ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the frequency, diameter, location and path of canalis sinuosus (CS) on CBCT scans of patients candidate for dental implant treatment. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 CBCT images of the maxilla were evaluated and parameters were assessed: age, gender, the canal presence and diameter, the distance between the CS and the nasal cavity floor (NC), the buccal cortical bone (BC) and the most prominent point of the alveolar ridge crest (RC). Quantitative variables were analyzed with an independent t-test, and qualititative variables were analyzed with chi-squared and McNemer tests (p<0.05). Results: CS was detected on 100 CBCT images in the present study. There were significant relationships between the CS frequency and age and gender; however, there was no significant relationship between CS and the maxillary side. The means of BC, RC, NC and the canal diameter were 9.2±2.19, 15.15±3.13, 8.14±2.43, and 0.99±0.26 mm, respectively. There were significant relationships between the canal diameter, NC and BC with gender. However, there was no significant relationship between RC and gender. Conclusion: Canalis sinuosus was detected, with an approximate diameter of 1 mm, in 50% of the subjects in the incisor-canine area. The use of CBCT for accurate diagnosis of canalis sinuosus is suggested before surgical procedures in the palatal aspect of the anterior maxilla.

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the association of dental tissue fracture related to hypomineralization and its association with anthropometric, orthodontic, and dental caries in deciduous teeth. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 313 children aged 6 to 10. Data were collected through clinical examination based on criteria from the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (EAPD) for the diagnosis of hypomineralization. Facial biotype analysis was conducted based on collected data. Orthodontic data were collected in terms of Angle classification and malocclusions. The diagnosis of dental caries was guided by ICDAS II (International Caries Detection and Assessment System) parameters. Statistical analysis involved descriptive analysis, Fisher's exact test, and the chi-squared test. Results: 23.3% of children had hypomineralization in deciduous, and 20.4% had post-eruptive breakdown preceded by hypomineralization (PEBH). The analyses indicated that weight, height, facial biotype, and malocclusions are not significantly associated with PEBH. Dental caries was associated with the presence of hypomineralization (p<0.001) and breakdown in deciduous teeth (p<0.001). Conclusion: An association between dental caries, hypomineralization, and PEBH was found for deciduous teeth. Orthodontic and anthropometric parameters were not associated with post-er uptive breakdown preceded by hypomineralization.

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe and analyze the context and decision-making process to deal with a major problem: the high prevalence of dental caries and the great difficulty in moving students from schools to the Basic Health Units of the Unified Health System for carrying out treatments in a metropolis. Material and Methods: To conduct this work, we used the "3-i+E Framework", which can help explore how key factors interact to influence, define, and structure policy choices. The data were collected from different sources using a qualitative exploratory approach. A documentary analysis of the minutes from meetings of a committee of specialists and an analysis of interviews with key informants were carried out. Results: As for institutions, governmental structures, policy networks, the oral health care network implemented at the municipality level were considered fundamental aspects that enabled the development of the strategies. As for ideas, three factors were highlighted: 1) the teaching-service relationship, which was fundamental for the decision to be based on scientific evidence; 2) managers valued scientific evidence, and 3) university was effective in communicating research results. With regard to interests, the decision-making was consolidated from the convergence of interests of public officials, politicians and researchers. Conclusion: The problem and its solutions were addressed at the political agenda by a window of opportunity, and the decision-making process was well-informed.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the frequency and association between anxiety disorders (AD), sleep disorders (SD), and the circadian cycle (CC) with possible sleep bruxism (SB) in children/adolescents. Material and Methods: The clinical records of children/adolescents, between 7-11 years, who were treated at the pediatric dentistry clinic/UFRJ (January/2018 to March/2020), were evaluated. SCARED and CIRENS questionnaires and, SD were analyzed. The chi-square test, t-test, and Cohen’s D were applied. Results: Of 85 clinical records were evaluated, 41 (48.2%) were from girls and 44 (51.8%) from boys of 7 (3.5%), 8 (5.9%), 9 (25.9%), 10 (24.9%) and 11 (40%) years old. There were identified in 40 (47.1%) participants with AD, while SB was identified in 28 (32.9%). The most prevalent CC was "neither morning nor night" (75.3%), followed by "morning type" (20%). No association was found between CC and SB (p>0.05). Likewise, no association was found between AD and SB, SD and AD (p>0.05). However, an association was identified between SD and SB (p<0.05). In addition, the shorter the sleep duration, the greater the likelihood of bruxism (p<0.01). For effect size Cohen’s d was 0.955, considered large. Conclusion: It was not possible to identify an association between the CC and psychological factors, such as anxiety, with the presence of SB. However, sleep disorders and sleep duration demonstrated a relationship with sleep bruxism.

