How much does the COVID-19 pandemic affect the clinical attitudes and anxiety levels of Turkish dentists in their dental practice?

Background: To investigate whether there is a change in the attitudes and behaviors of Turkish dentists during their dental procedures against the COVID 19 pandemic. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey study was directed using a “Google Form” to obtain responses from dentists during February and March 2021. The survey was composed of 4 parts including: 1. demographic data (age, sex, marital status, systemic health), scope of practice (general dental practitioner versus specialist), place of practice (private versus public), and experience; 2. questions about COVID-19 management in practice and clinic biosafety routine, 3. questions about measures taken in dentistry clinics against COVID-19 and 4. questions about knowledge, attitudes and concerns of dentists towards the COVID 19 pandemic. Results: A total of 556 dentists completed questionnaire. The rate of questioning the HES code, temperature measurement and wanting each patient to rinse their mouth with anti-bacterial mouthwash before treatment were higher for specialist dentists (

The effects of vitamin D deficiency on mandibular bone structure: a retrospective radiological study

Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin D deficiency on the mandibular bone structure by fractal analysis and panoramic morphometric indices. Methods Ninety participants were divided into three groups as 30 individuals with severe vitamin D deficiency, 30 individuals with vitamin D deficiency, and 30 individuals with vitamin D sufficiency. Fractal dimension analysis (FD), panoramic mandibular index (PMI), mandibular cortical index (MCI), and mandibular cortical thickness measurement (CTM) were evaluated on panoramic radiographs. Results FD values of the patients with vitamin D deficiency were found to be statistically lower than the patients with vitamin D sufficiency (p 0.05). PMI was significantly lower in patients with severe vitamin D deficiency (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in MCI values between the groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency causes a decrease in bone mineral density in the mandible, and an increase in alveolar porosity. FD analysis and radiomorphometric indices in panoramic radiographs can be used to assess osteoporotic changes in patients with vitamin D deficiency

İmplant Uzunluklarının ve Tasarımının İmplant Primer Stabilite Üzerine Etkilerinin Rezonans Frekans Analizi Kullanılarak Değerlendirilmesi: İn Vitro Bir Çalışma

Background:Primary stability (PS) is dependent on the length and diameter of the implant, micro-morphology of the implant surface, implant design, surgical procedure, bone quantity and quality.The aim of this study was to compare short and standart dental implants according to primary stability in bone type IV using Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) test equipment.Methods: Seventy two dental implants; sandblasting with large grit particles and acid etching (SLA) surface (Dentium®,SimpleLine II, Seoul, Korea), SLActive surface- (Straumann Roxolid®, Basel, Switzerland), Resorbable blast media (RBM) surface- (Implance®,Trabzon, TURKEY) with short (4-and 6-mm length) and standart dental implants (10-mm length) were placed in bovine cow ribs with bone quality similar to a type IV human bone.RFA was performed to evaluate the primary stability. The parameters of three groups were compared with the Mann–Whitney U test. Results:Implant stability quotient (ISQ)measurements of 4-mm and 6-mm length implants were similar however, 10-mm-length implants showed statistically difference inter-groups. SLActive surface in 10-mm-length implant group showed highest ISQ value (p &lt; 0.005). When primary stability was compared in intra groups, SLA surface and RBM surface implants showed no significant difference, but 10-mm-length of SLActive surface implant showed higher ISQ value than 4-and 6-mm length (p&lt; 0.005).Conclusion: The length and diameter of the implants might be more effective in primary stability compared to surface design and surface properties in short implants and SLActive surface implants may show better primary stabiliy in standard implants

