This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical and biological activity of the polycaprolactone/chitosan/collagen scaffolds incorporated with 0, 0.5, 3, and 6 wt% of graphene oxide (GO). Using standard tests and MG-63 cells, the characteristics of scaffolds were evaluated, and the behavior of osteoblasts were simulated, respectively. A non-significant decrease in nanofibers diameter was noted in scaffolds with a higher ratio of GO. The hydrophilicity and bioactivity of the scaffold surface, as well as cell attachment and proliferation, increased in correspondence to an increase in GO. The higher ratio of GO also improved the osteogenesis activity.GO increased the degradation rate, but it was negligible and seemed not enough to endanger stability. Modifying the scaffolds with GO did not make a significant change to the antibacterial effect.

Objectives: This case-control study aimed to compare patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and healthy controls in terms of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) considering Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS) scores, pain duration, psychological impairment and demographic characteristics.Methods: A total of 75 patients with TMD and 75 healthy controls were recruited. The short version of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) was administered for evaluating the OHRQoL. Psychosocial impairments were assessed using the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). The Research Diagnostic Criteria for TemporomandibularDisorders (RDC/TMD) axis I and II were also used for patient diagnosis and collecting GCPS scores, pain duration, age and gender. Independent-sample t tests, Pearson's chi-square tests and multiple logistic and linear regression models were applied for statistical analysis. Results:The mean age of the patients was 34.3±12.4 years. A female-to-male ratio of 6:1 was seen in the TMD group. The prevalence and severity of the OHIP were significantly different between the TMD and control groups (66.7% vs 12.0% and 18.0 vs 9.2, respectively). According to multiple logistic regression for OHIP prevalence and multiple linear regression for OHIP severity in the TMD group, GCPS scores and pain duration, followed by psychological impairment, were the most important predictors of the OHRQoL. Conclusion:TMD negatively affected the OHRQoL, particularly in patients with psychological impairments. Meanwhile, age and gender did not seem to have a serious effect. Hence, promoting the quality of life of patients with TMD requires emphasis on chronic pain management and maintaining good mental health. K E Y W O R D SGraded Chronic Pain Scale, oral health-related quality of life, pain duration, patients, psychological impairment, temporomandibular disorders

Background Air abrasion (AA) is one of the decontamination methods that have demonstrated promising results in treating peri‐implant diseases. Purpose This systematic review aimed at evaluating the in vitro effect of AA on surface change, cleaning efficacy, and biocompatibility of titanium surfaces and at comparing it with other decontamination methods. Materials and Methods A comprehensive search was conducted up to April 2018 using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify studies on the decontamination effect of AA. All types of titanium surfaces, abrasive powders, contaminated surfaces, and measuring methods were included. Results Overall, 1502 articles were identified. After screening the titles and abstracts, and carefully reading the full‐texts, 48 articles published between 1989 and 2018 were selected. AA was considered almost safe, particularly for the nonmodified surfaces. Nevertheless, harder powders such as sodium bicarbonate tended to damage the surface more than glycine. AA resulted in surface change similar to plastic curettes and Er: YAG lasers. Regarding the cleaning efficacy, there was no significant difference between glycine and sodium bicarbonate, but different mixtures of calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, and erythritol were superior to glycine. AA was superior or equal to all other decontamination methods in cleaning. Regarding biocompatibility, AA was more successful in preserving biocompatibility for noncontaminated surfaces compared with contaminated surfaces and when used with erythritol and osteoinductive powders. Conclusions AA can efficiently remove contamination without serious damage to the surface. The main drawback of the AA method seems to be its limitation in restoring the biocompatibility of the surface.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of low-power of 940-nm diode laser on post-operative pain after undisplaced flap surgery. This randomized clinical trial study was conducted using a split-mouth design. The study participants comprised 30 patients who needed periodontal flap surgery for periodontal pockets on the same tooth on both sides of the mandible. One side of the mandible was subjected to undisplaced flap surgery plus treatment with a 940-nm diode laser, and on the contralateral side, the surgery was conducted without applying the laser. Patients received anti-inflammatory medication and analgesics after surgery. The patients were asked to report the number of analgesics they took and the pain they experienced each night for 1 week using a visual analogue scale. An independent-sample t test was used to compare the results between the two groups. Patients reported less pain on days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 after surgery in the laser-treated group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, fewer analgesics were used in this group on days 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 following the surgery (p < 0.05). The 940-nm diode laser with the settings used in this study could significantly reduce pain and the number of analgesics taken by patients after undisplaced flap surgery.

No abstract

Background This study aimed to measure the frequency of dental visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate if dental visits can be predicted from demographics, socioeconomic status, oral problem diagnoses, and received dental services. Methods Participants for this retrospective study were patients visiting dental providers at the hospital- and community-based outpatient clinics in Alberta, Canada. Data were retrieved from electronic databases from March 12 th to the end of September 2020 and the same period for 2018 and 2019. Also, the lockdown was declared for March 12 to May 14, 2020. Data were analyzed using ANOVA test and multiple logistic regression at α=0.05. Results From a total of 14,319 dental visits, 5,671, 5,036, and 3612 occurred in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The mean (SD) frequency of daily visits was 36.69 (15.64), 32.09 (15.51), and 24.24 (14.78) respectively (P<0.001). Despite the overall decrease, the frequency of visits for infections, salivary problems, and temporomandibular disorders increased during the pandemic. The dental visits during the pandemic were associated with increased oral problems, complicated dental procedures, and higher economic status. Conclusion During the pandemic, the frequency of dental visits decreased specifically during the lockdown. Patients with complicated problems needing urgent treatments mainly visited dental clinics. Reduced access to care was observed primarily among socially disadvantaged groups. Practical Implications Although the current guidelines and related recommendations have been effective during the pandemic in restoring the compromised dental system, further modifications are needed to promote in-person visits to improve oral health status of patients.

To achieve proper bond strength for porcelains, adequate surface roughness is essential, which is traditionally gained by sandblasting or acid etching with hydrofluoric (HF) acid. Nowadays with the development of laser systems, serious efforts were made to apply this new instrument for surface etching of porcelains due to easy usage, safety, and more efficiency. There are different kinds of lasers and porcelains, so choosing the ones which will be good match for each other is crucial. Besides that, changing the irradiation setting can be beneficial as well. This article reviewed 33 related studies and summarized results of etching accomplished by Nd:YAG, Er:YAG, Er,Cr:YSGG and CO 2 lasers on different types of porcelains considering different laser settings and evaluation methods to bring a comprehensive insight.

Because each study included in this review has its unique methodology and design, it is therefore early to conclude whether to use digital scanners for clinical practice or not. More well-conducted in vitro and clinical trials studies are recommended to investigate the accuracy of intraoral scanners.