BackgroundDisparities in utilization of oral healthcare services have been attributed to socioeconomic and individual behavioral factors. Parents’ socioeconomic status, demographics, schooling, and perceptions of oral health may influence their children’s use of dental services. This cross-sectional study assessed the relationships between socioeconomic and psychosocial factors and the utilization of dental health services by children aged 1–5 years.MethodsData were collected through clinical exams and a structured questionnaire administered during the National Day of Children’s Vaccination. A Poisson regression model was used to estimate prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals.ResultsData were collected from a total of 478 children. Only 112 (23.68%) were found to have visited a dentist; 67.77% of those had seen the dentist for preventive care. Most (63.11%) used public rather than private services. The use of dental services varied according to parental socioeconomic status; children from low socioeconomic backgrounds and those whose parents rated their oral health as “poor” used dental services less frequently. The reason for visiting the dentist also varied with socioeconomic status, in that children of parents with poor socioeconomic status and who reported their child’s oral health as “fair/poor” were less likely to have visited the dentist for preventive care.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that psychosocial and socioeconomic factors are important predictors of the utilization of dental care services.

The aim of this paper is to systematically review the literature to estimate the overall prevalence of xerostomia/hyposalivation in epidemiological studies. An electronic search was carried out up to February 2018 with no language restrictions. A total of 5760 titles were screened and just twenty-nine papers were included in review and the meta-analysis after a two independently reviewers applied the selection criteria. Data were extracted from PubMed and Web of Science databases. Eligibility criteria included original investigations from observational population-based studies that reported the prevalence of xerostomia or data that allowed the calculation of prevalence of xerostomia and/or hyposalivation. Studies conducted in samples with specific health conditions, literature reviews, case reports and anthropological studies, as conferences or comments were excluded. Sample size, geographic location of the study, study design, age of the studied population, diagnosis methods, and evaluation criteria used to determine xerostomia e/or hyposalivation were extracted for meta-analysis and meta-regression. Multivariate meta-regression analysis was performed to explore heterogeneity among studies. The overall estimated prevalence of dry mouth was 22.0% (95%CI 17.0-26.0%). Higher prevalence of xerostomia was observed in studies conducted only with elderly people. Despite diverse approaches to the condition’s measurement, just over one in four people suffer from xerostomia, with higher rates observed among older people. Moreover, the measurement methods used currently may over- or underestimate xerostomia. These findings highlight the need for further work on existing and new clinical measure and will be useful to determine which one is more reliable in clinical and epidemiological perspectives.

Aim: Industry sponsorship might distort the conduct and findings of studies in a large range of medical disciplines. The objective of this study was to assess whether industry sponsorship bias is present in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on dental implants. Material and methods:Two databases were searched (MEDLINE; Web of Science) to identify RCTs published between 1996 and 2016 assessing different implant systems, components or techniques, such as implant-abutment connections, geometries, surfaces, loading protocols or regions of placement. Studies' sponsorship status was classified as unclear, non-sponsored or sponsored. Our outcome was marginal bone loss per year (MBL/year) of follow-up. Random-effects meta-analysis of MBL/year with subgroup analysis according to sponsorship status was performed. Moreover, multivariable stepwise-selection meta-regression was performed to assess whether sponsorship status, among other covariates, was associated with MBL/year. Results: One hundred and two RCTs (4,775 patients, 8,806 implants) were included.Overall mean (95% confidence interval) MBL/year was 0.74 mm (95% CI 0.67/0.82).There was no significant difference in MBL/year among sponsorship categories; unclear: 0.64 (95% CI 0.37/0.91); non-sponsored: 0.65 (095% CI 0.55/0.75); and sponsored: 0.82 (95% CI 0.71/0.94). Conclusion:Meta-regression did not demonstrate a significant association of MBL/ year with sponsorship status or other covariates was found. We did not detect significant sponsorship bias in RCTs on dental implants. K E Y W O R D Sclinical studies/trials, dental implants, evidence-based dentistry, industry

Background: The aims of this study were to assess whether the previous registration of a systematic review (SR) is associated with the improvement of the quality of the report of SRs and whether SR registration reduced outcome reporting bias. Methods: We performed a search in PubMed for SRs in dentistry indexed in 2017. Data related to SR registration and reporting characteristics were extracted. We analyzed if the reporting of 21 characteristics of included SRs was associated with the prospective registration of protocols or reporting of a previously established protocol. The association between prospective registering of protocols, reporting of funding and number of included studies versus outcome reporting bias was tested via multivariable logistic regression. Results: We included 495 SRs. One hundred and 62 (32.7%) SRs reported registering the SR protocol or working from a previously established protocol. Thirteen reporting characteristics were described statistically significant in SRs registered versus SRs that were not. Publication bias assessment and Report the number of participants showed the highest effects favoring the register (RR 1.59, CI 95% 1.19-2.12; RR 1.58, CI 95% 1.31-1.92 respectively). Moreover, Registration was not significantly linked with the articles' reporting statistical significance (OR 0.96, CI 95% 0.49-1.90). Conclusion: There is a positive influence of previously registering a protocol in the final report quality of SRs in dentistry. However, we did not observe an association between protocol registration and reduction in outcome reporting bias.

