A new clinical index scale for measuring secondary alveolar bone grafting success based on canine eruption.

Objectives: To develop a reproducible, reliable clinical index of alveolar bone grafting (ABG) outcome based on the eruption position of the cleft canine tooth and determine the association between eruption position and radiographic outcome at 6 months post-grafting.

Methods: Children with complete, non-syndromic, unilateral/bilateral cleft lip and palate in the West of Scotland were identified. Post-ABG radiographic outcome (Kindelan index) and canine eruption position in children with a cleft of the alveolus who had undergone ABG were documented.

Patch-based convolutional neural networks for automatic landmark detection of 3D facial images in clinical settings.

Background: The facial landmark annotation of 3D facial images is crucial in clinical orthodontics and orthognathic surgeries for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. While manual landmarking has traditionally been the gold standard, it is labour-intensive and prone to variability.

Objective: This study presents a framework for automated landmark detection in 3D facial images within a clinical context, using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and it assesses its accuracy in comparison to that of ground-truth data.

The Correlation Between Static and Dynamic Facial Asymmetry in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

Objective: Assess the relationship between static and dynamic facial asymmetry in unilateral cleft lip and palate during maximum smile.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Setting: Multidisciplinary dentofacial planning clinic.

Epidemiological associations between periodontitis and cancer.

There is a postulated association of periodontitis with a number of human cancers. This narrative review provides current epidemiological evidence on the association between periodontitis and cancer. A PubMed search with the relevant keywords (periodontal disease, periodontitis, cancer, and malignancy) was completed to identify relevent articles.

Chairside learning on undergraduate clinics: general dental and human disease themes.

Introduction Chairside teaching is an important part of dental undergraduate clinical education. Bedside teaching is well-reported in relation to undergraduate medicine but few publications relate to undergraduate dentistry.Aims and objectives To investigate the experience and benefits from chairside teaching/learning in the clinical years of a five-year dental programme in a UK university.

Perceptions of undertaking a higher degree alongside dental specialty training: A cross-sectional survey of UK dental specialty trainees.

Introduction: The curricula for UK dental specialty training have recently been under review and until 2024, completion of a research component during training in Dental Public Health, Oral Microbiology and Orthodontics has been mandatory (with an alternative route for Orthodontics involving the submission of two scientific papers for those trainees not wishing to undertake a higher degree). Anecdotally, some trainees in other dental specialties choose to undertake higher degrees alongside specialty training.

Aims: The aims were to investigate how many dental specialty registrars study for higher degrees alongside specialty training, and whether undertaking a higher degree alongside specialty training has an impact on completion of training, research skills, research experience, patient care and career opportunities.

Evaluating global research trends in special needs dentistry: A systematic bibliometrix analysis.

Objectives: Special needs dentistry (SND) is a vast and fragmented field of study. This comprehensive bibliometric analysis aimed to evaluate the scope of SND, including the existing knowledge base, distribution structure, quantitative relationships, and research trends.

Material And Methods: A systematic search was conducted on March 10, 2022, using the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering the period from 1985 to 2021, focusing on studies reporting on special needs populations in a dentally relevant context.

Comparative analysis of diagnostic accuracy in endodontic assessments: dental students vs. artificial intelligence.

Objectives: This study evaluates the comparative diagnostic accuracy of dental students and artificial intelligence (AI), specifically a modified ChatGPT 4, in endodontic assessments related to pulpal and apical conditions. The findings are intended to offer insights into the potential role of AI in augmenting dental education.

Methods: Involving 109 dental students divided into junior (54) and senior (55) groups, the study compared their diagnostic accuracy against ChatGPT's across seven clinical scenarios.

Are we practising what we preach and are we all singing from the same hymn sheet? An exploration of teaching in paediatric caries management across UK dental schools.

Background: The evidence underpinning caries management for children has progressed dramatically over the past 20 years. Anecdotally, this is not reflected in the teaching provided to undergraduate dental students, with the ongoing teaching of outdated methods within some dental schools.

Aim: To capture the current undergraduate teaching provision and clinical treatment experience requirement relative to caries management in paediatric dentistry in UK dental schools.

Increase in invasive M1 infections with close evolutionary genetic relationship, Iceland and Scotland, 2022 to 2023.

Group A isolates of the recently described M1 clade have emerged to cause human infections in several European countries and elsewhere. Full-genome sequence analysis of M1 isolates discovered a close genomic relationship between some isolates from Scotland and the majority of isolates from Iceland causing serious infections in 2022 and 2023. Phylogenetic analysis strongly suggests that an isolate from or related to Scotland was the precursor to an M1 variant responsible for almost all recent M1 infections in Iceland.

The surgery-first approach for orthognathic correction of maxillary deficiency-is it stable? Three-dimensional assessment of CBCT scans and digital dental models.