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of self-reported halitosis among patients attending the dental clinic of a university in southern Brazil and identify associated factors. Material and Methods: The sample of this cross-sectional study included 269 individuals over 18 who attended the clinic for six months. A questionnaire was used to collect data on self-reported halitosis, sociodemographic characteristics, oral hygiene habits, medication use, systemic diseases, smoking and drinking habits, and self-perception of oral health. The relative and absolute frequencies of the variables were analyzed, and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to obtain odds ratios (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) at p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the sample was 44.86 (±16.55), and 65% were female. The study found a self-reported prevalence of halitosis of 27.9%. Individuals who reported xerostomia were more likely to have self-reported halitosis (OR=2.15; 95% CI: 1.22-3.78). Furthermore, those who visited the dentist more than a year ago were more likely to have self-reported halitosis compared to those who visited no more than six months ago (OR=1.93; 95% CI: 1.09-3.41). Conclusion: The study showed a high prevalence of self-reported halitosis among patients and revealed an association with individuals who reported having xerostomia and who have been attending dental appointments for a longer time.

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the pain-relieving property of consuming sweet-tasting solution before dental injections. Material and Methods: In this single-blinded split-mouth study, fifty-two 5-year-old children who needed bilateral mandibular deciduous molars pulpotomies participated. The effect of drinking a cool liquid snack containing 10 milliliters of 12% sucrose solution (study group) or cool tap water (control group) with a straw before inferior alveolar nerve block injection was assessed regarding pain perception. The degree of discomfort was recorded after dental injections using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale (WBFPS). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and the Independent Sample Test. The statistical significance level was set at p<0.05. Results: Significantly lower WBFPS scores were reported for the test group (2.9231) compared to the study group (5.0000) (p<0.001). Conclusion: Drinking a cool sucrose solution with a straw before dental injections can aid in reducing the associated discomfort, resulting in better interaction with the child during dental sessions.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effect of photobiomodulation of diode laser on the healing of gingiva following gingivectomy. Material and Methods: 15 patients with inflammatory gingival enlargement in the age group 18-65 years were enrolled for the study according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were divided into two groups, i.e., control and test, with a total of 30 sites. Gingivectomy was performed with a scalpel, and the test site was irradiated with a diode laser, which was repeated after 7 days, finally, the patients were recalled after 21 days for re-evaluation. Soft tissue parameters were recorded at baseline and 21 days, and visual analog scale was recorded at 7 days. Also, tissue was excised and sent for histological analysis both at baseline and 21 days, and the data was subjected to statistical analysis. Results: A clinically significant improvement was observed in patient response to pain in the test group compared to the control group (p=0.001). There was an observable improvement in tissue color in the soft tissue analysis (p=0.001) and a significant reduction in the inflammatory component in the histological analysis in the test group as compared to the control group (p=0.001). Conclusion: Diode laser has a photobiomodulation effect on wound healing after gingivectomy, thus enhancing the rate of healing and decreasing post-operative pain.

ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the pharmacological strategies of a group of Brazilian endodontists regarding endodontic pain. Material and Methods: Specialists answered a questionnaire with two main themes: 1) Pharmacological prescription patterns and 2) Endodontic procedures and risk of postoperative pain. The collective data were presented as descriptive statistics. Results: Almost all endodontists reported using drugs for pain management, mainly for apical abscess (65.8%) and irreversible pulpitis (61%), as well as more after (59.6%) than before (23.3%) endodontic procedure. Dipyrone (72.6%) and ibuprofen (56.8%) were the most prescribed systemic drugs. The most used local anesthetics were mepivacaine (58.2%) and articaine (57.5%). When necessary, 74.7% of specialists use supplementary anesthesia with an additional technique. Extravasation of filling materials (81.5%), limit of apical obturation (71.2%), and instrumentation (66.4%) 1 mm beyond were the main endodontic procedures to increase the risk of postoperative pain. Conclusion: While most strategies employed by Brazilian Society of Endodontics members are evidence-based, divergences in responses highlight the need for further research. This underscores the importance of more profound insights and potential standardization in pain management strategies among professionals.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effect of repeated usage of Reciproc and Reciproc Blue on their shaping ability and to determine the maximum number of artificial canals that they can prepare until fracture. Material and Methods: The two file systems, Reciproc and Reciproc Blue, were used to instrument a total of 436 resin blocks. The blocks simulated standardized root canals with a 35° angle of curvature. The rotary systems were divided into two groups (n=21). All canals were prepared to an apical size of 25 according to the manufacturer's instructions. A computer imaging program was then used to analyze canal straightening after preand post-instrumentation digital photography was superimposed. Results: Both Reciproc and Reciproc Blue instruments respected the original canal curvature. There were no significant differences between the instruments in terms of maintaining canal curvatures. Moreover, there were no significant differences in preparation time and the number of canals prepared before failure between the two instruments. Conclusion: Reciproc and Reciproc Blue were safe to use under the conditions of this study. Reciprocal motion files with or without heat treatment had comparable preparation time, shaping abilities, and the ability to maintain root canal curvatures.

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the inclusion of pediatric dentistry in the curricular matrix of dental courses in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Material and Methods: A descriptive exploratory study was conducted. Searches were conducted from the e-MEC systems in December of 2023. The variables of interest were the categorization of the course (public or private), total course load, structuring of the teaching of pediatric dentistry (curricular, elective/optative or extension), course load of pediatric dentistry, number of semesters and nomenclature. Results: There are 28 dental courses in the state (three public and 25 private). Total course load ranged from 4,000 to 4,700 hours and 80% of the courses had ten semesters. Pediatric dentistry is curricular and normally available between the seventh and ninth semesters, with a total hourly load between 120 and 420 hours, generally in two consecutive semesters. Conclusion: The state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, underwent an exponential expansion of dental courses, especially in the form of private schools. The courses follow the national curricular guidelines (NCGs), and pediatric dentistry is a curricular discipline normally offered in the last semesters of the course. Considerable divergence, however, was found in the course load for pediatric dentistry. There is an evident need for the definition of theoretical content and minimum clinical training to enable students to develop skills for treating children.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the characteristics of artifacts produced by various intraoral dental materials in magnetic resonance imaging sequences and assess their impact on the diagnostic quality of the resultant images. Material and Methods: A clinical examination was conducted on forty-six patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging for various brain pathologies. Parameters were recorded, including the location, span, and type of intraoral dental material. The impact of these artifacts on the diagnostic quality of the resultant image sequences was assessed. The reliability of the intraand interobserver was calculated, and Fischer's exact test was applied. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The most common signal intensity artifact observed was hypointense with hyperintense rim artifacts in FLAIR (95.5%). The most common shape of the artifacts observed was circular/void shape (84.4%). There was a statistically significant difference between the various classes of intraoral dental materials and diagnostic acceptability (p=0.017). In the present study, 28% of the study population images were graded diagnostically unacceptable in the sequences evaluated (FLAIR 37.8%, T2 3.3%, SWI 24.4%, DWI 25%). Conclusion: Dental material artifacts interfered with the interpretation of magnetic resonance imaging at varying levels of diagnostic acceptability depending on the indication for which the imaging was performed.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the bibliometric characteristics of clinical studies about the non-instrumental technique with antibiotic paste. Material and Methods: The Web of Science database 'Core-Collection' was searched by two researchers. The following bibliometric parameters were examined: number of citations, authorship, institution, country, journal title and impact factor, study design, year of publication, and keywords. Scopus and Google Scholar databases were used to compare the number of article citations. The VoSviewer software was used to generate collaboration networks. Results: 452 articles were recovered with the search key, and 18 articles were included. The number of citations ranged from 0 to 80, and the number of authors ranged from 2 to 7. Japan had the highest number of citations (n=80). Clinical trials were the most common study design (n= 6). The journals that published the most articles were Pediatric Dentistry (22.2%), Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry (16.6%), Contemporary Clinical Dentistry (11.2%), and International Journal of Pediatric Dentistry (11.2%). Most papers originated from Brazil, the United States of America, and India. Conclusion: The study showed increased publications with a clinical focus in the last decade on the LSTR/NIPT technique, with Brazil leading in the number of relevant publications. It also provided clinicians and researchers with articles on an alternative technique for pulp therapy in deciduous teeth with pulp necrosis.

ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the frequency of the BRAF V600E mutation in odontogenic keratocyst, correlating the methods of evaluation and detection of the mutated protein. Material and Methods: This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD 42022379570). An electronic search was performed up to January 20th, 2024, in the databases of Medline, Scopus, Embase, and gray literature (Google Scholar, BDTD). One hundred and sixty-six cases in seven studies were included. The methodological quality of the studies was performed according to the Joanna Briggs Institute. Results: Only two of the seven studies reported positivity for the BRAF V600E mutation, both by molecular methods. In the remaining five studies, the BRAF V600E mutation was not present, one evaluated by RT-PCR, three by DNA sequencing, and one by IHC. Conclusion: Through analysis of the articles, the BRAF V600E gene mutation alone does not play a significant role in the pathogenesis of OKC. Further research and new studies are necessary.

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the impact on quality of life-related to the need for endodontic treatment and possible association with sociodemographic variables. Material and Methods: It was carried out through the application of a sociodemographic script and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). The association between variables was verified using Fisher's exact test and the strength of the association between the independent variables and the impact on quality of life was calculated using the odds ratio (OR). Results: The impact on quality of life was declared by 87.8% of the participants, with physical pain (67.3%) and psychological discomfort (76%) being the most impacted domains. In terms of education level, participants who completed high school or more reported an 88.4% impact on the disability dimension, with around 2.4 times greater chances of suffering impact on this dimension. Individuals living alone reported a greater impact on the psychological disability dimension (54.8%). Participants with limited or no access to dental services, especially through the Unified Health System (NHS), reported a greater impact on the psychological disability dimension (61%). Conclusion: The need for endodontic treatment has a significant impact on quality of life, as stated by 87.8% of the participants, especially in the psychological discomfort (76%) and physical pain (67.3%) domains. These findings were associated with the following sociodemographic variables: gender, race/color, marital status, schooling, socioeconomic status and type of access to oral health services.

ABSTRACT Objective: To provide comprehensive information about barriers to using dental services in India. Material and Methods: Original research articles published on factors and(or) barriers to dental and oral health care services utilization were extracted from four electronic databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE. The selection process involved looking for English-language articles published between 2005 and 2023 that addressed one or more areas of dental and oral health care barriers in India. Selected articles were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: 188 original studies were retrieved from the four databases, and 23 were extracted. The barriers to dental and oral health care service utilization were classified into three major themes: sociodemographic factors, dental care access, and individual factors. The findings of the selected articles showed that the high cost of dental care, educational level, fear of dental treatment, poor perception about teeth, and(or) lack of felt need and lack of time were the most frequently reported barriers. Conclusion: Appropriate utilization of dental and oral health care services was one of the key principles in achieving "Health for All."Dental care delivery systems should address the barriers to its utilization by incorporating policies to overcome the utilization barriers and community-based oral health awareness programs.