Background The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world and created a shift in the dental education program. This sudden change in the dental education program may have affected the academic standards of dental students. This study aimed to evaluate the overall satisfaction and effectiveness of online learning in pediatric dentistry of undergraduate dental students’ during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. Methods An anonymous online survey was sent to three dental schools, and responses were collected from dental school students. Questions included the demographics, perspectives of online classes, comparison of online and offline pediatric dentistry classes and opinions on how dental schools are handling the pandemic. Students’ perspectives on online classes were evaluated based on satisfaction with online education. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results Most students took online classes from home (80.9%) using Zoom (50.4%). The majority reported overall program satisfaction (74.1%) and agreed that universities implemented online classes well (55%). Students who were in favor of online classes responded more positively to questions on the effectiveness and safety of online learning (p < 0.05). Regardless of satisfaction with online education, the students agreed that the online education shift was the right decision in pandemic outbreak. Conclusions Dental students in South Korea preferred and adapted well to the web-based learning program in pediatric dentistry during COVID-19 pandemic.

Supernumerary teeth (SNTs) involving both the primary and the permanent dentition constitute a common numerical dental anomaly. 1 Supernumerary teeth can occur as single or multiple teeth. The prevalence of SNTs is reported to range from 0.1% to 3.8%, 1-7 and SNTs are reported to predominately occur in the premaxilla. 8,9 It was reported that about 80% of SNTs were inversely or transversely oriented, and these teeth failed to erupt and remained impacted. 10 Impacted SNTs may cause various dental problems. They may disturb normal eruption of adjacent permanent teeth and cause undesirable displacement or undesirable root resorption of permanent teeth. 11-15 Moreover, impacted SNTs may form odontogenic cysts, and thus, early surgical intervention is usually recommended to prevent SNT-related complications. 16

Ossifying fibroma is a slow-growing benign neoplasm that occurs most often in the jaws, especially the mandible. The tumor is composed of bone that develops within fibrous connective tissue. Some ossifying fibromas consist of cementum-like calcifications, while others contain only bony material; however, a mixture of these calcification types is commonly seen in a single lesion. Of the craniofacial bones, the mandible is the most commonly involved site, with the lesion typically inferior to the premolars and molars. Ossifying fibroma of the jaw shows a female predominance. Some reports of ossifying fibroma have been published in the literature; however, this report continues the research on this topic by detailing 3 types of ossifying fibroma findings on panoramic radiographs and cone-beam computed tomographic images of 4 patients. The radiographs of the presented cases could help clinicians understand the variations in the radiographic appearance of this lesion.

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a 3-dimensional (3D) planned surgical guide technique designed for impacted supernumerary teeth (STs) extraction using 3D printed simulation models. In total, 17 participants from two university hospitals were recruited. Each participant performed surgery with both the conventional and surgical guide techniques. The following parameters were evaluated: (1) The time required for ST extraction, (2) the area of the window opening, and (3) the volume of the material removed. Time required for ST extraction was 213.65 ± 167.45 sec and 114.76 ± 42.87 sec in the conventional and surgical guide techniques, respectively, with significant differences (p = 0.028). The required area of the window opening was 48.10 ± 9.44 mm2 and 45.90 ± 8.17 mm2, respectively, in the conventional and surgical guide techniques, with no significant differences (p > 0.05). The required volume of the material removed was 121.65 ± 43.69 mm3 and 99.12 ± 17.88 mm3 in the conventional and surgical guide techniques, respectively, with significant differences (p = 0.031). The 3D planned surgical guide technique was effective for impacted ST extraction. Within the limits of this study, the surgical guide technique allows us to accomplish minimally invasive surgery within a shorter duration.

Sialolithiasis is a disease in which calcified substances accumulate in the ducts or parenchyma of the salivary glands. This disease can occur in people of any age, but it is predominantly seen in middle-aged adults and is rare in children. Owing to their anatomical and physiological characteristics, sialoliths commonly begin to form in the submandibular gland. The main symptoms of sialolithiasis are pain and swelling. Asymptomatic cases have also been reported. Clinical examinations and radiological examinations are used to diagnose sialolithiasis. Moreover, therapeutic methods comprise conservative treatments to promote salivation, surgical removal, and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy. Further, three pediatric patients visited the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Chosun University Dental Hospital owing to sialolithiasis. All patients were asymptomatic, and clinical examination revealed a yellowish substance located near the Wharton's duct in the oral cavity in each case. The sialoliths were removed by transoral sialolithotomy under local anesthesia.