Effects of hyperlipidemia on trabecular and cortical structures of the mandible

Objectives: To evaluate the mandibular bone structure of patients with hyperlipidemia by fractal dimension (FD) analysis and panoramic radiomorphometric indices including mandibular cortical thickness measurement, panoramic mandibular index (PMI), mandibular cortical index (MCI) and to compare with the healthy group. Methods: In total, 60 panoramic radiographs were included, including panoramic radiographs of 30 individuals with hyperlipidemia and 30 individuals with systemically healthy. FD analysis in the mandibular condyle, angle of the mandible, the distal side of the second premolar and anterior to mental foramen, PMI, MCI, and mandibular cortical thickness measurements were evaluated on radiographs. Independent samples t-test was used for differences between healthy and hyperlipidemia groups with regard to age and PMI. Repeated measurement of variance with one within and one between factors in the comparison of four regions and two groups in terms of FD and cortical thickness measurements. Following this analysis, significant differences were detected by post-hoc Sidak test. Fisher-Freeman-Halton analysis was applied to determine the relationship between categorical variables. Results: FD values of the hyperlipidemic patients were found to be lower than the healthy group. Between the hyperlipidemic and healthy groups, there was a difference in the angle of the mandible FD values (p = 0.020). There were no differences in the cortical thickness measurements and PMI between the groups (p > 0.05). There was a difference in MCI values between the groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The trabecular structure of the angle of the mandible and the cortical bone structure of the mandible were found to be negatively affected by hyperlipidemia

Radiographic evaluation of the presence of pulp stone in aggressive periodontitis patients

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between aggressive periodontitis (AP) and pulp stone by radiography. Materials and Method: A total of 243 panoramic radiographs of 116 patients (67 female and 49 male; mean age: 26.2 ± 5.3 years) in the AP group and 127 periodontally healthy subjects (72 female and 55 male; mean age: 29.8 ± 3.6 years) in the control group were included to the study. The presence of the pulp stones on the 1st and 2nd premolar teeth and the 1st and 2nd molar teeth in the maxilla and mandible were evaluated by a single observer. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test. Results: Considering the findings on patient basis, the presence of pulp stone in the AP group (29/116 subject; 25%) was more frequent than the control group (12/127 subject; 9.4%) (p0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the frequency of pulp stone was greater in the subjects with AP compared to the subjects with healthy periodontal tissues. From a clinical standpoint, in the subjects with AP, the presence of pulp stones should be evaluated comprehensively before commencing endodontic treatment as they may lead to difficulties during access to root canals

In vivo evaluation of mandibular trabecular and cortical bone quality in psoriasis vulgaris

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of psoriasis vulgaris on mandibular structure by calculating fractal dimension (FD) and radiomorphometric indices. Study Design. Panoramic radiographs of 58 patients with psoriasis and 58 healthy participants were assessed. FD was used to analyze trabecular bone architecture in the condyle, angle, and 2 sites in the alveolar bone. Five radiomorphometric indices based on cortical thickness and the mandibular cortical index (MCI) for structure were used to assess cortical bone porosity. Comparisons were made between sites in trabecular and cortical bone. Quantitative and categorical data were statistically analyzed with the significance level at P < .05. Results. FD was significantly lower in the patients with psoriasis than in the controls in the alveolar bone sites (P = .617), but the FD values of some measurement sides in the control group differed significantly (P <= .004). All quantitative radiomorphometric indices were significantly lower in patients with psoriasis (P <= .034) with significant differences between some sites in both groups. No significant difference was found in MG frequency distribution between the groups (P = .782). Conclusions. Trabecular architecture and cortical thickness were negatively affected in patients with psoriasis, but no differences in cortical porosity were detected between groups

Ortodontik Tedavi Öncesi, Hemen Sonrası ve 6 Ay Sonrasında Alveoler Kemiğin Trabeküler Yapısının Fraktal Analiz Kullanılarak Tahmini: İmplant Planlama Rehberi

Background:The aim of this study was to assess the trabecular bone pattern changes of orthodontically treated patients before orthodontic treatment (T0), immediately after (T1) and 6 months after (T2) the treatment by using fractal dimension (FD) analysis in order to guide implant applications. Methods:Totally 32 orthodontic patients who had one missing tooth were included in the study. Patients were treated to align the teeth and to create a dimensionally appropriate space for implant placement. Panoramic radiographs were taken with standard protocols at the time periods of before (T0), immediately after (T1) and 6 months after (T2) treatment. FD analysis was performed using Image J 1.3 software with the box-counting method. Results:The highest FD value measured before treatment (T0=1.47±0.14). Mean FD values of T2 was found statistically significantly higher (1.32±0.14) than T1 (1.19±0.15) (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions:It is suggested not to plan implant surgery immediately after the end of orthodontic treatment because trabecular bone gains more complex nature over time. FD analysis is a simple and cost-effective tool for examining bone structure in panoramic radiographs