Ozgul Baygin

Premedication with melatonin vs midazolam in anxious children.

Aim:  Failure of dental treatment caused by anxiety is a common problem in children. Oral midazolam has been the most commonly used premedication for pediatric patient but the use of midazolam may be associated with paradoxical reactions in children. Melatonin may induce a natural sleepiness and improve sedation. We have investigated premedication with melatonin compared with midazolam in children under nitrous oxide/oxygen (N2O/O2) sedation for dental treatment.

Effectiveness of premedication agents administered prior to nitrous oxide/oxygen.

Background and objective In paediatric dentistry, when anxiety, fear of dental procedures or behavioural impairment precludes the conduct of dental treatments, sedation procedures are required. However, sedation at the desired level might not be achieved despite administration of various agents. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oral premedication with different agents on children scheduled for dental treatment under nitrous oxide/oxygen (N2O/O2) sedation. Methods The present research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Gazi University Faculty of Medicine. Sixty children aged between 5 and 8 years, ASA I or II, having no mental or motor retardation, requiring at least two-visit dental treatment, having no sedation or general anaesthesia experience, and incompliant with dental treatment (Frankl Behaviour Scale≥3), were enrolled into the study after obtaining informed parental consent. The children were then randomly assigned to one of four groups. The treatment regimen according to the study groups was as follows: oral administration of 1 mg kg−1 hydroxyzine hydrochloride suspension (Atarax) 1 h preoperatively (group I, n = 15), oral administration of 0.7 mg kg−1 midazolam (Dormicum) 15 min preoperatively (group II, n = 15), oral administration of 3 mg kg−1 ketamine (Ketalar) with 0.25 mg kg−1 midazolam (Dormicum) 15 min preoperatively (group III, n = 15), and no oral premedication administration [group IV (controls), n = 15]. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate were monitored with a pulse oximeter during treatment. The sedation level was monitored with the bispectral index. Following premedication, 40% N2O and 60% O2 was administered to all groups by means of a nasal mask. Sedation depth was evaluated using the Ramsay Sedation Scale and data were recorded at 5 min intervals. Sedation success and other sedation-related events were recorded. Results The evaluation of the findings of this study revealed that treatment procedures were completed without any serious complications. Achievement of sedation in terms of satisfactory/mid-level satisfactory/unsatisfactory was as follows: 13.3/53.3/33.3% in group I; 54/20/26% in group II; 33.3/33.3/33.3% in group III, and 6.7/60/33.3% in group IV, respectively. Ramsay Sedation Scale results revealed that the most effective medication was 0.7 mg kg−1 midazolam. Conclusion It is concluded that 0.7 mg kg−1 midazolam is more effective than 0.25 mg kg−1 midazolam with 3 mg kg−1 ketamine and 1 mg kg−1 hydroxyzine hydrochloride in terms of oral premedication prior to N2O/O2 sedation in children scheduled for dental treatments.

Clinical and radiographic outcomes of calcium hydroxide and formocresol pulpotomies performed by dental students

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic success rates of 3 pulpotomy techniques: formocresol, calcium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide/iodoform. STUDY DESIGN The pulpotomies were performed by fifth-year undergraduate dental students. Members of senior staff at the clinics supervised all of the procedures. Informed consent was obtained from each childs parents. The teeth were randomly assigned to the experimental (calcium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide/iodoform) or control (formocresol) groups. After coronal pulp removal and hemostasis, remaining pulp tissue was covered with calcium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide/iodoform paste in the experimental groups. In the control group, formocresol was placed with a cotton pellet over the pulp tissue for 5 minutes and removed; the pulp tissue was then covered with zinc oxide-eugenol. All teeth were restored with stainless-steel crowns. Clinical and radiographic successes and failures were recorded at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups by the authors. Data were statistically analyzed using chi-squared tests. RESULTS The follow-up evaluations revealed that the clinical success rates were 89.7% for formocresol, 33.3% for calcium hydroxide, and 17.2% for calcium hydroxide/iodoform. The radiographic success rates were 89.7% for formocresol, 33.3% for calcium hydroxide, and 13.8% for calcium hydroxide/iodoform. CONCLUSIONS Formocresol was superior to calcium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide/iodoform pastes for primary molar pulpotomies. Internal resorption was the most common radiographic failure in all 3 pulpotomy techniques.

Effect of drinks that are added as flavoring in oral midazolam premedication on sedation success

Background:  Midazolam is one of the most frequently used agents for sedation in pediatric dentistry. The injectable form of midazolam can also be given orally. However, its bad taste has negative effects on ingestion of the drug. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of drinks which were added to mask the bitter taste of midazolam for drug acceptance and sedation.

