Research

11 pages, 837 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Caries Experience in Preschoolers in Three Ecuadorian Communities

by Eleonor María Vélez León, Alberto Albaladejo Martínez, Mónica Alejandra Preciado Sarmiento, María Augusta Cordero López, Ana del Carmen Armas, Liliana Soledad Encalada Verdugo and María Melo

Children 2023, 10(7), 1123; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071123 - 28 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1595

Abstract

Dental caries in the preschool population presents a significant challenge in the field of global public health, including Ecuador. Early detection of this disease is crucial for developing effective strategies for prevention and promotion of oral health, which can have a substantial impact [...] Read more.

Dental caries in the preschool population presents a significant challenge in the field of global public health, including Ecuador. Early detection of this disease is crucial for developing effective strategies for prevention and promotion of oral health, which can have a substantial impact on the quality of life of preschool-aged children. This study evaluated 600 children aged 3 to 5 years attending preschool education centers using the ICDAS II diagnostic criteria. The Student’s t-test was used to analyze differences between the means of two independent groups. Additionally, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to assess differences between the means of three or more groups. The prevalence of caries was 87%, with a dft index of 3.85 in the three provinces studied. A high treatment need was observed in 84.17% of the population. No significant differences in the DFT index were found based on gender, although both groups exhibited elevated values. No significant differences were observed in relation to province and environment. The second molar was the most affected tooth, with a caries prevalence of 58.8%. Despite the lack of significant differences among the evaluated variables, a high prevalence and experience of dental caries were found in the studied population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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9 pages, 237 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dental Loupe’s Role in Detection of Caries of Molars in Children by Student and Dentists

by Sigalit Blumer, Siwar Zidani, Benjamin Peretz, Lazar Kats, Hanaa Azem, Sarit Naishlos and Johnny Kharouba

Children 2023, 10(6), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10061050 - 12 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 891

Abstract

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to examine the effectiveness of diagnosing occlusal caries in molar teeth in children under the use of loupes and, secondarily, to examine whether there is a difference in the diagnosis between permanent and primary teeth using [...] Read more.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to examine the effectiveness of diagnosing occlusal caries in molar teeth in children under the use of loupes and, secondarily, to examine whether there is a difference in the diagnosis between permanent and primary teeth using dental loupes. In addition, to check whether the student’s diagnosis using loupes improves caries diagnosis compared to dentists’ diagnosis in both methods. Methods: The data were collected from 163 patients aged 6–14 who sought treatment in the Pedodontic Department of the Faculty of Dentistry at Tel-Aviv University during 2020–2021. The first and second permanent molars and second primary molars with deep groves were examined. A student and dentists made the diagnosis with and without loupes while using the ICDAS criteria. Results: The student’s examinations without the loupes detected no caries in 60% of the cases compared to 76.9% in the examinations with the loupes and found initial caries without cavitation (ICDAS1) in only 17.6% of teeth without loupes examination compared to 33% using loupes. The dentist correctly diagnosed no caries (ICDAS0) in 82.1% of cases without loupes and initial caries without cavitation (ICDAS1) in 62.5% of cases. The dentist correctly diagnosed distinct caries without cavitation (ICDAS2) in 90.8% of cases. No differences were observed in caries diagnosis between primary and permanent teeth when the examiner was a specialist/intern using loupes; however, there was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.047) when the diagnosis was made by a student using loupes. Clinical significance: The use of dental loupes is an effective method for the correct and early diagnosis of occlusal caries lesions in children’s molar teeth by both dentists and students, and this is in accordance with the principle of minimally invasive dentistry. There is a justification for the use of dental loupes for the diagnosis of initial occlusal caries in primary and permanent molars in children in a precise way. Using loupes especially improves the correct diagnosis of initial caries in primary teeth by students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

10 pages, 1362 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring a Paradigm Shift in Primary Teeth Root Canal Preparation: An Ex Vivo Micro-CT Study

by Dora Schachter, Sigalit Blumer, Sara Sarsur, Benjamin Peretz, Tatiana Sella Tunis, Shada Fadela, Johnny Kharouba and Shlomo Elbahary

Children 2023, 10(5), 792; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050792 - 28 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1389

Abstract

Traditional hand instrumentation is a commonly used technique to perform pulpectomy in deciduous teeth by most specialists in pedodontics. Lately, dentists have embraced rotary instrumentation as a safe and effective alternative. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of root canal preparation in [...] Read more.