The aim of this study was to assess trends in traumatic crown injuries (TCIs), their prevalence, and association with socioeconomic and clinical factors in preschool children over a 5-year period. A series of cross-sectional surveys was conducted in Santa Maria, Brazil, on children attending a National Day of Children's Vaccination. The same protocol was used in all surveys conducted in 2008, 2010, and 2013. Clinical examinations were performed to evaluate types of traumatic crown injuries using the O'brien index. A semi-structured questionnaire was answered by the parents. It provided information about several socioeconomic factors as well as the parents' perception of their child's oral health. The chi-square for trends test was used to verify changes in TCI prevalence throughout the years. The association between socioeconomic and clinical factors with TCI was assessed by the Poisson regression analysis. A total of 1,640 children were examined. The prevalence of TCIs decreased significantly from 2008 to 2013 (10.12%; p < 0.001). Central incisors were the most vulnerable to injury, independent of the year. Moreover, older children and those with inadequate lip coverage were more likely to present with some traumatic dental injury (p < 0.001). prevalence of traumatic crown injuries decreased following the years, however TCI remain an important subject to consider when planning oral health policies.

The effect of contextual factors on dental care utilization was evaluated after adjustment for individual characteristics of Brazilian preschool children. This cross-sectional study assessed 639 preschool children aged 1 to 5 years from Santa Maria, a town in Rio Grande do Sul State, located in southern Brazil. Participants were randomly selected from children attending the National Children's Vaccination Day and 15 health centers were selected for this research. Visual examinations followed the ICDAS criteria. Parents answered a questionnaire about demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Contextual influences on children's dental care utilization were obtained from two community-related variables: presence of dentists and presence of workers' associations in the neighborhood. Unadjusted and adjusted multilevel logistic regression models were used to describe the association between outcome and predictor variables. A prevalence of 21.6% was found for regular use of dental services. The unadjusted assessment of the associations of dental health care utilization with individual and contextual factors included children's ages, family income, parents' schooling, mothers' participation in their children's school activities, dental caries, and presence of workers' associations in the neighborhood as the main outcome covariates. Individual variables remained associated with the outcome after adding contextual variables in the model. In conclusion, individual and contextual variables were associated with dental health care utilization by preschool children.

This study provides reliable and robust evidence that emphasizes the impact of asthma on the occurrence of dental caries in both, primary and permanent, dentitions. The findings provide useful data for recommending that dentists and physicians collaborate to establish the control for both diseases in a multidisciplinary manner.

Background: Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been suggested to improve primary stability at the early stages of osseointegration in animal models. However, there is still scarce evidence about its influence on implant stability in humans. Purpose: To assess the influence of LLLT on implant stability in implants placed in fresh extraction sockets. Material and methods: A randomized controlled trial was designed according to the SPIRIT guidelines and is reported following the CONSORT. Patients were randomly allocated according to control or LLLT groups. LLLT consisted in the application of GaAlAs laser (808 nm, avg. power density: 50 mW, circular spot diameter and area: 0.71 cm/0.4cm 2) applied in six points in contact mode with peri-implant soft tissue (1.23 minutes in each point of application; dose per point 11 J) before bone perforation and after suturing. The total dose resulted in 66 J per application moment. This LLLT protocol was applied only in the dental implant placement session. Implant stability was by ISQ at implant placement (T 0) and the abutment selection (T a). Digital radiographs for T 0 and T a were used to assess the distance between the implant platform and alveolar bone crest, in millimeters. T-test and Shapiro-Wilk test were used to analyze data between groups using the implant as a unit of analysis. Results: Fifty implants were placed in 44 patients. The insertion torque ranged from 15 to 60 N.cm (mean 35.64 ± 13.34). Two implants of the LLLT and one of the control groups were lost to follow-up and one implant of the control group failed to osseointegrate (4.3%). ISQ at T 0 ranged from 17 to 79 (mean 59.33 ± 13.05) and from 40 to 89 (mean 66.46 SD ± 11.56) at T a. No differences were observed when comparing the groups with ISQ difference (P = .433) or radiographical peri-implant alterations (P = .261). Conclusions: LLLT did not influence implant stability in implants placed in fresh extraction sockets when assessed at healing abutment installation.