KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences

A BSTRACT Objective This study aims to evaluate the effects of two drill designs on insertion torque (IT) and implant stability quotient (ISQ) during osteotomy. Methodology This in vivo animal study involved eight female New Zealand white rabbits divided into two groups: Group A underwent osteotomy using standard drills from the Zimmer surgical kit, and Group B used Densah drills. IT values and ISQ were taken during and after implant placement. Rabbits received premedication, and postoperative care was provided. Results Significant differences in peak IT were observed between the two groups, with Group B demonstrating a statistically significant advantage. However, no significant differences were found in ISQ between the groups. Conclusion This study highlights the potential benefits of osseodensification in enhancing primary stability during osteotomy.

Objectives The incidence of oral cancer is significantly high in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Organized screening is an effective approach to early detection. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to evaluate the reliability, diagnostic accuracy, and effectiveness of visual oral screening by community health workers (CHWs) in identifying oral cancer/oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) in this region. Materials and Methods We conducted a bibliographic search in PubMed, Scopus, the gray literature of Google Scholar, ProQuest dissertations, and additional manual searches. Twelve articles were included for qualitative synthesis and six for meta‐analysis. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and forest plot analysis were performed. Results Meta‐analysis showed CHWs identified 8% ( n = 6365) as suspicious and 92% ( n = 74,140) as normal. The diagnostic accuracy of visual oral screening by CHWs showed a sensitivity of 75% (CI: 74–76) and specificity of 97% (CI: 97–97) in the detection of OPMDs/oral cancer. Forest plots were obtained using a random effects model (DOR: 24.52 (CI: 22.65–26.55)) and SAUC: 0.96 (SE = 0.05). Conclusions Oral visual examination by trained CHWs can be utilized for community screenings to detect oral cancer early. This approach can be used in primary healthcare to triage patients for further referral and management.

Objective Tumor budding (TB) has shown promising results as a prognostic marker in several cancers such as colorectal carcinoma, breast carcinoma etc. It has been co-related to aggressiveness of the tumor and can also predict the metastasis to the lymph nodes. This systematic review evaluates the prognostic potential of TB in predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM) in OSCC. Data sources Systematic search was carried out in the electronic data-bases i.e. PubMed, Cochrane and Google scholar for original studies related to TB in OSCC. The assessment of risk bias was done using QUIPS tool. Meta-analysis was done using STATA software. Results A total of 25 articles were included. A significant association was noted for overall survival and prognosis but not for TB LNM in OSCC. Meta-analysis revealed a pooled estimate i.e odds ratio of 2.10 (CI - 0.00 - 4.20) for TB and LNM while for overall survival, it was 2.29 (CI-1.81–2.76). Conclusion Tumor budding though is strongly associated with LNM in OSCC did not show significant relationship in this systematic review but demonstrated a higher correlation with overall survival. It highlights that TB is an important parameter for prognosis of oral cancer but its potential in prediction of LNM needs further validation.

Oral cancer is significantly high in India, and screening is an effective approach to downstage the disease. Educating Community Health Workers (CHWs) on early oral cancer detection is an effective step toward reducing the burden and serves as a first step toward facilitating the transfer of knowledge. Therefore, the purpose of this hands-on education was to equip CHWs with insight on the advanced diagnostics, preventive techniques, and innovations for the early detection of oral cancer. A total of 178 participants were trained in two groups: Group 1 received training for screening and primary prevention, while group 2 received training on updates in recent diagnostic adjuncts and innovations, AI-enabled point-of-care diagnostics, and essential patient care in management of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMDs). Pre- and post-assessment questionnaires were used to evaluate the participants. The knowledge assessment scores between the pre- and post-tests showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001), with rise in mean score of 3.99 from baseline. Six months following training, knowledge retention revealed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) in the participants' ability to recall the information. A well-structured training module can create awareness, impart knowledge and upskill the CHWs for early detection of oral cancer. Retraining of CHWs is required for knowledge retention post-training.