Traditional hand instrumentation is a commonly used technique to perform pulpectomy in deciduous teeth by most specialists in pedodontics. Lately, dentists have embraced rotary instrumentation as a safe and effective alternative. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of root canal preparation in extracted primary molars between manual and two rotary file systems using micro-CT. Thirty-six extracted human second primary mandibular molars were divided into three groups according to the instrumentation method: (1) Manually instrumented (MI) group (n = 9) in which the teeth were treated using K-files up to size 30; (2) Kedo-Ssystem (KS) group (n = 9); (3) ProTaper Gold system (PTG) group (n = 10) and control group (n-8). Each tooth was scanned before and after the retrograde root canal preparation. Residual dentin volume was calculated using micro-CT scans to evaluate the technique’s efficacy. Additionally, the preparation time and procedural errors were recorded for each tooth preparation. A one-way ANOVA test was carried out to compare the groups’ dentin volume and preparation time. The mean preparation time using the manual method (13.14 min) was more than two times longer than that of the rotary techniques (4.62 min and 6.45 min). The manual preparation method using a K-file removed almost half the root canal material when compared with the rotor method (p = 0.025). Conclusion: our results suggest that rotary instrumentation is more efficient for root canal preparation in primary teeth than the traditional manual method. This finding may call for a paradigm shift in current clinical practices, where manual instrumentation is still commonly preferred. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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8 pages, 526 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tridimensional Changes in Mandibular Arch after Rapid Maxillary Expansion Therapy: A Clinical Study

by Giuseppina Laganà, Valeria Paoloni, Chiara Pavoni, Daniel Palmacci and Arianna Malara

Children 2023, 10(5), 775; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050775 - 25 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1479

Abstract

Aim: The upper jaw transverse deficit is certainly one of the most common clinical issues in the orthodontic field. It can be due to skeletal or dental factors, and its etiology may be both genetic and environmental. Rapid maxillary expanders (RMEs) are [...] Read more.

Aim: The upper jaw transverse deficit is certainly one of the most common clinical issues in the orthodontic field. It can be due to skeletal or dental factors, and its etiology may be both genetic and environmental. Rapid maxillary expanders (RMEs) are certainly the most effective appliance for upper transverse deficiency correction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes that occurred in the mandibular arch during treatment with RMEs in growing subjects by analyzing tridimensional lower digital casts. Materials and Methods: The study group (SG) consisted of 20 subjects (10 M, 10 F; mean age 9.4 ± 2.8 years old) randomly selected at the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Rome, “Tor Vergata”. The inclusion criteria were negative posterior transverse interarch discrepancy ≥ 4 mm, mixed dentition phase with first permanent molars erupted, and prepubertal skeletal maturation stage (CS1-2), evaluated on a lateral radiograph through the Cervical Vertebral Maturation method. The SG was compared to an untreated control group (CG) of 20 subjects (10 M, 10 F, mean age 8.7 ± 2.3 years old) enrolled with the same inclusion criteria. The SG was treated by using RMEs. Dental casts of the lower arch were taken at two different times (T0–T1 = 6 months). All the dental casts were scanned with an OrthoXscan (Dentaurum 6mmbh E Co., Ispringen, Germany) and twenty points on the mandibular arch were digitized using Viewbox software. A Student t-test was used to compare the means of the quantitative variables associated with the effect of the device over time T0 and T1. Results: The results show a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) in the intercanine and the intermolar diameters between the times T0 and T1 when compared to the CG. Conclusions: Rapid maxillary orthopedic expansion may achieve an increase in mandibular intercanine and intermolar diameter. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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12 pages, 1058 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Path Analysis of the Relationships between the Eruption Time of the First Primary Teeth and Various Factors in Twins

by Sinem Birant, Mert Veznikli, Yelda Kasimoglu, Mine Koruyucu, Atıf Ahmet Evren and Figen Seymen

Children 2023, 10(4), 683; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10040683 - 04 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1334

Abstract

The timing of primary tooth eruption is critical for children’s health planning and the diagnosis of specific growth disorders. The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between twin pairs’ birth weight, gestational age, and gender, which are indicators of prenatal [...] Read more.