The aim of this study was to determine the skeletal stability of Le Fort I maxillary advancement following the surgery-first approach, by three-dimensional (3D) assessment of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans and digital dental models. CBCT scans of 25 class III patients obtained 1 week preoperatively (T0) and 1 week (T1) and 6 months (T2) postoperatively were superimposed to measure surgical movements (T0-T1) and skeletal relapse (T1-T2). The distorted dentition of the CBCT scans at T1 was replaced with 3D images of the dental models to assess the postoperative occlusion.

Cost-effectiveness of the Flapless Insertion of Zygomatic Implants Using Dynamic Navigation - A Retrospective Study.

Introduction: Zygomatic implants are an effective solution for rehabilitation of edentulous atrophic maxillae. However, the conventional technique of zygomatic implant placement is invasive, requires a longer healing period and is economically cumbersome. Therefore, the flapless technique of insertion of zygomatic implants using dynamic navigation system has been introduced.

Trigeminal neuralgia and trigeminal neuropathic pain.

It is very important that the dental team are aware of the varied presentations of pain in the mouth, face and other parts of the trigeminal region which are not directly caused by teeth or oral structures. Our understanding of underlying causes in this complex area is evolving. Ultimately, patients who present with what may at first seem to be oral or dental problems will require specialist input in secondary care with potential for use of systemic medications.

Medical history complexity of patients attending dental student restorative treatment clinics compared with dental emergency clinics.

Introduction: Dental students should graduate from undergraduate programmes with the knowledge and skills to safely manage patients. This requires exposure to patients with a range of medical needs, which may impact the planning and delivery of care.

Aims And Objectives: We wished to establish the medical history complexity of patients presenting to student restorative clinics and compare them to patients attending a dental emergency clinic.

Dental trainee motivations for the acquisition and use of postgraduate qualifications in medical education.

Introduction Medical and dental education is increasingly professionalised. The expectation is that educators have appropriate training and qualifications. Entry to dental speciality training is highly competitive and applications are scored using defined criteria, including experience in education.

Xylitol in toothpaste: is it effective in reducing the levels of Streptococcus mutans in high caries risk young children?

Design: This study is an observational prospective longitudinal cohort study, following 102 children aged 1 to 12 months over a period of 24 months. At baseline, a dental examination was carried out to assess the number of carious lesions present using the ICDAS system, and a saliva sample was taken to assess the levels of Streptococcus mutans (SM) in saliva using the Dentocult SM saliva strip. Cohort caregivers received toothbrushing instruction and a 25% xylitol toothpaste tube for which they were instructed to use twice a day over a 3-month period, after which they returned to clinic at Pristina University to receive another tube.

Artificial intelligence and dental panoramic radiographs: where are we now?

Data Sources: Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE), Google Scholar Association for Computing Machinery: Guide to Computing Literature (ACM) and National Library of Medicine: PubMed databases were searched for systematic reviews.

Study Selection: This study addressed a structured PICO question (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome). Population was panoramic radiographs in human subjects.

Dental trauma: assessment and acute management of fractures.

Acute dental trauma is unscheduled and presents infrequently to the majority of practitioners. Therefore, a consistent, logical and systematic process for examination, prioritisation and management is imperative for all sustained injuries to have an optimal outcome. Fractures are a frequent sequela to dental trauma and can involve any aspect of the tooth structure or supporting alveolar bone.

Time to complete contemporary dental procedures - estimates from a cross-sectional survey of the dental team.

Background: There are few contemporary studies on the time taken to complete dental procedures, those most heavily relied on in the United Kingdom date back to 1999.

Objectives: This work aimed to establish how long members of the dental team took to complete specific dental procedures, relevant to their scope of practice.

Methods: Data were collected via a purposive sample of 96 dentists, dental hygienists/therapists and dental nurses.

Smoke and mirrors - does smoking cause discolouration of composite restorations?

Data Sources: Searches were carried out across PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science for studies published until 28th March 2022.

Study Selection: In vitro studies assessing colour stability of resin-based composites (RBCs) exposed to conventional cigarette smoke (CS), tobacco heating systems (THS) or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) were considered. Included studies used a spectrophotometer or colorimeter for assessment of discolouration and measured discolouration using CIELAB or CIEDE2000 colour difference formulas.

The MAGIC trial: a pragmatic, multicentre, parallel, noninferiority, randomised trial of melatonin versus midazolam in the premedication of anxious children attending for elective surgery under general anaesthesia.

Background: Child anxiety before general anaesthesia and surgery is common. Midazolam is a commonly used premedication to address this. Melatonin is an alternative anxiolytic, however trials evaluating its efficacy in children have delivered conflicting results.

The genetic basis of hypodontia in dental development.

Dental agenesis is one of the most common developmental anomalies in humans, characterised by the developmental absence of one or more teeth. It can present as an isolated condition (non-syndromic hypodontia) or associated with a syndrome (syndromic hypodontia). This paper aims to review the genetic basis of hypodontia with reference to aetiology, classification and the subsequent clinical features.