Knowledge, views and attitudes regarding the internet and its use in dentistry among dental undergraduate and postgraduate students -an obsrvational study

The use of computer and information technology is on escalation. There is little contemporary literature outlining the knowledge, views and attitudes of dental students regarding the use of the internet in dentistry especially in our country, India. Hence, it was decided to conduct a pilot questionnaire study regarding the internet and its use in dentistry among dental undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students. A prospective, cross-sectional, self-designed questionnaire with questions on various aspects of usage of the internet by the dental students was circulated among the UG and PG students at two dental institutes of Belgaum, Karnataka, India: KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences (KLE VKIDS) and Maratha Mandal’s NGH Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre (MMDC). Completed questionnaires were received from 284 out of 335 UG students and 112 out of 196 PG students, with a response rate of 84.8% and 57.14%, respectively. 82.04% of UG and 87.5% of PG students had personal laptops with access to the internet, indicating easy accessibility to technology. E-mail/surfing was the most common purpose of the internet usage among all the students. tient relationship. Our study highlights that the internet technology is regularly used for entertainment than for academic purposes. Hence each graduating dentist should not only have a thorough knowledge of the internet but should also be trained for literature search and this can only be accomplished by proper and compulsory trai- ning of these students for various applications of the internet in dentistry as practicing evidence-based health care might come in huge way tomorrow

Personnel Protective Equipment: Forgotten Protocol, Invigorated by COVID-19

Objective: To make the readers cognizant about the use of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPEs) and infection control practices which should always form a part of basic patient management and not arise with every emerging disease. Material and Methods: Authors personal clinical experiences and existing literature were summed up to infer relevant information related specifically to dentistry. A comprehensive review was done for the last 15 years in an attempt to explain the current state of understanding on the topic. Results: The authors have tried to compile the most probable reasons as to why PPEs have been a forgotten protocol, which can be enumerated as follows: decreased awareness, financial issues, boredom and lethargy, time constraints, unavailability, carelessness, and burnout due to long procedure and patient feeling discomfort/offended. Conclusion: COVID-19 being highly infectious, a dental clinic is a potential and genuine point of source for many new infections, and no confabulation is less to underline the importance of using PPEs during this pandemic or even otherwise

Article ID 020115, 4

Abstract The concept of pain has evolved from that of a one-dimensional sensation to that of a multi-dimensional experience encompassing sensory, discriminate, cognitive, motivational and aff ective qualities. Pain is the presenting symptom of a broad spectrum of diseases that needs to be diagnosed and treated. Establishing a precise diagnosis and providing eff ective treatment have become major challenges in medical and dental profession. Oro-facial pain is the fi eld of dentistry devoted to the diagnosis and management of chronic, complex, facial pain and oro-motor disorders. Since diff erent diseases produce characteristic patterns of tissue damage, the quality, time course, location of a patient's pain complaint and the location of tenderness provide important diagnostic clues and are used to evaluate the response to treatment. The general characteristics, etiologic characteristics, pathophysiology, diff erential diagnostic criteria, and therapeutic options of atypical facial pain and atypical odontalgia are described

Comparison Between Primary and Secondary Method of Closing Surgical Wound After Tooth Extraction: A Split-Mouth Study

Objective: To compare and assess the primary and secondary closure techniques following extraction of impacted third molars for post-operative complications. Material and Methods: In total, 30 patients ranging between 18-30 years of age and of either sex who had bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars were randomly selected. Split mouth study method was used so that the participants served as their own control. Group 1 consisted of primary closure of left mandibular impacted third molars and Group 2 consisted of secondary closure of right mandibular impacted third molars. Basement evaluations were recorded for each patient along with subjective and objective evaluations for postoperative 7 days. Data analysis was carried out by SPSS 17.0 software using Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon matched-pairs test and t-test. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was assigned as statistically significant. Results: When compared to group 1, group 2 revealed statistically less pain and swelling following the secondary closure of wound from day 1 to 7. There was a significant improvement in mouth opening in Group 2 at day 1 (p=0.0005) and at day 7 (p=0.00001). Conclusion: Secondary wound closure after disimpaction of mandibular third molar results in better postoperative recovery than primary closure

Atypical facial pain and atypical odontalgia: A concise review

The concept of pain has evolved from that of a one-dimensional sensation to that of a multi-dimensional experience encompassing sensory, discriminate, cognitive, motivational and aff ective qualities. Pain is the presenting symptom of a broad spectrum of diseases that needs to be diagnosed and treated. Establishing a precise diagnosis and providing effective treatment have become major challenges in medical and dental profession. Oro-facial pain is the fi eld of dentistry devoted to the diagnosis and management of chronic, complex, facial pain and oro-motor disorders. Since different diseases produce characteristic patterns of tissue damage, the quality, time course, location of a patient’s pain complaint and the location of tenderness provide important diagnostic clues and are used to evaluate the response to treatment. The general characteristics, etiologic characteristics, pathophysiology, diff erential diagnostic criteria, and therapeutic options of atypical facial pain and atypical odontalgia are described