The timing of primary tooth eruption is critical for children’s health planning and the diagnosis of specific growth disorders. The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between twin pairs’ birth weight, gestational age, and gender, which are indicators of prenatal factors; breast-feeding duration, which is an indicator of postnatal factors; type of delivery, which is an indicator of maternal as well as genetic factors; and age of the primary tooth. Twin children aged from 3 to 15 years who applied to the clinic for the first dental examination constituted the sample group. In this twin study, 59 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs and 143 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs were included. Genetic (MZ vs. DZ), maternal (type of delivery, gestational age), perinatal (birth weight, gender), and postnatal (duration of breastfeeding) information was obtained, and effects on the children’s Eruption Timing of the First Primary Tooth (ETFPT) were examined. Statistical analysis was performed using the consistent partial least squares structural equation model (robust PLSc) technique. As birth weight increased, the age at first eruption became younger, but this change was different between MZ and DZ twins (p < 0.05). While the age at first tooth eruption was older in identical twins who were breastfed for the first 6 months, this increase was not observed in DZ twins. The mean of ETFPT was calculated as 7.31 months in MZ twins and 6.75 months in DZ twins. The effect of breastfeeding and birth weight on ETFPT may differ according to zygosity in twins. MZ twins may tend to take longer to experience the eruption of their first primary teeth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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9 pages, 272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of General Anesthesia on the Outcome of Root Canal Treatment in Pediatric Patients—A Retrospective Cohort Study

by Shlomo Elbahary, Eyal Rosen, Sohad Haj-Yahya, Maysa Ghrayeb Elias, Shany Talmi, Igor Tsesis and Hagay Slutzky

Children 2023, 10(3), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030520 - 07 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1537

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of general anesthesia (GA) on the 1-year outcome of Root Canal Treatment (RCT) performed in pediatric patients and to compare it to the outcome of RCT in pediatric patients without GA. Patients admitted for RCT in [...] Read more.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of general anesthesia (GA) on the 1-year outcome of Root Canal Treatment (RCT) performed in pediatric patients and to compare it to the outcome of RCT in pediatric patients without GA. Patients admitted for RCT in permanent dentition in a public hospital, dated 2015 to 2020, age 8–15 with a minimum of one year follow-up period, were included in the study. The sample consisted of 326 teeth from 269 patients treated by a single operator, with a recall rate of 81%. Overall, 124 teeth were treated under GA and 142 teeth were without GA. The mean follow-up time was 31.5 months. Data underwent statistical analysis and the significance threshold was set for p < 0.05. Of the total cases, 90% showed favorable outcomes. A significantly higher favorable outcome was seen in the GA group than in the non-GA group (98% and 85%, respectively, p < 0.001). The outcome was significantly affected by the type and quality of the coronal restoration, degree of root development, and lesion size (p < 0.05). According to the current study, in uncooperative pediatric patients, a more favorable outcome of root canal treatment can be obtained under GA than LA if the procedure is carried out with immediate restoration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

10 pages, 1163 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Different Etching Times on Pit-and-Fissure Sealant Micro-Shear Bond Strength to the Enamel of Primary Teeth

by Johnny Kharouba, Anna Annael Gonoratsky, Tamar Brosh, Mahmoud Masri, Rabea Iraqi and Sigalit Blumer

Children 2023, 10(3), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030461 - 26 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2215

Abstract

Successful clinical use of pit-and-fissure sealants relies on the sufficient etching of the enamel, field isolation and sealant retention. The etching time changes the physical and mechanical surface properties of the etched tooth tissues; therefore, it impacts both etching depth and the bond [...] Read more.

