The Participation of Pediatric Dentists in Oral Health Promotion and Education in Serbia

Objectives

To identify the involvement of Serbian paediatric dentists in oral health promotion and education, and to propose further actions for the improvement of these activities.

Methods

This is an analysis of data collected by a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of 445 dentists involved in the provision of dental health services to children at the primary healthcare level. We explored dentists' involvement in oral health education and promotion and the cooperation with other health professionals at the healthcare centre and the community level as well as their attitudes towards the importance of some factors influencing their work.

Results

Dentists estimate their cooperation with different services with ratings higher than 3 on the scale of 1 to 5. They reported the highest satisfaction in cooperation with paediatric services for preschool and schoolchildren (4.0±1.0). At the community level, they reported excellent cooperation with kindergartens (4.4±0.8), while collaboration with Roma health mediators (3.14±1.34) and nongovernmental organizations (2.5±1.4) received lower ratings. According to the average rating (4.7±0.7), dentists perceive the motivation of patients and/or their guardians for keeping good oral health as the factor with the highest importance for the quality of interventions they provide.

Conclusions

Dentists involved in the provision of dental healthcare for children and adolescents in primary healthcare centres in Serbia participate in different oral healthcare education and promotion activities in the community, and highlight the importance of strengthening cooperation with healthcare and other professionals and services aimed at vulnerable population groups, both within the health sector and nongovernmental organizations.

Effectiveness of Plasma-Rich Fibrin and De-Epithelialized Free Gingival Graft in the Treatment of Gingival Recessions

Introduction/Aim: Soft tissue dehiscences such as gingival recessions are a very common problem that we face in modern periodontics. This clinical study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of surgical procedures using a de-epithelialized gingival graft (DGG) combined with a coronally advanced flap and to evaluate the application of plasma-rich fibrin (PRF). Methods: The study included 40 teeth (20 patients) with Miller class I and II gingival recessions. Twenty recessions (20 patients) were treated utilizing the de-epithelialized gingival graft in combination with the coronally advanced flap, and on the opposite side of the jaw, the same number of recessions were treated utilizing plasma-rich fibrin combined with the coronally advanced flap. To evaluate tissue condition and the clinical parameters before and after the surgical procedure, the following parameters were used: the degree of epithelial attachment (DEA), the width of keratinized gingiva (WKG), and the vertical depth of recession (VDR). Results: based on the achieved results and the analysis of clinical parameters, a statistically significant reduction in the vertical depth of recession was proven in both groups, with very similar mean percentages of root coverage, with the difference being that the stability of the soft tissues of the treated region was more visible in the DGG. Conclusion: using modern surgical procedures allows the regeneration of not only the soft tissues but also deeper periodontal tissues.

EO-based mouthwashes: Is there something that should be known?

The possibility to utilize the antibacterial and antibiofilm potential of essential oils (EOs) in dentistry is recognized and best seen in the design of EO-based mouthwashes. The up-to-date results, obtained with the most commonly used formulation being consisted of thymol, eucalyptol, menthol, and methyl salicylate (Listerine), proved its efficacy against plaque and gingival inflammation. However, novel alcohol-free products remain to be further investigated. Commercially available mouthwash containing curcumin, clove oil, mentha oil, eucalyptol, thymol and tea tree oil, and the mouthwash based on ginger EO (a-zingiberene, b-bisabolene, b-sesquiphellandrene, curcumene), reduced plaque index and improved periodontal status of the patients. The plaque index was also reduced and overall healing was improved after the surgical removal of the third molar by mouthwash containing John wort oil. In addition, Cinnamomum zeylanicum EO-based mouthwash and mouthwash containing peppermint oil were efficient against stomatitis and xerostomia, respectively. In addition to beneficial effects achieved in the mouth, i.e. at the appropriate site of application, novel investigations pointed-out that EO-based mouthwashes could be recognized as efficient in the reduction of bacterial and viral aerosols. This has been shown for Listerine, and for several mouthwashes containing following active substances of plants' EO origin: a-farnesene, b-farnesene, farnesol, nerolidol, a-bulnesene, eremanthin, b-sesquiphellandrene, spiroether, cinnamylacetate, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, menthol, and carvacrol. This finding could be of special interest, in order to be included in further clinical studies related to COVID -19 pandemic.

Cephalometric analysis of the middle part of the face in patients with mandibular prognathism

BACKGROUND/AIM

The middle part of the face, that is the maxilla, has always been mentioned as a possible etiologic factor of skeletal Class III. However, the importance of the relationship of maxillary retroposition towards the cranial base is still unclear, although it has been examined many times. The aim of this study was to conduct cephalometric analysis of the morphology of maxilla, including the whole middle part of the face in patients with divergent and convergent facial types of mandibular prognathism, as well as to determine differences betweeen them.

