromes reconhecíveis, compareceram ao HRAC-USP para inscrição para tratamento durante o ano de 2000. Foi observada predominância de fissura completa de lábio e palato, unilateral ou bilateral (37,1%), seguida pela fissura de palato isolada (31,7%) e fissura de lábio isolada (28,4%). Foi notada uma relação discreta entre a fissura de palato e o gênero feminino (53%), sendo o gênero masculino mais afetado pelos outros tipos de fissuras (cerca de 60%). Os achados revelaram uma predominância de fissuras completas do palato primário e secundário, cujo tratamento é mais complexo, e uma maior ocorrência no gênero masculino