Abstract The pandemic caused by coronavirus has resonated throughout different levels of health care in Brazil and, in this context, the present research aimed to evaluate this impact on tertiary dental care provided by the Unified Health System (SUS). Therefore, an ecological study was conducted with data obtained from the Hospital Information System processed by the Portal of the Department of Informatics of SUS. The sample consisted of patients of all sexes and age groups, whose Hospital Admission Authorizations (AIHs) were approved for dental tertiary care procedures from January 2015 to December 2020. Descriptive analyses and the ANOVA test with a significance level set at p < 0.05 were used. When the annual mean numbers of AIHs approved were evaluated, findings showed that on an average, the Southeast region authorized a higher number of procedures (p-value < 0.001), however, in the pandemic year (2020), a reduction of approximately 24.5% of these hospitalizations occurred throughout Brazil, with the Midwest being the region most affected (32.12%). A percentage increase occurred in the Surgical Treatment of Oral sinus/Oral nasal Fistula (16.1%), in addition to a significant decrease in performing procedures for Resection of Mouth Lesion (33.4%). In the pandemic year, there was a reduction of 14% in expenditures related to hospital services and 23.26% related to professional services. It was concluded that the data presented demonstrated a significant reduction in AIHs for tertiary dental care in the pandemic year.

Abstract Osteoporosis is an insidious and increasingly prevalent disease that can cause fractures and affect patients’ quality of life. The current study comparatively evaluates patients with and without loss of bone mass in terms of salivary calcium, viscosity, and pH. A controlled cross-sectional study was conducted in two groups of 32 postmenopausal women subjected to a bone densitometry scan and later referred for dental management at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The patients were assigned to two groups: Group 1 - patients with low bone mineral density (BMD) and Group 2 - patients without bone mineral changes. The following salivary parameters were evaluated: calcium concentration, flow rate, viscosity, pH, and average total protein. An oral examination was performed for assessment of DMFT variables and tongue coating. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, adopting a p-value < 0.05. The patients’ mean age was 60 years (± 7.35). Salivary flow, pH, and viscosity were similar among the groups. Average total protein was 14.8 mg/mL and 19.0 mg/mL in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Tongue coating and salivary calcium levels were significantly higher in Group 1 (p < 0.001). Salivary calcium is an important screening tool and may eventually be used for the diagnosis of bone mineral changes.

RESUMO Introdução: o objetivo do tratamento odontológico cirúrgico é deslocar os dentes para a posição correta na arcada dentária. Objetivo: relatar um caso clínico de aproveitamento de terceiro molar não irrompido. Histórico do caso: paciente do sexo masculino, com 18 anos de idade, foi encaminhado, pelo dentista responsável pelo caso, para avaliação dos terceiros molares. Ao exame clínico, os terceiros molares inferiores não eram visíveis. Com a tomografia computadorizada (TC), foi possível identificar a presença de um dente supranumerário na região do lado esquerdo do ramo da mandíbula, além de impacção do terceiro molar, causadora de reabsorção radicular no segundo molar, tornando impossível a permanência desse dente na cavidade bucal. Logo, optou-se pela remoção tanto do segundo molar quanto do dente supranumerário, além da instalação de um aparelho no terceiro molar, durante o procedimento cirúrgico, para posterior tracionamento. Resultados: após 12 meses, o terceiro molar alcançou a posição adequada. Conclusão: nos casos em que o segundo molar inferior permanente apresenta reabsorção radicular atípica, um terceiro molar impactado pode substituir o dente reabsorvido, de maneira eficaz, através de uma abordagem ortocirúrgica apropriada.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Treatments with dental surgery seek to displace tooth to the correct position within the dental arch. Objective: To report a clinical case that took advantage of an unerupted third molar. Case history: A male patient, 18 years of age, was referred by his dentist to evaluate the third molars. The clinical exam revealed no visible lower third molars. The computed tomography (CT) exam showed the presence of a supernumerary tooth in the region of the mandibular ramus, on the left side, and impaction of the third molar, which was causing root resorption on the second molar, thus making it impossible to remain in the buccal cavity. The preferred option, therefore, was to remove both second molar and the supernumerary tooth, in addition to attaching a device to the third molar during surgery for further traction. Results: After 12 months, the third molar reached the proper position. Conclusion: When a mandibular second permanent molar shows an atypical root resorption, an impacted third molar can effectively substitute the tooth by using an appropriate orthodontic-surgical approach.