Volume 25, Issue 4 (October – December 2016)

OBJECTIVE:

This study investigated the effect of resin cement systems on root canal push-out bond strength of cemented fiber posts.

METHODOLOGY:

Sixty maxillary anterior teeth were sectioned horizontally 2 mm incisal to the cemento-enamel junction, and root canal were prepared for post space. Tapered fiber posts were placed using three different adhesive systems, LuxaCore Dual, RelyX-Unicem (self-adhesive) and MultiCore Flow Core Build Up. This resulted in three experimental groups (Group A: LC, Group B: RX & Group C: MC) with 20 specimens in each group. The specimens were mounted in acrylic and sectioned in cervical and apical sections. Push out test was performed using a universal testing machine and push out bond strength was formulated using σ=C/A which was expressed in mega-pascals. Data obtained was analyzed using analysis of variance and t test.

RESULTS:

The highest mean push out bond strength was achieved by group B (19.07 ±3.16 Mpa) and the lowest was shown by specimens in group A (15.40±3.02 Mpa). No statistical difference was found among the experimental groups (Groups A, B & C) (p=0.328). The mean push-out bond strength in the cervical segments was found to be significantly higher for all three luting agents used (represented by groups A, B & C) (p<0.001) compared to apical segments.

CONCLUSION:

Different types of resin luting agents (self adhesive and dual cure bulk fill core build up composites) showed comparable push out bond strength for cementation of fiber posts to root dentin. Cervical root segments show a reliable bond with higher bond strengths for fiber posts than apical root segments.

KEYWORDS:

Push out bond strength; Fiber post; self adhesives; core build up materials.

Emotional, mental and psychological health influence academic performance. A stressful environment leads to impaired academic functioning and adds to student apprehension and anxiety, and thus, burnout. Burnout is ‘a syndrome that occurs frequently among individuals who do ‘people-work’ of some kind’. Initially studied among human service professionals e.g. nurses, doctors and teachers etc. attention lately has been on student burnout especially in medical and dental sciences.

OBJECTIVE:

The study was undertaken to verify the presence of burnout in undergraduate students of dentistry at a public sector dental institute.

METHODOLOGY:

Two hundred and seventy five students from a public sector college of dentistry participated by filling The Maslach Burnout Inventory.

RESULTS:

: Moderate to high levels of emotional exhaustion is experienced by majority of students and so is feeling of depersonalization in their final year. Older aged students and those in their final year of training experienced burnout

CONCLUSIONS

Burnout is experienced by students of dentistry in the public sector dental institute.

KEYWORDS:

Burnout, Dental Students, Dental Education, Maslach Burnout Inventory.

OBJECTIVES:

To explore the status of Implantology teaching at the dental colleges in Pakistan and to assess the topics in Implant dentistry that isbeing overlooked in the present curriculum.

METHODOLOGY:

A questionnaire was distributed to 50 dental faculty members in 20 dental institutions across Pakistan. Information on implant education methods, format of teaching and assessment was obtained. Data was analyzed using SPSS 19.0. Descriptive statistics were computed.

RESULTS:

We received 33 completed forms; hence the response rate was 66%. In most institutions implantology education was introduced in the last 10 years. Twenty three respondents (out of 33) reported frequent implant placement in their institutions, only 17 (74%) reported that they allow students to observe implant surgeries. Lectures (64%) were the mainstay of teaching implantology at undergraduate institutions.

CONCLUSIONS:

Oral Surgeons are primarily responsible for implant education at undergraduate level; hence the subject teaching is Surgery oriented. Implant education started in most institutions in last 5-10 years. Topics such as implant prosthetics, bone regeneration and grafting are poorly covered in the current curriculum.

KEYWORDS:

Dental Implant; Education; Curriculum.

BACKGROUND:

To evaluate the impact of anxiety and depression on clinical features of TMDs among junior and senior years dental undergraduates of two private dental Institutions of Karachi.

METHODOLOGY:

It was a cross sectional study conducted in two private dental colleges of Karachi from January 2016 to May 2016. Total 295/300 undergraduates completed the questionnaires from junior years and 246/300 undergraduates from senior years of dentistry through convenience sample technique. The required information was gathered through two validated questionnaires (AKUADS and DC/TMDs). Data was entered and analyzed on SPSS version 23. Descriptive analysis and Pearson Chi square test was performed.

RESULTS:

This study estimated the significant impact of anxiety and depression on TMDs among junior and senior year’s dental undergraduates as 282/541 respondents had TMDs and 52.1% prevalence of TMDs was estimated. Students with TMDs (107/140)from junior and (115/142) senior were score more than 19 in AKUADS which was found to be statistically significant among both groups (p value=0.004 and < 0.001) respectively. There was not a significant difference between anxiety and depression and TMDs among male and female respondents. AKUADS was significantly associated with jaw joint noises and history of lock jaw when comparing junior and senior group (jaw joint noises, p value=0.007 and 0.001) and (history of lock jaw, p value= 0.011 and 0.001) respectively.

CONCLUSION:

It is concluded from this study that there is an association between anxiety and depression and symptoms of TMDs among junior and senior dental undergraduates and they are experiencing approximately similar levels of TMDs features and depression as of the medical undergraduates mostly due to the higher studies burden, stringent criteria of clinical medical education and certainly dearth of the stress management skills. There is a need to reform the dental education system in Pakistan to reduce stress and anxiety among students.

