Assessing Patient-Reported Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Qualitative Comparison Between Obturator and Surgically Reconstructed Maxillectomy Patients.

Objectives: Cancers of the maxillary region are often treated surgically with a maxillectomy followed by rehabilitation involving surgical reconstruction or obturator insertion to improve functional outcomes. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the specific indications for either rehabilitation method. The objective of this study was to identify unique functional domains for maxillectomy patients who underwent surgical reconstruction or obturator insertion post-op to provide standardized data that can inform selection of either method.

A systematic review on patient perceptions and clinician-reported outcomes when comparing digital and analog workflows for complete dentures.

Purpose: To compare digitally fabricated complete dentures to conventionally fabricated dentures using patient- and clinician-reported outcome measures.

Methods: This review was structured according to PRISMA guidelines with the protocol registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42024526069). An electronic search of the databases with a defined search strategy was completed within PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science from January 2000 to March 2024.

A multi-faceted construct to guide geriatric dental education: Findings from a scoping review with consultation.

Background And Objectives: Older adults report unmet oral health care needs and barriers in access to care, due in part to provider attitudes and discomfort towards treating older patients. Our study asked: What is known from the literature about the use of undergraduate dentistry programmes to influence dental students' attitudes, perceptions and comfort towards treating geriatric patients? And how can interdisciplinary care facilitate the ability of dentists to work with geriatric patients?

Materials And Methods: A scoping review and stakeholder consultation followed established methodological guidelines. Four databases and two grey literature sources were searched.

A systematic review of caries risk in children <6 years of age.

Background: For caries risk assessment (CRA) tools for young children to be evidence-based, it is important to systematically review the literature to identify factors associated with the onset of early childhood caries (ECC).

Aim: This updated systematic review aimed to identify current evidence on caries risk in young children.

Design: A comprehensive and systematic literature search of relevant databases was conducted to update a previous systematic review and identify risk factors associated with ECC.

Intersection of the iADH undergraduate curriculum in special care dentistry and the association of Canadian faculties of dentistry competencies framework.

Aims: To map the International Association of Disability and Oral Health (iADH) curriculum to the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry (ACFD) competencies framework to develop a strategy for teaching special care dentistry (SCD) using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). To review the literature to identify educational methodologies that support teaching SCD competencies.

Methods: The 20 subdomains of the ACFD competencies framework were mapped to the 18 subdomains of the iADH competency matrix.

Improving Compliance to Follow-Up Care After Primary Emergency Department Ophthalmic Consultation.

Purpose: To identify factors that affect the likelihood of follow-up after emergency department (ED) visit for ophthalmic complaints and to evaluate a protocol to improve compliance.

Design: Prospective interventional study with historical controls.

Methods: This study was conducted at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Jamaica, New York.

A systematic review to inform the development of a Canadian caries risk assessment tool for use by primary healthcare providers.

Background: Caries risk assessment (CRA) tools may assist in identifying children at risk of early childhood caries.

Aim: To complete a systematic review of CRA and develop a Canadian CRA tool for preschool children for use in non-dental clinical settings.

Design: Systematic searches of relevant databases were conducted.

Oral microbiome link to neurodegeneration in glaucoma.

Background: Glaucoma is a progressive optic nerve degenerative disease that often leads to blindness. Local inflammatory responses are implicated in the pathology of glaucoma. Although inflammatory episodes outside the CNS, such as those due to acute systemic infections, have been linked to central neurodegeneration, they do not appear to be relevant to glaucoma.

Complement expression in the retina is not influenced by short-term pressure elevation.

Purpose: To determine whether short-term pressure elevation affects complement gene expression in the retina in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Muller cell (TR-MUL5) cultures and organotypic retinal cultures from adult mice and monkeys were subjected to either 24-h or 72-h of pressure at 0, 15, 30, and 45 mmHg above ambient. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to microbead-induced intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation for 7 days.

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome, a systemic disorder with ocular manifestations.

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) is a systemic condition with eye manifestations. In the eye, pseudoexfoliation material deposits on various structures of the anterior segment. The nature of this material is mostly fibrillar with fibers made up of microfibrils and coated with amorphous material.