Antibacterial activity, surface roughness, flexural strength, and solubility of conventional luting cements containing chlorhexidine diacetate/cetrimide mixtures

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The failure of fixed dental restorations is commonly associated with caries. The use of conventional luting cements containing antibacterial agents may overcome this problem. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity (ABA), surface roughness (Ra), flexural strength (FS), and solubility (SL) patterns of the conventional dental luting cements zinc phosphate (ZP), zinc polycarboxylate (PC), and glass ionomer (GIC) after the addition of 5% chlorhexidine diacetate/cetrimide (CHX+CT). MATERIAL AND METHODS Antibacterial agents with a total concentration of 5% (2.5% CHX+2.5% CT) were added to antibacterial agent-free conventional luting cement powders (ZPC, PCC, and GICC) and designated as experimental groups (ZPE, PCE, and GICE). ABA against Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Lactobacillus casei (LB) was examined by using the agar diffusion test method. Ra, FS, and SL values were obtained after storage in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney U with Bonferroni correction tests were used to test for agar diffusion (α=.05) and 2-way ANOVA and Fisher Least Significant Difference (LSD) test were used to measure Ra, FS, and SL (α=.05). RESULTS The control groups exhibited limited ABA. With the exception of PCE>PCC on day 1 for SM, all experimental groups showed significantly greater and longer-lasting protection against SM and LB bacteria for up to 180 days than their controls (P<.05). Ra values decreased (ZPC>ZPE; P>.05, PCC>PCE; P<.05) except that GICE>GICC (P>.05) when compared with their individual controls. Control groups exhibited higher FS values than did the experimental groups (ZPC>ZPE; P<.05, PCC>PCE; P<.05, GICC>GICE; P>.05). The experimental groups exhibited higher solubilities than did their controls in the ZPC (P>.05) and GICC groups (P<.05) but were lower in PCC group (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS Incorporating a 5% CHX+CT mixture into conventional dental luting cements and altering their Ra, FS, and SL values may provide greater antibacterial protection against SM and LB.

Comparison of pre-emptive ibuprofen, paracetamol, and placebo administration in reducing post-operative pain in primary tooth extraction

BACKGROUND This study investigates preliminary investigations that a pre-emptive analgesia administration may reduce post-extraction pain. AIM This prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial was planned to compare the efficacy of the pre-emptive administration of ibuprofen, paracetamol, and placebo in reducing post-extraction pain in children. DESIGN Forty-five children, ages 6-12, who needed primary mandibular molar tooth extraction were treated in paediatric dental clinics, with treatment preceded by local anaesthesia and analgesic drugs during the preoperative period. A five-face scale was used to evaluate pain reaction during the injection, extraction, and post-operative period. Self-report scores were recorded when the local anaesthesia had been administered in soft tissues and both before and after the extraction was completed. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests (with Bonferroni correction paired t-test as the post hoc test) were used at a confidence level of 95%. RESULTS The use of pre-emptive analgesics showed lower scores compared to the placebo, irrespective of the age, weight, gender of the child, and the number of teeth extracted during the study period. Additionally, ibuprofen exhibited lower pain scores (P < 0.05) compared to paracetamol at the 15-min (P < 0.001) and 4-h (P < 0.009) periods. CONCLUSIONS Preoperative use of ibuprofen and paracetamol may provide a pre-emptive analgesic effect in paediatric patients who receive adequate analgesia during mandibular primary tooth extraction.

The success rates of a glass ionomer cement and a resin-based fissure sealant placed by fifth-year undergraduate dental students.

AIM: To evaluate retention and caries prevention of a glass-ionomer cement (GIC) and a resin-based fissure sealant placed by fifth-year undergraduate dental students. METHODS: The study was conducted according to a split-mouth, randomised clinical trial. Children with at least one pair of caries-free permanent first molars with deep pits and fissures were included in the study. The children were selected from a population that had a high risk for dental caries. Sealant materials were applied by fifth-year undergraduate dental students on 346 fissures of the first permanent molars in 173 children. The ages of the children ranged from 7–15 years (mean 9.4). Two researchers at the clinics supervised all of the procedures. Intra-examiner reproducibility and inter-examiner reproducibility were 0.90 and 0.86, respectively, for the clinical assessment of sealant retention and caries evaluation. RESULTS: GIC sealants were completely lost in 31.9% and resin-based sealants in 16.6% (p<0.05). The total retention rates of GIC sealants and resin-based sealants were 13.8% and 20.8%, respectively. After 24 months, the caries increment was 3.4% for GIC sealants and 4.8% for resin-based sealants (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The retention of GIC sealants was markedly inferior to the retention of resin-based sealants; however, GIC when used as a pit and fissure sealant was slightly more effective in preventing occlusal caries.