Successful clinical use of pit-and-fissure sealants relies on the sufficient etching of the enamel, field isolation and sealant retention. The etching time changes the physical and mechanical surface properties of the etched tooth tissues; therefore, it impacts both etching depth and the bond strength of sealants to the enamel. We examined if reducing the recommended 15 s etching time of primary teeth enamel affects the micro-shear bond strength (µSBS) of pit-and-fissure sealants. The cusps of forty non-carious, extracted human primary molars were separately etched for 8, 15 or 30 s. Then, a pit-and-fissure sealant was placed and light-cured. The µSBS values were evaluated and compared among the three groups. The mean µSBS values ± standard deviations were 34.68 ± 16.93, 34.19 ± 17.35 and 36.56 ± 16.57 MPa in the cusps etched for 8, 15 and 30 s, respectively. No statistically significant differences in µSBS were observed among the three test groups. In this study, we showed for the first time that the recommended etching time of primary teeth enamel may be reduced from 15 to 8 s without compromising the µSBS of the sealant. Further evaluations in a clinical setting are warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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11 pages, 2301 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bacterial Colonization and Proliferation in Primary Molars following the Use of the Hall Technique: A Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Study

by Shlomo Elbahary, Shiran Aharonian, Hanaa Azem, Benjamin Peretz, Olga Mostinski and Sigalit Blumer

Children 2023, 10(3), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030457 - 25 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1601

Abstract

Restorative dentistry aims to create a favorable environment to arrest caries with minimal operative intervention. The Hall technique (HT) involves the seating and cementation of stainless steel crowns (SSC) on primary molars without any tooth preparation, caries removal, or local anesthesia. In this [...] Read more.

Restorative dentistry aims to create a favorable environment to arrest caries with minimal operative intervention. The Hall technique (HT) involves the seating and cementation of stainless steel crowns (SSC) on primary molars without any tooth preparation, caries removal, or local anesthesia. In this manner, it entombs bacteria and arrests caries’ progress. We compared bacterial distribution and quantity among primary molars affected with caries and restored with SSC using the HT (n = 10), the conventional technique (CT; n = 10), or not restored at all (control; n = 10). The teeth were contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis to mimic the clinical situation in the oral cavity and then incubated for 21 days. They were then cut mesiodistally and evaluated with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Total bacterial load (live + dead) in the mesial and distal areas of the crown showed no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.711), but there were significantly more dead than live bacteria in the CT and control groups versus the HT group (p = 0.0274 and p = 0.0483, respectively). Inside the pulp chamber and the crown area, the total bacterial load was significantly higher in the HT compared to the CT group (p < 0.001). Significantly more dead than live bacteria were observed in all tooth areas treated with the HT (p = 0.0169). Bacterial penetration depth was significantly correlated with bacterial load (p = 0.0167). In conclusion, although more bacteria were present in teeth that had undergone the HT versus those treated with the CT, they were mainly unviable. Additionally, the CT and the HT showed a similar performance in terms of marginal leakage, indicating that complete caries removal is not essential to achieve good sealing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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9 pages, 798 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effectiveness and Tolerability of a New Formulation of a Topical Anesthetic in Reduction of Pain and Parents’ Satisfaction in Pediatric Dentistry

by Gianmaria Fabrizio Ferrazzano, Giuseppe Di Fabio, Roberto Gatto, Sara Caruso, Gianluca Botticelli and Silvia Caruso

Children 2023, 10(3), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030444 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1616

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to test a new topical anesthetic gel with a different formulation (10% lidocaine, 10% prilocaine) to analyze its effectiveness in pain control, during the subsequent injection of local anesthetic, and the presence of any side effects. [...] Read more.