METHODS

Lateral cephalometric teleradiograph images of 90 patients were analyzed at the Dental Clinic of the Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia. All the patients were male, aged 18-35 years, not previously treated orthodontically. On the basis of dentalskeletal relations of jaws and teeth, the patients were divided into three groups: the group P1 (patients with divergent facial type of mandibular prognathism), P2 (patients with convergent facial type of mandibular pragmathism) and the group E (control group or eugnathic patients). A total of 9 cephalometric parameters related to the middle face were measured and analyzed: the length of the hard palate--SnaSnp, the length of the maxillary corpus--AptmPP, the length of the soft palate, the angle between the hard and soft palate--SnaSnpUt, the angle of inclination of the maxillary alveolar process, the angle of inclination of the upper front teeth, the effective maxillary length--CoA, the posterior maxillary alveolar hyperplasia--U6PP and the angle of maxillary prognathism.

RESULTS

The obtained results showed that the CoA, AptmPP and SnaSnp were significally shorter in patients with divergent facial type of mandibular prognathism compared to patients with convergent facial type of the mandibular prognathism and also in both experimental groups of patients compared to the control group. SnaSnp was significantly shorter in patients with divergent facial type of mandibular prognathism compared to the control group, whereas SnaSnp was significantly smaller in patients with convergent facial type of mandibular prognathism compared to the control group. Additionally, there was a pronounced incisor dentoalveolar compensation of skeletal discrepancy in both groups of patients with mandibular prognathism manifested in the form of a significant upper front teeth protrusion, but without significant differences among the groups, while the maxillary retrognathism was present in most patients of both experimental groups. A pronounced UGPP was found only in the patients with divergent type of mandibular prognathism.

CONCLUSION

The maxilla is certainly one of the key factors which contributes to making the diagnosis, but primarily to making a plan for mandibular prognathism treatment Accurate assessment of the manifestation of abnormality, localization of skeletal problems and understanding of the biological potential are key factors of the stability of/the results of surgical-orthodontic treatment of this abnormality.

Peripheral ostectomy with the use of Carnoy's solution as a rational surgical approach to odontogenic keratocyst: a case report with a 5-year follow-up

INTRODUCTION

Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is a rare developmental, epithelial and benign cyst of the jaws of odontogenic origin with high recurrence rates. The third molar region, especially the angle of the mandible and the ascending ramus are involved far more frequently than the maxilla. The choice of treatment approach was based on the size of the cyst, recurrence status, and radiographic evidence of cortical perforation. Different surgical treatment options like marsupialization, decompression, enucleation, enucleation with Carnoy's solution, peripheral ostectomy with or without Carnoy's solution, and jaw resection have been discussed in the literature with variable rates of recurrence.

CASE REPORT

We presented a 52-year-old male with orthokeratinized odontogenic keratocyst. Elliptical unilocular radiolucency located in the third molar region and the ascending ramus of the mandible, 40 x 25 mm in diameter with radiographic evidence of cortical perforation at the anterior ramus border of the mandible 20 mm in diameter, was registrated on orthopantomographic radiography. Surgical treatment included enucleation of the cyst and peripheral ostectomy with the use of Carnoy's solution and excision of the overlying attached mucosa. Postoperatively, no paresthesia in the inervation area of the inferior alveolaris nerve was registrated. Recurrences were not registrated within 5 years post-intervention.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of odontogenic keratocyst with enucleation and peripheral ostectomy with the use of Carnoy's solution and excision of the overlying attached mucosa had a very low rate of recurrence. Radical and more aggressive surgical treatments as jaw resection should be reserved for multiple recurrent cysts and when OKC is associated with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS). Following the treatment protocol in the management of OKC and systematic and long-term postsurgical follow-up are considered key elements for successful results.

[Nasopalatine duct cyst]

BACKGROUND

Nasopalatine duct cyst is a developmental, nonodontogenic cyst of jaw.

CASE REPORT

We presented a 46-year-old male with nasopalatine duct cyst. The clinical examination revealed fluctuant swellings of the anterior palate, without pain, 4-5 cm in diametar. Both radiographs showed the presence of an ovoid radiolucency located in the midline of the maxilla between the roots of central maxillary incisor teeth with peripheral sclerosis, 25 x 35 cm in diametar. Surgical treatment was performed under local anaesthesia (Articainchloridum 4% - 3M ESPE) using a palatine approach. Postoperatively, no paresthesia of the anterior palate in inervation area of nasopalatine nerve was registrated. Pathohistologic findings proved both clinical and radiological diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Nasopalatine duct cyst is a rare lesion which slowly develops. The diagnosis is mainly based on radiography, tooth vitality testing and histologic findings. After a correctly applied clinical diagnosis procedure and surgicel treatment, recurrence is rare.

Unerupted lower third molar as a cause of acute infection in soldiers

Background/Aim. To record the frequency of infections as complications accompanying the unerupted lower third molars and to determine if there was a significant level of the relationship between the frequency and the severity of infections and the age of patients. Methods. This study included 100 soldiers of the Army of Serbia & Montenegro, with the unerupted third molars, of male sex, 18 to 25 years old, who were receiving clinical treatment. Results. In 73% of the patients the infection was caused with the unerupted lower third molars. The highest frequency of infection was observed in the group of 20?23 years of age (75.3%). Mild infection occurred in 49 (67.1%) of the patients. Conclusion. The frequency of infection was significantly higher in the older patients. Because of the high frequency of the infection recorded, the unerupted lower third molars should be surgically removed before the age of 20.