Comparison of combined application treatment with one-visit varnish treatments in an orthodontic population

Objective: To evaluate the effect of chlorhexidine-thymol varnish alone, its combination with chlorhexidine-fluoride containing dentifrice and fluoride varnish on oral hygiene and caries prevention in orthodontic patients. Study design: Sixty patients, aged 12-18, with orthodontic fixed appliances were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: Group 1 (n=20): 1% chlorhexidine and 1% thymol varnish (Cervitec®Plus); Group 2 (n=20): Cervitec®Plus+ 0.2% chlorhexidine and 0.2% sodium fluoride (900 ppm fluoride) (Cervitec®Gel)); and Group 3 (n=20): 0.1% fluoride varnish (Fluor Protector®). Mutans streptococci (MS), lactobacilli (LB) levels, buffering capacity (BC), visible plaque index (VPI), and gingival bleeding index (GBI) scores were evaluated at four stages: T0, before orthodontic bonding; T1, one week after orthodontic bonding; T2, one week; and T3, four weeks after the first application, respectively. Inter and intra group comparisons were made by the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests with Bonferroni step-down correction (P<0.017). Results: Significantly lower MS and LB levels were found in Group 2 than Group 1 (T2) and 3 (T2, T3) (P<0.017). Groups 1-2 (T2) showed significantly higher BC (P<0.017) and lower VPI and GBI (P<0.017) scores compared with Group 3. Decreased MS levels at T2 (P<0.017) and T3 (P>0.017) were found in Group1-2 compared with T0. Significantly lower LB levels were recorded in Group 2 at T2 compared with T0 (P<0.017) while no significant differences were seen in Group 1 and 3 (P>0.017). Conclusions: Addition of Cervitec®Plus+Cervitec®Gel combination to the standard oral hygiene regimen may be beneficial for orthodontic patients for maintaining oral health by reducing bacterial colonisation and gingivitis. Key words:Chlorhexidine, flouride, mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, antibacterial effect, plaque, gingivitis, orthodontic treatment.

Effects of Protective Resin Coating on the Surface Roughness and Color Stability of Resin-Based Restorative Materials

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of nanofilled protective resin coating (RC) on the surface roughness (Ra) and color stability (ΔE) of resin-based restorative materials (RM) (compomer (C), nanofilled composite (NF), and microhybrid composite (MH)) after being submitted to the ultraviolet aging (UV) method. Thirty-six specimens were prepared (n = 6 for each group). The Ra and (ΔE) values and SEM images were obtained before and after UV. Significant interactions were found among the RM-RC-UV procedures for Ra (P < 0.001). After the specimens were submitted to UV, the Ra values were significantly increased, regardless of the RC procedure (with RC; P < 0.01 for all, without RC; C (P < 0.01), NF (P < 0.001), and MH (P < 0.001)) for each RM. Significant interactions were found between the RM-RC (P < 0.001) procedures for the ΔE values. The ΔE values were increased in each group after applying the RC procedures (P < 0.001). Protective RC usage for RM could result in material-related differences in Ra and ΔE as with used UV method.

The effect of an erbium, chromium: yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet laser on the microleakage and bond strength of silorane and micro-hybrid composite restorations

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the microleakage and bond strength of Class V silorane-based and universal micro-hybrid composite restorations prepared either with diamond bur or with an erbium, chromium: yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er, Cr:YSGG) laser. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 molar teeth were used for microleakage assessment and shear bond strength (SBS) test. The specimens were prepared using either diamond bur or 3 W-, 4 W- and 5 W-20 Hz Er, Cr:YSGG laser irradiation. All specimens were subjected to thermocycling (500 times at 5 ± 2°C to 55 ± 2°C, dwell time 15 s and transfer time 10 s). Microleakage was assessed using a 0.5% basic-fuchsin solution. The bond strengths were determined using a microtensile tester at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The Kruskal Wallis test was used for the analysis of microleakage and a one-way analysis of variance test was used to analyze the SBS (P < 0.05). Results: No statistically significant differences were found (P > 0.05) between Er, Cr:YSGG laser and bur preparation methods regarding microleakage and bond strength values. Conclusion: Irradiation with Er, Cr:YSGG laser was confirmed to be as effective as conventional methods for preparing cavities before adhesive restorations.