Background: Dental education in India predominantly relies on traditional lecture-based learning (LBL), which may hinder student engagement and learning outcomes. To address these limitations, innovative learning methodologies,

Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) is inevitably going to impact healthcare including dentistry and will become an essential tool in medical diagnosis and decision-making. Dental professionals must be familiar with growing trends in dentistry such as AI and its future scope. Despite the positive developments in AI research, there are divergent perspectives on its benefits and risks among stakeholders. We intended to understand the knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of dental professionals towards AI and its applications in dentistry. Methods and Material A semi-structured, 25-item Google form questionnaire consisting of closed and open-ended questions was made and the link to answer the survey was circulated among postgraduate students, dental academicians, and practitioners across India in an online mode, and the responses were collected and analyzed. Results 83.3% of participants were aware of AI and its applications. Most of the participants understood the attributes, advantages, and disadvantages of AI. Interestingly 72% of participants agreed that they have witnessed AI being used in clinical practice and 92.7% agreed to use AI for diagnosis. 65.3% expressed concern over unemployment due to AI and 85% agreed that AI has ethical issues. Over 85% of participants agreed AI should be a part of the postgraduate dental curriculum. Conclusions We found that dental professionals are updated with AI technology and showed a willingness to adopt AI into dental practice. The participants lacked a deeper understanding of AI and concerned about the potential risk of unemployment resulting from AI and trusting AI alone in dental diagnosis. Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Cross-sectional survey, Dentist, Knowledge, Perceptions.

Background Occupation significantly influences oral health, with factors like the work environment, stress levels, access to dental care, and job-related habits playing crucial roles. The oral health of construction workers, especially migrant workers, is a noteworthy concern. Understanding the oral health of this population is crucial for enhancing their quality of life through various means. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status, and deleterious habits in this occupational group of Belagavi district, Karnataka. Materials and methods Study design was cross-sectional in nature. Before commencement of the study a pilot study was conducted. Multi-stage random sampling technique was employed, and 610 participants were recruited for the study. Trained and calibrated examiners recorded WHO dentition status and treatment needs (2013) and Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI-S). Collected data was analyzed using descriptive analysis, chi-square, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results The prevalence of dental caries among construction workers was significantly high (81%), and poor oral hygiene was observed among 36.9% of them. The prevalence of smoking, the tobacco chewing habit, and alcohol consumption among the construction workers was found to be 21.6%, 59.9%, and 37.3%, respectively. The dependence of OHI-S and DMFT on predictors (age, gender and deleterious habits) was found to be 21.5% and 39.6%, respectively. Conclusions Migrant construction workers in Belagavi had a high caries prevalence, poor oral hygiene status, and a high prevalence of deleterious habits such as tobacco use. These results emphasize the necessity of awareness and dental health education programs to improve the oral health of construction workers.

Maintenance of the quality and hygiene of maxillofacial prosthesis allows to maintain the health of the residual tissues. Sampling of the maxillofacial prostheses has relieved presence of microbial colonization on silicone surfaces. Cleaning procedures of maxillofacial silicones are done using mechanical means or using adjunctive with chemical means. Cleaning with a 2–4% chlorhexidine gluconate spray or dipping in solution for a minute and then washing under running water can sufficiently condition to reduce the amount of bacterial contamination. Due to rising microorganism resistance and fewer adverse effects, phytoextracts appear to be a viable option. Additionally, the use of excipients derived from plants is provides new opportunities for the pharmaceutical industry into the creation of innovative pharmaceutical products that are sustainable. Aim To evaluate and compare the leaf extracts of Mangifera indica (M.indica), Anacardium occidentale(A.occidentale) and 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) on disinfection of maxillofacial silicone material surface contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) and Candida albicans (C.albicans). Methods Of the 150 maxillofacial silicone elastomer silicone samples, 75 samples were contaminated with S. aureus and 75 with C.albicans. The contaminated disc was rolled on blood agar and pre-disinfection Colony Forming Units (CFU) were evaluated followed by subjecting the discs to disinfection protocols. The contaminated discs with S. aureus and C.albicans were disinfected using M.indica leaf extracts, A.occidentale leaf extracts and 0.2% CHX for 10 min. Post-disinfection CFUs were evaluated by rolling the disc on blood agar. The results were tabulated and analysed using dependent t-test, one-way ANOVA and Tukeys multiple posthoc procedure. Results Pair-wise comparison of pre-and post-disinfection log CFU counts of S.aureus gave a statistical significance between 0.2% CHX and and M.indica leaf extract. No statistically significant results were found between 0.2% CHX and A.occidentale. Pair wise comparison of the log CFU from pre-disinfection to post-disinfection of C.albicans gave a statistical significance between all the three groups. Conclusions In the present study A.occidentale leaf extract and M.indica leaf extract have shown significant reduction in CFU of both the organisms. 0.2% CHX showed the most CFU reduction post disinfection of maxillofacial silicone material surface contaminated S.aureus and C.albicans followed by A.occidentale leaf extracts and M.indica leaf extracts. Given the limitations of the current research, A.occidentale leaf extract and M.indica leaf extract can be used as an alternative for disinfection of maxillofacial silicone prosthesis.