The aim of the present study was to test a new topical anesthetic gel with a different formulation (10% lidocaine, 10% prilocaine) to analyze its effectiveness in pain control, during the subsequent injection of local anesthetic, and the presence of any side effects. Methods: The study’s research design was a randomized controlled clinical trial on 300 children, aged 5–8 years, divided into two groups, each of 150 patients, according to pre-injection procedures (presence or absence of topical anesthesia). The injection pain was analyzed using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (PRS) and the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability Scale (FLACC). At the end of the procedures, patients’ parents’ satisfaction was recorded. The data were analyzed using the Student’s T test, Mann–Whitney U test and Chi-square test. Results: There were statistically significant differences between the two groups both in the PRS and FLACC ratings. Both in subjective and objective pain evaluations, significantly higher pain ratings were observed in the group without topical anesthesia. There was also a statistically significant difference in terms of patients’ parents’ judgment, as in the group with the use of topical anesthetic the level of parental satisfaction is statistically higher. Conclusion: The experimental anesthetic has proved very effective in its use as a topical gel in both pain measurement scales, thus validating its use on the oral mucosa, for its pharmacological and psychological effect, in the total absence of local and systemic side effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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12 pages, 256 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Knowledge of Breastfeeding Mothers Regarding Caries Prevention in Toddlers

by Johnny Kharouba, Shaden Mansour, Tal Ratson, Sarit Naishlos, Gina Weissman and Sigalit Blumer

Children 2023, 10(1), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010136 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2356

Abstract

Mothers’ awareness regarding the risk factors for the development of early childhood caries is crucial. The current study aims to examine the knowledge of breastfeeding mothers about their baby’s dental health and prevention of ECC while comparing primiparous mothers to multiparous mothers. A [...] Read more.

Mothers’ awareness regarding the risk factors for the development of early childhood caries is crucial. The current study aims to examine the knowledge of breastfeeding mothers about their baby’s dental health and prevention of ECC while comparing primiparous mothers to multiparous mothers. A total of 165 mothers aged 20–49 y/o participated in the study by completing questionnaires that assessed the knowledge and attitudes of mothers toward their infants’ oral health. Results showed that (1) mothers were found to be highly knowledgeable regarding the oral hygiene of their infants and the recommended breastfeeding best practices (71%); (2) mothers with lower education showed poor knowledge regarding the recommended practices of infant oral health; (3) a large proportion of the mothers in the sample (62%) reported that they usually tasted the food before giving it to their baby, in a way they could transmit bacteria to infants; (4) most of the mothers (68%) were not aware that their dental health during pregnancy affects the infants’ dental health; and (5) multiparous mothers were more knowledgeable regarding artificial baby milk composition (96%) in comparison with mothers with only a single child (60%). According to the results, there is a need to improve the knowledge of breastfeeding mothers, especially mothers who have one child and mothers with a lower education about their baby’s dental health. The results of this study shed light on the knowledge of breastfeeding mothers on this important topic and could serve policymakers to improve practices toward advancing better oral health for infants, without sacrificing the benefits of breastfeeding, which are so crucial for infant health and development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

9 pages, 2389 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Atmospheric Plasma Lingual Frenectomy Followed by Post Operative Tongue Exercises: A Case Series

by Antonio Scarano, Rosanna Di Giulio, Sergio Alexandre Gehrke, Gianluca Tagariello, Francesco Romano and Felice Lorusso

Children 2023, 10(1), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010105 - 04 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3492

Abstract

The lingual frenulum is a submucosal component significantly involved in the mobility of the tongue. In the case of short lingual frenulum, different surgical approaches have been proposed. Atmospheric plasma is a thermal technique of vaporization or sublimation of the superficial tissues, without [...] Read more.