Determining the effect of calculus, hypocalcification, and stain on using optical coherence tomography and polarized Raman spectroscopy for detecting white spot lesions.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and polarized Raman spectroscopy (PRS) have been shown as useful methods for distinguishing sound enamel from carious lesions ex vivo. However, factors in the oral environment such as calculus, hypocalcification, and stain could lead to false-positive results. OCT and PRS were used to investigate extracted human teeth clinically examined for sound enamel, white spot lesion (WSL), calculus, hypocalcification, and stain to determine whether these factors would confound WSL detection with these optical methods.

Shedding new light on early caries detection.

Dental caries continues to be a common chronic disease among various population groups. Patient care can be improved with detection at the earliest stage. However, current techniques do not have sufficient sensitivity and specificity.

Early dental caries detection using a fibre-optic coupled polarization-resolved Raman spectroscopic system.

A new fibre-optic coupled polarization-resolved Raman spectroscopic system was developed for simultaneous collection of orthogonally polarized Raman spectra in a single measurement. An application of detecting incipient dental caries based on changes observed in Raman polarization anisotropy was also demonstrated using the developed fibre-optic Raman spectroscopic system. The predicted reduction of polarization anisotropy in the Raman spectra of caries lesions was observed and the results were consistent with those reported previously with Raman microspectroscopy.

The root and root canal morphology of the human mandibular second premolar: a literature review.

The objective was to review thoroughly the literature of the root and root canal morphology of the human mandibular second premolar and compare the results with the mandibular first premolar. Published studies cite the anatomy and morphology of the mandibular second premolar tooth for more than 7700 teeth. These studies were divided into anatomic studies reporting the number of roots, number of canals, and apical anatomy.

The root and root canal morphology of the human mandibular first premolar: a literature review.

The purpose of this study was to undertake a comprehensive literature review of the root and root canal morphology of the mandibular first premolar. Published studies citing the anatomy and morphology of mandibular premolars report data for over 6,700 teeth. These studies were divided into anatomical studies reporting number of roots, number of canals, and apical morphology.

Precision of Raman depolarization and optical attenuation measurements of sound tooth enamel.

The demineralization of enamel that is associated with early caries formation affects the optical properties of the enamel. Polarized Raman spectroscopy and optical coherence tomography have been used to detect these changes and potentially offer a means to detect and monitor early caries development. The total optical attenuation coefficient as measured by optical coherence tomography and the polarization anisotropy of the Raman peak arising from the symmetric nu(1) vibration of PO4(3-) at approximately 959 cm(-1) have been demonstrated as being sensitive markers of early caries.

Root and root canal morphology of the human permanent maxillary first molar: a literature review.

The objective of this study was to review the literature with respect to the root and canal systems in the maxillary first molar. Root anatomy studies were divided into laboratory studies (in vitro), clinical root canal system anatomy studies (in vivo) and clinical case reports of anomalies. Over 95% (95.

Detection of early dental caries using polarized Raman spectroscopy.

A new technique based on polarized Raman spectroscopy is demonstrated for detecting early dental caries on extracted human teeth. Sound tooth enamel exhibited strong Raman polarization anisotropy whereas early caries consistently showed a lower degree of Raman polarization anisotropy. In particular, for sound enamel, the Raman peak arising from the symmetric nu1 vibration of PO(4) (3-) at 959 cm(-1) is strongly polarized.

Ex vivo detection and characterization of early dental caries by optical coherence tomography and Raman spectroscopy.

Early dental caries detection will facilitate implementation of nonsurgical methods for arresting caries progression and promoting tooth remineralization. We present a method that combines optical coherence tomography (OCT) and Raman spectroscopy to provide morphological information and biochemical specificity for detecting and characterizing incipient carious lesions found in extracted human teeth. OCT imaging of tooth samples demonstrated increased light backscattering intensity at sites of carious lesions as compared to the sound enamel.

Effect of mode of polymerization of bonding agent on shear bond strength of autocured resin composite luting cements.

Purpose: There have been anecdotal reports of low bond strength with autocured resin composite materials, particularly when light-cured bonding agents that combine primer and adhesive in a 1-bottle preparation are used. The objective of this study was to determine if the mode of polymerization of the bonding agent influences the strength of the attachment of autocured resin composite luting cements to dentin.

Methods: The shear bond strength of 2 resin luting cements, Calibra and RelyX ARC, polymerized by autocuring, in combination with 4 different bonding agents, Scotchbond Multipurpose Plus, Prime & Bond NT, IntegraBond and Single Bond, polymerized to bovine dentin by light-curing, autocuring or dual-curing, was determined.