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Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are poised to catalyze a transformative shift across diverse dental disciplines including endodontics, oral radiology,... (Review)
Review
Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are poised to catalyze a transformative shift across diverse dental disciplines including endodontics, oral radiology, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontology, prosthodontics, and restorative dentistry. This narrative review delineates the burgeoning role of AI in enhancing diagnostic precision, streamlining treatment planning, and potentially unveiling innovative therapeutic modalities, thereby elevating patient care standards. Recent analyses corroborate the superiority of AI-assisted methodologies over conventional techniques, affirming their capacity for personalization, accuracy, and efficiency in dental care. Central to these AI applications are convolutional neural networks and deep learning models, which have demonstrated efficacy in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic decision making, in some instances surpassing traditional methods in complex cases. Despite these advancements, the integration of AI into clinical practice is accompanied by challenges, such as data security concerns, the demand for transparency in AI-generated outcomes, and the imperative for ongoing validation to establish the reliability and applicability of AI tools. This review underscores the prospective benefits of AI in dental practice, envisioning AI not as a replacement for dental professionals but as an adjunctive tool that fortifies the dental profession. While AI heralds improvements in diagnostics, treatment planning, and personalized care, ethical and practical considerations must be meticulously navigated to ensure responsible development of AI in dentistry.
PubMed: 38928675
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14121260 -
Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024(1) Background: This study aimed to integrate an augmented reality (AR) image-guided surgery (IGS) system, based on preoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)...
(1) Background: This study aimed to integrate an augmented reality (AR) image-guided surgery (IGS) system, based on preoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, into clinical practice. (2) Methods: In preclinical and clinical surgical setups, an AR-guided visualization system based on Microsoft's HoloLens 2 was assessed for complex lower third molar (LTM) extractions. In this study, the system's potential intraoperative feasibility and usability is described first. Preparation and operating times for each procedure were measured, as well as the system's usability, using the System Usability Scale (SUS). (3) Results: A total of six LTMs ( = 6) were analyzed, two extracted from human cadaver head specimens ( = 2) and four from clinical patients ( = 4). The average preparation time was 166 ± 44 s, while the operation time averaged 21 ± 5.9 min. The overall mean SUS score was 79.1 ± 9.3. When analyzed separately, the usability score categorized the AR-guidance system as "good" in clinical patients and "best imaginable" in human cadaver head procedures. (4) Conclusions: This translational study analyzed the first successful and functionally stable application of the HoloLens technology for complex LTM extraction in clinical patients. Further research is needed to refine the technology's integration into clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.
PubMed: 38927861
DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11060625 -
Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Rectangular Block Implant (RBIs) were manufactured, using computer-aided-design lathe turning, surface roughened with grit blasting and gamma irradiated. Implants were...
Rectangular Block Implant (RBIs) were manufactured, using computer-aided-design lathe turning, surface roughened with grit blasting and gamma irradiated. Implants were surgically placed into the resorbed edentulous mandibular ridges of both greyhound dogs (ex vivo and in vivo) and humans; the pooled total was 17 placements. The aim was to achieve mechanical stability and full implant submergence without damage to the mandibular canal and without bone fracture: fulfilment of all of these criteria was deemed to be a successful surgical outcome. Rectangular osteotomy sites were prepared with piezo surgical instrumentation. Sixteen implants were fully submerged and achieved good primary stability without bone fracture and without evidence of impingement of the mandibular canal. One implant placement was deemed a failure due to bone fracture: the event of a random successful outcome was rejected ( < 0.01 confidence, binomial analysis). Technique of placement yielded excellent mechanical retention: key biomechanical factors that emerged in this process included under preparation of the osteotomy site with the use of specifically designed trial-fit gauges, the viscoelastic property of the peri-implant bone, the flat faces and cornered edges of the block surfaces which enhance stress distribution and mechanical retention, respectively. It was concluded that the surgical protocol for the RBI placement in the resorbed alveolus is a predictable clinical procedure tailored to its specific, unique biomechanical profile.
PubMed: 38927768
DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11060532 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Dental caries is a global health problem that requires better prevention measures. One of the goals is to reduce the prevalence of the cariogenic Gram-positive bacterium...