Background: The National Dental Commission Bill of 2023 introduced the National Exit Test (NExT) as a common final examination for all dental graduates in India, granting them the license to practice. This study evaluated dental undergraduates' awareness and perceptions of the newly proposed NExT. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire in English comprising 23 close-ended questions was used to assess the awareness and perception of the students. A pilot study was conducted to determine the sample size, and 510 students were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The survey was administered to students ranging from 1st to 4th-year undergraduates and interns from two dental colleges in the Belagavi District, India. The questionnaire demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.86) and a content validity ratio 0.82. Results: Interns had the highest mean awareness (39.56 ± 8.99) and perception (40.87 ± 5.56) scores, whereas first-year students had the lowest, with statistically significant differences among the groups (p ≤ 0.001). Although 81% of students were aware of NExT in India, only 17.3% found it student-friendly. A positive correlation was seen between the perception and awareness scores (r = + 0.242; p ≤ 0.001). The dependence of awareness and perception scores on predictors such as age, gender, and year of study were 16.7% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusion: Interns displayed a positive perception and higher awareness of NExT, whereas first and second-year dental students exhibited lower awareness and apprehensive perceptions. The introduction of NExT promises to enhance the overall quality of dental education on a national scale by providing high-quality care to patients.

Aim and objectives To assess oral hygiene status and salivary and microbiological parameters among 12 to 15-year-old visually impaired and normal-sighted children before and after oral health education (OHE). Methodology An interventional study was conducted among 25 visually impaired children (Group A) and 25 normal-sighted children (Group B) in the age range of 12 to 15 years. Simple random sampling was used to select the study participants. A questionnaire was designed to record socio-demographic data and the dietary habits of the children on pre-decided days. The oral hygiene practices and the Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) index were recorded, and salivary physicochemical parameters for all the selected children were evaluated, followed by saliva collection for microbial analysis. After baseline assessment, the Audio-Tactile Performance technique for Group A and the animated visual performance technique for Group B children were used to impart OHE. Periodic assessments of salivary parameters were conducted at one-month and three-month intervals. Unpaired T test/Mann-Whitney U test, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA)/Friedman test, followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test were carried out to determine the difference between and within groups, respectively. All statistical tests were performed at a significance level of 5%. Results Group A demonstrated a greater change in salivary pH (6.20 ± 0.41 to 6.96 ± 0.20), salivary buffering capacity (5.80 ± 0.82 to 7.20 ± 0.65), and Streptococcus mutans count (9.36 ± 0.41 to 8.7 ± 0.45 x 10⁴ CFU/mL) when compared to Group B. Group B demonstrated a greater Lactobacillus acidophilus count reduction (7.96 ± 0.66 to 7.50 ± 0.64 x 10⁴ CFU/mL) when compared to Group A. Conclusion The appropriate use of specialized OHE holds particular significance in the improvement of oral hygiene status and salivary parameters, along with a reduction in the bacterial count in both visually impaired children and normal-sighted children.

In the realm of dentistry, lasers make it possible to administer numerous treatment modalities more effectively, leading to successful outcomes in the majority of cases. Numerous applications of lasers in general practice and implantology have been shown to be more efficient than traditional ones. Dental professionals are better able to choose the ideal wavelength and mode for various patients during clinical procedures when they have a complete understanding of lasers, their features, and mechanisms of action. Lasers have been used in a variety of therapeutic modalities, including pain management, the removal of soft tissue lesions, crown lengthening, sulcus uncovering operations in implantology, etc. This article shows the application of diode lasers successfully in various dental treatment procedures.

Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) are precursors to over 80% of oral cancers. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, followed by pathologist interpretation of tissue and cellular morphology, is the current gold standard for diagnosis. However, this method is qualitative, can result in errors during the multi-step diagnostic process, and results may have significant inter-observer variability. Chemical imaging (CI) offers a promising alternative, wherein label-free imaging is used to record both the morphology and the composition of tissue and artificial intelligence (AI) is used to objectively assign histologic information. Here, we employ quantum cascade laser (QCL)-based discrete frequency infrared (DFIR) chemical imaging to record data from oral tissues. In this proof-of-concept study, we focused on achieving tissue segmentation into three classes (connective tissue, dysplastic epithelium, and normal epithelium) using a convolutional neural network (CNN) applied to three bands of label-free DFIR data with paired darkfield visible imaging. Using pathologist-annotated H&E images as the ground truth, we demonstrate results that are 94.5% accurate with the ground truth using combined information from IR and darkfield microscopy in a deep learning framework. This chemical-imaging-based workflow for OPMD classification has the potential to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of clinical oral precancer diagnosis.

Background: Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) involves sensitive symptoms, because of exposure of the dentinal tubules. Various materials have been utilized to occlude dentinal tubules for the treatment of DH. Here is a comparative evaluation of nano-carbonate apatite (n-CAP), diode laser, and their combination over the occlusion of dentinal tubules. Materials and method: Ten intact first premolars were used in this study, out of which 40 dentin disk specimens were obtained by hard tissue microtomy. Four study groups were formulated out of which one was the control group and the remaining three were test groups. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was done to evaluate the diameter of the dentinal tubules in each group. Results: On examining data, it was observed that the mean diameter of dentinal tubules in four study groups of control, laser, n-CAP, and n-CAP + laser was found to be 3.40, 2.00, 0.46, and 0.02 respectively. This shows the significant reduction in the diameter of dentinal tubules in the test groups when compared with the control group. Conclusion: Among all the measures used to see for a reduction in the diameter of dentinal tubules, the combination group was found to be most occluding, though each of the groups also had a significant reduction in the diameter of dentinal tubules. The present study showed that combination therapy offers a promising means of treating DH in a clinical setting when compared with the treatment of DH n-CAP containing dentifrice or laser irradiation alone.

Introduction Surgical extraction of impacted third molars is an increasingly common procedure but is associated with postoperative sequelae such as pain, swelling, and trismus. This study aims to compare the effects of preemptive piroxicam and oral dexamethasone on pain, swelling and trismus following third molar surgery. Materials and Methods A prospective randomized study consisting of 31 patients requiring lower third molar surgery were selected. They were randomly allocated to two treatment groups, oral dexamethasone (8 mg) and oral piroxicam (20 mg). The overall analgesic efficacy and anti-inflammatory effect of the two drugs were assessed postoperatively after 24, 48, 72 h, and on day 7 for pain, swelling, and trismus. Results The difference in the mean scores of piroxicam group and dexamethasone group was statistically significant with the dexamethasone group showing better analgesia at the end of 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h done using Mann–Whitney U test. The swelling was compared between the two groups using an independent t -test. These results were statistically significant and dexamethasone was more effective at return to normal preoperative measurements 1-week postsurgery. When the mouth opening at day 7 was compared with the preoperative values, subjects in the piroxicam group showed a decrease of 0.18 ± 0.13, and those in the dexamethasone group showed a decrease of 0.05 ± 0.13 showing that dexamethasone group was significantly closer to returning to normal mouth opening at the end of 1 week post-surgery using independent t -test. Conclusion We can conclude that the use of 8 mg oral dexamethasone 1 h preoperatively leads to a more comfortable and pain-free period for patients who undergo wisdom teeth removal, within its limitations.