The lingual frenulum is a submucosal component significantly involved in the mobility of the tongue. In the case of short lingual frenulum, different surgical approaches have been proposed. Atmospheric plasma is a thermal technique of vaporization or sublimation of the superficial tissues, without going deep, and the resulting fine carbonized layer avoids bleeding. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of atmospheric plasma (voltaic arc dermabrasion) for the frenectomy of a short lingual frenulum. A total of 30 patients with an age range between 6–11 years old and a class III/IV Kotlow’s ankyloglossia classification were included in the study. The Kotlow’s free-tongue, maximal interincisal mouth opening (MIO, mm) and interincisal mouth opening with tongue tip to maxillary incisive papillae at roof of mouth (MOTTIP, mm) were calculated at the baseline, immediately postoperatively (T0), at one week (T1), one month (T2) and two months (T3). A significant increase of Kotlow’s measurements, MOTTIP and MIO were detected when comparing the baseline and the T0 (p < 0.05). No significant difference was detected between the T0, T1 and T2 (p > 0.05). The atmospheric plasma demonstrated a very minimal invasive approach for frenectomy, without important or fibrotic complications and with very low recurrence rates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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8 pages, 243 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Assessment of Permanent First Molars in Children Aged 7 to 10 Years Old

by Gelengul Urvasizoglu, Aybike Bas, Fatma Sarac, Peris Celikel, Fatih Sengul and Sera Derelioglu

Children 2023, 10(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010061 - 27 Dec 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1816

Abstract

Background: Dental caries is a chronic, infectious and preventable disease that is very common around the world. It has been observed that dental caries affect not only the majority of adults but also 60% to 90% of children. Permanent first molars (PFM) are [...] Read more.

Background: Dental caries is a chronic, infectious and preventable disease that is very common around the world. It has been observed that dental caries affect not only the majority of adults but also 60% to 90% of children. Permanent first molars (PFM) are the most commonly decayed teeth observed in children. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the decayed, missing filled teeth (DMFT) scores of PFMs in the early post-eruptive stage, within the scope of the United Nations Agenda for 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, thereby raising awareness for the prevention and treatment of permanent tooth decay. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in Erzurum between the years 2015–2016 by collecting data from children aged 7–10 years (17,208). In addition to the decayed, filled and missing data of the students’ 6-year-molars, their ages, genders, frequencies of both tooth brushing and dental office visits were evaluated. The relationship between the variables was analyzed with chi-square. Result: The present study analyzed the data of a total of 11,457 children, 5704 girls and 5753 boys with a mean age of 8.74 ± 1.18. There was a statistically significant difference between the PFMs 16, 26, 36 and 46 regarding the number of healthy, decayed, missing and restored teeth (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of caries in the PFMs of children aged 7–10 years was 15.9% and the mean DMFT was 0.79 ± 1.39. This result showed that PFMs might develop carious lesions and even be lost within three years in the early post-eruptive stage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

15 pages, 575 KiB

Open AccessReview

School-Based Interventions on Dental Trauma: A Scoping Review of Empirical Evidence

by Kafayat Aminu, Kehinde Kazeem Kanmodi, Jimoh Amzat, Afeez Abolarinwa Salami and Peace Uwambaye

Children 2023, 10(5), 797; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050797 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1599

Abstract

Introduction: Accidents involving sports or leisure activities, falls, blows from objects, acts of interpersonal violence, and accidents can all result in dental trauma (also known as traumatic dental injuries [TDIs]). School children are one of the population groups that are highly vulnerable to [...] Read more.

Introduction: Accidents involving sports or leisure activities, falls, blows from objects, acts of interpersonal violence, and accidents can all result in dental trauma (also known as traumatic dental injuries [TDIs]). School children are one of the population groups that are highly vulnerable to TDIs. Multiple school-based interventions have been conducted around the world on the prevention and management of TDIs; however, no known scoping review has been conducted to map the evidence. Hence, this study aimed to conduct a scoping review of existing school-based interventions on TDIs. Methods: This scoping review adopted the research design presented by Arksey and O’Malley. Eight research databases—PubMed, SCOPUS, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL Ultimate, AMED (The Allied and Complementary Medicine Database), Child Development & Adolescent Studies, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and SPORTDiscuss—were searched to retrieve literature relevant to the scoping review question. Some of the retrieved literature existed in duplicate and was deduplicated using Rayyan software. Twenty papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected and reviewed. Results: A total of 526 publications were retrieved from the eight databases searched in this scoping review. Ninety-seven publications were duplicates and were removed. After the two-stage screening of the deduplicated copies, only 20 peer-reviewed journal articles were relevant and included in the review. The selected studies sampled a total of 7152 participants whose ages ranged between 9 and 62 years (mean = 10.56 to 46.5; standard deviation = ±0.97 to ±8.1). The findings obtained from the reviewed journal articles revealed that pupils are at high risk of dental trauma and they are more likely to sustain these injuries during school activities. In addition, inadequate understanding, poor attitudes, and low experiential knowledge of dental trauma were found among educators, parents, and even school pupils. The evidence of long-term knowledge retention and a high knowledge score in the experimental groups buttresses the need for continuous first-aid education on dental trauma. Conclusions: The application of multiple educational approaches or modalities in schools will reinforce and promote good first-aid skills and management practices that are essential for preserving traumatized teeth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