Dental caries is a global health problem that requires better prevention measures. One of the goals is to reduce the prevalence of the cariogenic Gram-positive bacterium . We have recently shown that naturally occurring arachidonic acid (AA) has both anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities against this bacterium. An important question is how these activities are affected by other anti-bacterial compounds commonly used in mouthwashes. Here, we studied the combined treatment of AA with chlorhexidine (CHX), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), triclosan, and fluoride. Checkerboard microtiter assays were performed to determine the effects on bacterial growth and viability. Biofilms were quantified using the MTT metabolic assay, crystal violet (CV) staining, and live/dead staining with SYTO 9/propidium iodide (PI) visualized by spinning disk confocal microscopy (SDCM). The bacterial morphology and the topography of the biofilms were visualized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM). The effect of selected drug combinations on cell viability and membrane potential was investigated by flow cytometry using SYTO 9/PI staining and the potentiometric dye DiOC2(3), respectively. We found that CHX and CPC had an antagonistic effect on AA at certain concentrations, while an additive effect was observed with triclosan and fluoride. This prompted us to investigate the triple treatment of AA, triclosan, and fluoride, which was more effective than either compound alone or the double treatment. We observed an increase in the percentage of PI-positive bacteria, indicating increased bacterial cell death. Only AA caused significant membrane hyperpolarization, which was not significantly enhanced by either triclosan or fluoride. In conclusion, our data suggest that AA can be used together with triclosan and fluoride to improve the efficacy of oral health care.
PubMed: 38927206
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13060540 -
BMC Oral Health Jun 2024Older people receiving home-based care (HBC) often face barriers to access preventive oral health care (OHC) and dental treatments. Leading to deterioration of their...
BACKGROUND
Older people receiving home-based care (HBC) often face barriers to access preventive oral health care (OHC) and dental treatments. Leading to deterioration of their oral healthcare. It is further deteriorated by factors such as increasing burden of systemic diseases, medicinal side effects, limited mobility, financial constraints and lack of professional OHC at home. Older people also struggle to maintain necessary daily oral hygiene, leading to malnutrition, weight loss, and a risk of a further health degradation. This cross-sectional survey aimed to investigate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and their associated factors in HBC recipients.
METHODS
5,280 older people (≥ 60 years) living in Hamburg, who were in need of care and insured with statutory health insurance DAK-Gesundheit received the questionnaire, which included the German version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP G-14) and, the EQ-5D health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measure as well as further questions regarding the extent of informal social support, subjective oral health status, oral health behaviour, subjective cognitive status, and socio-demographic variables.
RESULTS
The participants (n = 1,622) had a median age of 83.2 years, with 72.0% of the sample being female. Nearly two thirds of the sample reported that their independence or abilities were significantly impaired (care level 2). Regarding oral health impacts, 40.0% of the participants reported experiencing at least one of the fourteen possible prevalent impacts of the OHIP-G14 fairly often or very often. A multivariate regression model on the severity of oral health impacts revealed, that a better HRQoL, a positive perception of one's own dental status, fewer visits to dental practices, and no need for support in OHC were associated with better OHRQoL. Conversely, respondents with a negative perception of their oral health status, more frequent visits to a dental practice, a need for support in OHC, and subjective memory impairment showed poorer OHRQoL.
CONCLUSIONS
The results highlight the risk for poor oral health among older people in HBC. We conclude that there is an urgent need to prioritise oral health, especially as poor oral health can further compromise the systemic wellbeing of these already care dependent population.
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; Germany; Female; Aged; Male; Oral Health; Cross-Sectional Studies; Home Care Services; Middle Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Social Support; Health Status; Health Behavior; Oral Hygiene; Health Services Accessibility; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 38926675
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04500-6 -
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental... Jun 2024
PubMed: 38925951
DOI: 10.1620/tjem.2024.J051 -
Archives of Disease in Childhood Jun 2024Type 1 diabetes (T1D) screening programmes testing islet autoantibodies (IAbs) in childhood can reduce life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis. General population...
OBJECTIVE
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) screening programmes testing islet autoantibodies (IAbs) in childhood can reduce life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis. General population screening is required to detect the majority of children with T1D, since in >85% there is no family history. Age 3-5 years has been proposed as an optimal age for a single screen approach.
DESIGN
Capillary samples were collected from children attending their preschool vaccination and analysed for IAbs to insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase, islet antigen-2 and zinc transporter 8 using radiobinding/luciferase immunoprecipitation system assays. Acceptability was assessed using semistructured interviews and open-ended postcard questionnaires with parents.
SETTING
Two primary care practices in Oxfordshire, UK.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The ability to collect capillary blood to test IAbs in children at the routine preschool vaccination (3.5-4 years).
RESULTS
Of 134 parents invited, 66 (49%) were recruited (median age 3.5 years (IQR 3.4-3.6), 26 (39.4%) male); 63 provided a sample (97% successfully), and one participant was identified with a single positive IAb. Parents (n=15 interviews, n=29 postcards) were uniformly positive about screening aligned to vaccination and stated they would have been less likely to take part had screening been a separate visit. Themes identified included preparedness for T1D and the long-term benefit outweighing short-term upset. The perceived volume of the capillary sample was a potential concern and needs optimising.