A BSTRACT Natural products have received a lot of attention in a variety of medical sectors, including dentistry. Cissus, a flowering plant genus, has long been used for its therapeutic benefits. The purpose of this review is to thoroughly investigate the possibilities of Cissus extracts in dentistry. To that end, we used specific selection criteria for the selection of pertinent scientific articles published in the scientific information databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, and ProQuest. We found that the diverse array of bioactive compounds found in varied species of Cissus holds promise for applications ranging from oral wound healing to periodontal health. This review summarizes known studies on antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and tissue-regenerative characteristics of Cissus extracts, shedding light on their potential significance in modernizing modern dental practices. It exerts that Cissus extracts have the potential to supplement established dentistry therapies by providing all-natural remedies for a variety of oral health conditions.

A BSTRACT Introduction Indirect composite restoration is one of the commonly followed procedures in the posterior teeth. The success of this is dependent on many factors, one being the luting cement. Hence, the current study explores the microleakage of the two luting cements at 2 different times. Materials and Methods Eighty extracted human teeth were taken, and class II cavities were made that were to receive the composite inlays. They were grouped as supragingival and subgingival, which for further divided as were further subdivided to be observed for marginal leakage at cervical and occlusal margins, at the end of a day and 1 month. Each group had ten specimens. The luting cements that were evaluated were Variolink N and RelyX Unicem. After the composite inlay restoration was done for all the specimens, the sections were put on slides, and a stereomicroscope was used to measure the amount of dye penetration. Leakage was evaluated and compared using Mann–Whitney U test. Results At the end of 1 day, there was no significant alteration in the microleakage in the occlusal or cervical regions for either region supragingivally or subgingivally between the two luting cements. Significant difference between the two cements at the cervical borders at the end of a month was seen for both the margins. When compared supragingivally and subgingivally at the end of 1 day or at the end of 1 month, there was not a significant difference for any of the cements. Conclusion Within the constraints of the current investigation, it can be said that there was similar microleakage for both Variolink N and RelyX Unicem at the conclusion of a day’s storage time. After a 1-month storage period, RelyX Unicem showed more cervical microleakage than Variolink N.

A BSTRACT Aim This research was done to analyze the effectiveness related to herbal chemicals in tackling candidiasis. Materials and Methods Grounded and ethanol-extracted residues of plants like Avicennia marina, Fagonia indica, Portulaca oleracea, Lawsania inermis, Ziziphus spina, Asphodelus tenuifolius, and Salvadora persica were used in the study. The extract was used against candida species, after which the antibacterial as well as cytotoxicity toward the former were evaluated. Results L. inermis and P. oleracea with minimal inhibitory concentration of approx. 10 cenmL had an increased activity against candida species. The preparations of these plants acted against Candida albicans during its stages related to pathogenesis during biofilm production. Superadded infections like in case of bacterial infections along with candida can be difficult to cure. On human RBCs, these plant preparations had no toxicity at their minimum inhibitory concentration level. Conclusion We concluded that, as far as being anti-candida and acting against MDR bacterial infections, preparations of plants were effective as an alternative to allopathic drugs.

Introduction Titanium is the most widely used material for dental implants; however, its biological aging can lead to a decreased rate of osseointegration. Titanium surfaces on exposure to argon plasma possess a hydrophilic surface that increases the biological activity of osteoblasts on the implant surface. Hence, this in vitro study was undertaken to assess and compare the osteogenic potential and proliferative nature of osteoblast-like cells on titanium when subjected to argon plasma surface treatment. Materials and Methods A total of 108 titanium discs (10 mm × 2 mm ASTM B348) were included in the study, and their surface topography was characterized. The test specimens were divided into two subgroups based on surface treatments used, i.e. the study group ( n = 54): titanium discs treated with argon plasma and the control group ( n = 54): sandblasted titanium discs. The osteogenic potential of the specimens was evaluated by assessing the cell attachment using a hemocytometer and cell proliferation using an MTT assay on MG-63 cell lines at three different time intervals of 24, 48, and 72 h. Results The cell attachment and cell proliferation values were statistically significant ( P = 0.001*). In comparison to the control group, these two parameters were considerably greater in the plasma-treated group. The total effect size of the study group was 85% as opposed to 35% of the control group. Conclusion Argon plasma surface treatment had a positive effect on the cellular events of MG-63 cells which can be thought of as an added advantage along with the decontamination procedure for titanium to help in the process of osseointegration.