16 pages, 3160 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Evaluation of Beta-Defensin 1 and Mannose-Binding Lectin 2 Polymorphisms in Children with Dental Caries Compared to Caries-Free Controls: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Ghazal Hemati, Mohammad Moslem Imani, Parsia Choubsaz, Francesco Inchingolo, Roohollah Sharifi, Masoud Sadeghi and Santosh Kumar Tadakamadla

Children 2023, 10(2), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10020232 - 28 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1390

Abstract

Background and objective: Some variants in defensin beta 1 (DEFB1) and mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) genes can be associated with oral diseases. Herein, we designed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association of DEFB1 (rs11362 [...] Read more.

Background and objective: Some variants in defensin beta 1 (DEFB1) and mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) genes can be associated with oral diseases. Herein, we designed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association of DEFB1 (rs11362, rs1799946, and rs1800972) and MBL2 (rs7096206 and rs1800450) polymorphisms with the susceptibility to dental caries (DC) in children. Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases until 3 December 2022, without any restrictions. The odds ratio (OR), along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of the effect sizes, are reported. Analyses including a subgroup analysis, a sensitivity analysis, and funnel plot analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 416 records were identified among the databases, and nine articles were entered into the meta-analysis. A significant relationship was found between the T allele of DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphism and DC susceptibility, and the T allele was related to an elevated risk of DC in children (OR = 1.225; 95%CI: 1.022, 1.469; p = 0.028; I² = 0%). No other polymorphisms were associated with DC. All articles were of moderate quality. Egger’s test in homozygous and dominant models demonstrated a significant publication bias for the association of DEFB1 rs1799946 polymorphism with DC risk. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that the T allele of DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphism had an elevated risk for DC in children. However, there were only few studies that evaluated this association. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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8 pages, 2189 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Different Dental Manifestations in Sisters with the Same ALPL Gene Mutation: A Report of Two Cases

by Tamami Kadota, Marin Ochiai, Rena Okawa and Kazuhiko Nakano

Children 2022, 9(12), 1850; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9121850 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1257

Abstract

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is an inherited disease caused by mutation of the alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) gene in an autosomal dominant or an autosomal recessive manner. The main symptoms of HPP are bone hypomineralization and early exfoliation of the primary teeth. Some of [...] Read more.

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is an inherited disease caused by mutation of the alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) gene in an autosomal dominant or an autosomal recessive manner. The main symptoms of HPP are bone hypomineralization and early exfoliation of the primary teeth. Some of the mutations identified in autosomal dominant families are reported to have dominant negative effects. In addition, the penetrance can vary among patients with the same variant even within the same family, resulting in various phenotypes of systemic symptoms. However, differences in dental symptoms between patients with HPP and carriers with the same ALPL variant have not been reported. Herein, we report on two sisters who had the same heterozygous ALPL variant with dominant negative effects. The older sister had bone and dental symptoms and was diagnosed with childhood HPP. In contrast, the younger sister was a carrier with no bone and dental symptoms. It can be inferred that this phenomenon was caused by the difference in penetrance. This case revealed that carriers with the ALPL mutation may have no dental symptoms characteristic of HPP. Because HPP is sometimes progressive, it is very important to carefully monitor carriers to detect the possible onset of dental and systemic symptoms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Dental Health: Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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