KEYWORDS:

AKUADS, dental undergraduates, Temporomandibular Joint disorders.

AIM:

To assess the prevalence of psychosocial hazards encountered by dentists working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and evaluate the factors that might be related to these hazards.

METHODOLOGY:

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study, in which a sample of 623 dentists was selected from governmental hospitals, private hospitals and clinics, and academic institutions in Riyadh. Each selected dentist was asked to fill a questionnaire concerning the encountered psychosocial challenges caused by the dental profession. Scores were recorded and data analysis was performed using the MS Office Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 20). Comparisons were performed using Chi-square test.

RESULTS:

The most prevalent psychosocial hazards reported were lack of time available to spend with their families (78.6%) followed by being under stress (75.7%). Regarding worries related to the dental profession, dealing with uncooperative or anxious patients was reported by the majority of the participants (75.4%), followed by causing pain (73.5%), then running behind schedule (71.1%). A statistically significant relation was found between gender and lack of time available for dentists to spend with their families (p=0.024) as females were affected more than their male counterparts. There were statistically significant relations between type of practice (governmental, private or academic) and both lack of free time and neglected family needs (p=0.028 and 0.007, respectively).

CONCLUSION:

Reduction of free time available and being under stress were the main psychosocial hazards encountered by dentists working in Riyadh. The most common related factors were dealing with uncooperative or anxious patients, worrying about causing pain to patients, and running behind schedules.

KEYWORDS:

Psychosocial, hazards, Dentists, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to assess the severity of adverse effects of tobacco consumption using the saliva flow rate and pH as diagnostic parameters. In addition, the effects of the chewing tobacco and smoking tobacco have been compared.

METHODOLOGY:

A total of 210 patients participated in this study and were divided in three groups; [tobacco chewers, group A; smokers, group B and non-tobacco consumers, group C]. A questionnaire was developed to collect demographic and habitual information of subjects. The salivary flow rate (SFR) was recorded by asking patient to spit in a graduated container at each minute for 5 minutes. Mean SFR was calculated. Salivary pH was assessed with salivary pH strip.

RESULTS:

Results showed that there is no effect of tobacco consumption on resting mouth salivary flow rate. But tobacco has significant effect on salivary pH. Lesser pH levels were noted in group A and group B in comparison to Group C. Present study indicates that resting mouth SFR does not get affected by tobacco consumption. Low pH levels were shown in tobacco consumers, especially smokers, which can lead to decreased salivary defence mechanism against various mucosal and dental diseases.

CONCLUSION:

It can be concluded that the mean resting mouth SFR does not get affected by consumption of tobacco, however the pH levels certainly decreases with tobacco consumption.

KEYWORDS:

Dry mouth, Oral health, Saliva pH, Xerostomia.

Once upon a time the regeneration and revival of lost oral tissues e.g. periodontium, bone and teeth etc. seemed to be a dream. Current era in dentistry brings with it the key to many doors which have the powers to transform fantasies to reality. Regenerative dentistry is the direction every eye is looking towards these days. This review article aims to give the reader an insight into the most happening progressions pertaining to regenerative periodontology in the most recent times with some directions for future. Once upon a time the regeneration and revival of lost oral tissues e.g. periodontium, bone and teeth etc. seemed to be a dream. Current era in dentistry brings with it the key to many doors which have the powers to transform fantasies to reality. Regenerative dentistry is the direction every eye is looking towards these days. This review article aims to give the reader an insight into the most happening progressions pertaining to regenerative periodontology in the most recent times with some directions for future.

KEYWORDS:

Regeneration, Periodontium, Bone.

This review paper sums up various researches that have been conducted on human saliva and its composition with physiological aspects. It mainly highlights the composition, physiology, and how biomolecules came to saliva via a blood and role of saliva as a diagnostic fluid in oral and systemic health. Over 33,000 published papers were found electronically when search keywords – such as humans, diagnosis, salivary, etc. were used. We have been very specific in including recent research papers for the literature search and aim to provide a comprehensive overview ofthe current status of human saliva and its importance as a diagnostic fluid in disease detection such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), endocrine and contiguous diseases. A number of psychological and pathological factors contribute towards variations in salivary flow. This paper further illustrates major factors, which cause alterations in salivary secretion and the importance of saliva along with its role as a diagnostic agent for certain pathologies.

KEYWORDS:

Saliva; diagnostic fluid; proteins; and oral health.

Osteosarcomas are aggressive neoplasms that originate from bone. They are frequently encountered in long bones of extremities with small incidence and rare occurrence in jaws. Twenty-eight-year-old male patient presented with recurrent osteosarcoma of mandible within one year after resection with adjuvant chemotherapy. Swelling, pain, and difficulty with eating were chief complaints. OPG was obtained and revealed characteristic sunburst lesion invading into soft tissue from mandibular body. Hemimandibulectomy was performed and specimen was received by histopathology department at Dow International Medical and Dental College at Ojha campus, Karachi for evaluation. The diagnosis of chondroid variant of mandibular osteosarcomawas made and surgical margins were evaluated for safety.

KEYWORDS:

Osteosarcoma, mandible, bone tumor, sunburst lesion, recurrence.