Prevalence of Dental Caries and Dental Fluorosis among 7-12-Year-Old School Children in an Indian Subpopulation: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To assess the prevalence of dental caries and fluorosis among 7-12-year-old school children in Muradnagar, India. An additional objective was to determine the relationship between dental caries and fluorosis in the studied population. Material and Methods: A total of 1500 school children aged between 7 to 12 years, and both genders were randomly selected for the present study. The selected participants were divided into three groups based upon age, viz 7-8 year (group I), 9-10 year (group II) and 11-12 year (group III). Sterile mouth mirrors and explorers were used for the detection of caries. The water samples were collected to assess the fluoride concentration. The data collected were tabulated and statistically analysed using Chi-square, ANOVA, Spearman’s correlation and t-test wherever applicable. Results: Out of 1500 participants, 54.1% were females and 45.9% were males. The prevalence of dental caries and fluorosis was 89.3% and 93.7%, respectively. The prevalence of caries increased with age (p<0.05) and females showed a higher prevalence in both the dentitions. Most dental fluorosis was ‘very mild’ (40.1%). Prevalence of dental fluorosis increased with age and males showed more fluorosis than females. A negative relationship was found between dental caries and fluorosis (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dental caries and fluorosis are the public health problems in Muradnagar; therefore, preventive programs should be organized to increase awareness among the general people

Prevalence of Dental Caries and Dental Fluorosis among 7-12-Year-Old School Children in an Indian Subpopulation: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To assess the prevalence of dental caries and fluorosis among 7-12-year-old school children in Muradnagar, India. An additional objective was to determine the relationship between dental caries and fluorosis in the studied population. Material and Methods: A total of 1500 school children aged between 7 to 12 years, and both genders were randomly selected for the present study. The selected participants were divided into three groups based upon age, viz 7-8 year (group I), 9-10 year (group II) and 11-12 year (group III). Sterile mouth mirrors and explorers were used for the detection of caries. The water samples were collected to assess the fluoride concentration. The data collected were tabulated and statistically analysed using Chi-square, ANOVA, Spearman’s correlation and t-test wherever applicable. Results: Out of 1500 participants, 54.1% were females and 45.9% were males. The prevalence of dental caries and fluorosis was 89.3% and 93.7%, respectively. The prevalence of caries increased with age (p<0.05) and females showed a higher prevalence in both the dentitions. Most dental fluorosis was ‘very mild’ (40.1%). Prevalence of dental fluorosis increased with age and males showed more fluorosis than females. A negative relationship was found between dental caries and fluorosis (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dental caries and fluorosis are the public health problems in Muradnagar; therefore, preventive programs should be organized to increase awareness among the general people

Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitude of Saudi Students towards Basic Life Support: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To evaluate the knowledge and attitude in relation to basic life support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills among the dental undergraduates and interns in Sakaka, Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken between October 2019 and December 2019 in Sakaka, Saudi Arabia. One hundred and eighty randomly selected dental students aged over 18 years participated in the study. Their knowledge and attitude towards BLS were gathered through a questionnaire. Results: A total of 158 (out of 180) UG students and interns participated in this study, making the responses of 87.8%. The mean age of the participants was 24.6 years. The samples comprised 86 (54.4%) males and 72 (45.6%) females. The assessments showed that overall the participants had average knowledge towards BLS and CPR, with males responding significantly better than the females (p˂0.05). Furthermore, as students climb the academic ladder, their knowledge regarding BLS and CPR tends to rise. Also, their attitude was positive, and they were willing to receive CPR training. Conclusion: Attitude toward acquiring knowledge about CPR was very positive. However, their knowledge about the topic was average. Students should understand the importance of such skills and efficiently involve in these life-saving procedures

Assessment of Panoramic Radiographic Variables as Predictors of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Injury During Third Molar Extraction

Objective: To assess the role of radiological predictive markers on orthopantomogram for inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury related to the removal of mandibular third molar surgery and the occurrence of post-operative IAN paresthesia. Material and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted on 60 patients (aged 17-35 years) indicated for extraction and showed one or more of the seven previously known panoramic radiographic risk signs of IAN injury. Variables such as age, sex, tooth angulation, and relationship with the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) were assessed to see their outcome on IAN injury. Data analysis is presented through tables and descriptive methods. Results: Among patients, 26 were male and 34 were female, with a mean age of 26.17 years. Out of seven radiological predictive markers, only six were found in this study, whereas one marker, viz. interruption of white line of the canal was not found. After surgical removal of the lower third molar, only two patients with radiographic signs showing the deflection of roots and darkening of roots continued with sensory deficit 5 weeks post-operatively. Conclusion: The risk of inferior alveolar nerve injury during lower third molar surgery is very low, even in patients with radiological predictive markers

Accuracy of Working Length Determination - Electronic Apex Locator Versus Cone Beam Computed Tomography

Objective: To compare the accuracy of working length determination between cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and electronic apex locator by measuring the actual working length of teeth. Material and Methods: A total of 150 single-rooted tooth assessed by radiograph undergoing root canal therapy were selected. The process was repeated to obtain a buccolingual and mesiodistal section of all teeth. The measurement line was considered from the reference occlusal plane following the center of the canal to the terminus. All information regarding the accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography and apex locator was noted in a pre-designed proforma. Results: CBCT consistently demonstrated high accuracy across all tooth types in both jaws. The electronic apex locator exhibited varying precision, with greater accuracy observed in the mandible. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in electronic apex locator accuracy among tooth types in the maxilla (p=0.042), emphasizing the importance of specific clinical considerations. Conclusion: Cone beam computed tomography emerges as a reliable diagnostic tool for accurate working length determination, especially in complex cases, while the electronic apex locator remains valuable with careful consideration of potential variations in accuracy. An individualized approach, considering tooth type, jaw location, and clinical context, is crucial for precise working length determination in endodontic practice