Comparison of Efficacy of Halstead and Vazirani Akinosi Block Technique in Achieving Mandibular Anesthesia

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of Halstead and Vasirani Akinosi block techniques in achieving mandibular anesthesia during exodontia among subjects reporting to Watim Teaching Hospital. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: This study was conducted in the department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Watim Dental Hospital, Rawalpindi from July 2019 to January2020. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a randomized control trail of 60 patients. Duration of onset of anesthesia, pain during injection, incidence of aspiration, success and failure of Halstead and Vasirani Akinosi techniques and their mean doses were analyzed and compared by using SPSS version 17.Comparison of categorical variables was done by Chi-square test. Comparison of non-categorical variables was done by independent sample t-test. p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: 28(93.3%) experienced moderate while 2(6.7%) experienced severe pain in Halstead group, while 30(100%) experienced mild pain in Vasirani Akinosi group. Halstead technique was successful in 22(73.3%) while unsuccessful in 8(26.7%) patients. Vasirani Akinosi technique was successful in 29(96.7%) and unsuccessful in 1(3.3%) patients. CONCLUSION: It may be concluded from analysis in the present study that Vasirani Akinosi technique was statistically superior in all parameters such as duration of onset, pain during injection, aspiration and success rate as compared to the conventional Halstead block technique. KEY WORDS: Extraction tooth, local anesthesia, Vasirani-Akinosi technique, nerve block

Comparison of Efficacy of Halstead and Vazirani Akinosi Block Technique in Achieving Mandibular Anesthesia

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of Halstead and Vasirani Akinosi block techniques in achieving mandibular anesthesia during exodontia among subjects reporting to Watim Teaching Hospital. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: This study was conducted in the department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Watim Dental Hospital, Rawalpindi from July 2019 to January2020. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a randomized control trail of 60 patients. Duration of onset of anesthesia, pain during injection, incidence of aspiration, success and failure of Halstead and Vasirani Akinosi techniques and their mean doses were analyzed and compared by using SPSS version 17.Comparison of categorical variables was done by Chi-square test. Comparison of non-categorical variables was done by independent sample t-test. p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: 28(93.3%) experienced moderate while 2(6.7%) experienced severe pain in Halstead group, while 30(100%) experienced mild pain in Vasirani Akinosi group. Halstead technique was successful in 22(73.3%) while unsuccessful in 8(26.7%) patients. Vasirani Akinosi technique was successful in 29(96.7%) and unsuccessful in 1(3.3%) patients. CONCLUSION: It may be concluded from analysis in the present study that Vasirani Akinosi technique was statistically superior in all parameters such as duration of onset, pain during injection, aspiration and success rate as compared to the conventional Halstead block technique. KEY WORDS: Extraction tooth, local anesthesia, Vasirani-Akinosi technique, nerve block

Assessment of Some Habits and Practices related to Complete Denture Wearing – A Survey of Subjects Reporting to Watim Dental Hospital

Objective: To assess some habits and practices related to denture wearing among subjects reporting to Watim Teaching Dental Hospital, Rawalpindi. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at Watim Dental College, Rawalpindi, from December 2018 to August 2019. Using a pre-structured questionnaire, data were collected from 155 subjects having used complete dentures for a minimum of 6-months. The questionnaire consisted of information including the type of dentures, duration and frequency of denture wearing, and denture cleaning habits. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Out of 155 participants, 80 (51.6%) were male and 75 (48.4%) were females. 89 (57.4%) patients use toothbrushes and soap for denture cleaning. 139 (89.7%) participants didn’t wear dentures while sleeping and soaked them in water. 98 (63.2%) respondents were not using antiseptic oral rinse and were casual in mouth-cleaning. Conclusion: From this study, it is concluded that 65 (41.9%) subjects were cleaning their dentures once a day. The study also reveals that 65 (41.9%) edentulous participants were not able to clean their oral cavity. Dentists should emphasize the importance of recall visits to evaluate the status of denture hygiene along with mucosal surface examination. Patient motivation to follow hygiene instructions and informing them about the harmful effects of overnight wearing of dentures should be part of delivering the prostheses to them. &nbsp

Making of a “dental surgeon” in COVID-19 pandemic; a qualitative study exploring undergraduate dental students perspective

Background: The closure of educational institutes in Pakistan due to COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a spontaneous shift from traditional to digital teaching and learning. The present study explores the perception of undergraduate dental students regarding its advantages and limitations. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from December 2020 to February 2021. Utilizing non-probability sampling technique 12 students from three dental colleges of Rawalpindi participated in the study. Three focus group interviews, each with four students were carried out. Data was transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis done. Result: The advantages include becoming a self-directed learner, ease and accessibility.  The online teaching was perceived well and participants agreed it saved their time and enhanced time utility. However the challenges included technical issues, behavioral issues and learning compromised clinical skills. Students in their preclinical years were more satisfied with online teaching as compared to those in their clinical years. Conclusion: The present study support the use of online teaching and learning. This mode of teaching allowed the continuation of medical and dental education during these uncertain times. Hence rigorous effects be made to maximize the promising potential benefits of online teaching. Reevaluating the dental curriculum, by incorporating online teaching within traditional dental education will strengthen the curricula and enable future dentist to have an impact in the community. Keywords: COVID-19, Dental education, Dental students, Online teaching, Undergraduat

Frequency of Post-Operative Bleeding after Dental Extraction among Patients on Chronic Low Dose Aspirin

Introduction: Anti-platelet drugs are widely used for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of post-operative bleeding after dental extraction among patients on chronic low-dose aspirin. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive case series in which a total of 378 patients on low-dose aspirin of( 75-100mg) for various cardiovascular causes were included in the study. The duration of the study was from November 2016 to May 2017 total of 6 months. Results: Out of 378 cases, 247 patients (65.4%) were male while 131 patients (34.6%) were female. The mean age of the patients was calculated as 54.8±13.1 years. Regarding pre-morbid, 127 patients (33.6%) were diabetic and 109 patients (28.9%) were hypertensive. The mean duration of taking aspirin was calculated as 3.5±1.7 years. Post-extraction bleeding was noted in 16 patients (4.2%). This was statistically insignificant i.e p-value >0.005. Conclusion: We concluded that simple tooth extraction is safe in patients on a long-term maintenance dose of aspirin, without discontinuation of the drug as it doesn’t cause any significant postoperative bleeding

Prevalence Of Parafunctional Habits And Temporomandibular Disorder Symptoms In Young Individuals Reporting To Watim Dental Hospital

Objective: This study aims to identify the prevalence of parafunctional habits and common symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in young individuals reporting to the Watim Dental College Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out by a survey and clinical examination over a period of six months from September 2021 to February 2022. Data from 103 patients, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, were collected using a structured questionnaire and clinical examination regarding their parafunctional habits and temporomandibular joint symptoms. Informed consent was filled out by all the participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. A descriptive analysis was calculated for both quantitative and qualitative variables. Results: The prevalence of oral parafunctional habits among the study sample was quantified on a binary scale (yes/no) where nail-biting was observed to be highly prevalent (38%), followed by mouth breathing (27%). The most frequently reported temporomandibular joint symptom was noise (clicking or crepitation)  which was 66%. Difficulty in mouth opening was the least common (20%) of all the symptoms noted. Conclusion: It may be concluded from our study that amongst parafunctional habits nail biting is the most common habit amongst young individuals and amongst the temporomandibular joint disorder clicking and crepitation is the most common symptom persistent with the condition. Keywords: clicking, nail-biting, parafunctional habits, temporomandibular joint symptom