CONCLUSIONS
Capillary IAb testing is a possible method to screen children for T1D. Aligning collection to the preschool vaccination visit can be convenient for families without the need for an additional visit.
PubMed: 38925883
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326697 -
Brazilian Oral Research 2024Brazil's public healthcare system (SUS) offers specialized oral health services to Brazilians, but the productivity of specialists, such as Pediatric Dentists, has not...
Brazil's public healthcare system (SUS) offers specialized oral health services to Brazilians, but the productivity of specialists, such as Pediatric Dentists, has not been characterized. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize the outpatient dental procedures (ODPs) carried out by Pediatric Dentists within the SUS. An epidemiological study with an ecological, longitudinal, retrospective, and quantitative approach was conducted. The ODPs carried out by Pediatric Dentists within the SUS were characterized based on type of procedure, complexity level, and circumstance (urgent or elective). Data were analyzed using a descriptive and analytical approach, considering a significance level of 5%, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (the 2020-2022 years were not included in secondary analyses). In the last 15 years, 29,234,972 ODPs were carried out by Pediatric Dentists within the SUS. Clinical procedures were the majority (55.4%), significantly more frequent than all other types of procedures (all p <0.05). Among these, restorative and periodontal procedures were the most common (30.7% and 21.0%, respectively). From 2008 to 2019, excluding COVID-19 pandemic years, the trend over the last 15 years was constant for all types of procedures (all p >0.05). In addition, low complexity ODPs were the majority (90.1%), significantly more frequent than medium (9.7%) and high complexity procedures (0.1%) (both p <0.05). At last, most ODPs were not characterized by circumstance in the outpatient production reports (96.9%). Therefore, it was possible to conclude that Pediatric Dentists carried out diverse ODPs within the SUS over the past 15 years, although there was a dominant pattern of type and complexity.
Topics: Humans; Brazil; Retrospective Studies; COVID-19; Child; Dental Care for Children; Ambulatory Care; Longitudinal Studies; Pediatric Dentistry; Practice Patterns, Dentists'; Pandemics
PubMed: 38922207
DOI: 10.1590/1807-3107bor-2024.vol38.0047 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024(1) : Peptides are appealing as pharmacological materials because they are easily produced, safe, and tolerable. Despite increasing gum-care awareness, periodontitis is...
(1) : Peptides are appealing as pharmacological materials because they are easily produced, safe, and tolerable. Despite increasing gum-care awareness, periodontitis is still prevalent and is influenced by factors like high sugar consumption, smoking, and aging. is considered a major etiologic agent of periodontitis and activates the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) but is absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasomes, resulting in pro-inflammatory cytokine release. (2) : We examined the anti-inflammatory effects of 18 peptides derived from human stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) on THP-1 macrophages. Inflammation was induced by , and the anti-inflammatory effects were analyzed using molecular biological techniques. In a mouse periodontitis model, alveolar bone resorption was assessed using micro-CT. (3) : Of the 18 SDF-1-derived peptides, S10 notably reduced IL-1β and TNF-α secretion. S10 also diminished the -induced expression of NLRP3, AIM2, ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein), caspase-1, and IL-1β. Furthermore, S10 attenuated the enhanced TLR (toll-like receptor) signaling pathway and decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). In addition, S10 mitigated alveolar bone loss in our -induced mouse model of periodontitis. (4) : S10 suppressed TLR/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling and the AIM2 inflammasome in our -induced murine periodontitis model, which suggests that it has potential use as a therapeutic treatment for periodontitis.
PubMed: 38921772
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060474 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024This research addresses a gap in the literature by conducting a comprehensive analysis of patients' level of satisfaction with dental care.
UNLABELLED
This research addresses a gap in the literature by conducting a comprehensive analysis of patients' level of satisfaction with dental care.
METHODS
By combining quantitative and qualitative survey methods with a PSQ, this study aims to augment ongoing initiatives to enhance dental patients' experiences by painting a more comprehensive depiction of patients' level of satisfaction.
RESULTS
When asked about their overall level of satisfaction 77.1% of the patients said that they received excellent services from office personnel and 72.2% said they trust their doctors.
CONCLUSIONS
Assessing patient satisfaction in the realm of dental service quality is crucial for enhancing service quality and accuracy, which would benefit both patients and dentists and, ultimately, improve public health.
PubMed: 38921309
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12121195