Zamros Yuzadi Bin Mohd Yusof

Is the burden of oral diseases higher in urban disadvantaged community compared to the national prevalence

BackgroundThe urban low income has often been assumed to have the greatest dental treatment needs compared to the general population. However, no studies have been carried out to verify these assumptions. This study was conducted to assess whether there was any difference between the treatment needs of an urban poor population as compared to the general population in order to design an intervention programme for this community.MethodsA random sampling of living quarters (households) in the selected areas was done. 586 adults over 19 years old living in these households were clinically examined using World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Survey criteria 4th edition (1997).ResultsThe overall prevalence of dental caries, periodontal disease, denture wearers and temporomandibular joint problems were 70.5%, 97.1%, 16.7% and 26%, respectively. The majority (80.5%) needed some form of dental treatment. The highest treatment needs were found in the oldest age group while the lowest were in the youngest group (19-29 years) (p = 0.000). The most prevalent periodontal problem was calculus; regardless of gender, ethnicity and age. Significantly more females (20.5%) wore prosthesis than males (11.1%) (p = 0.003). Prosthetic status and need significantly increased with age (p = 0.000). About one in four adults had Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) problems. Overall, it was surprising to note that the oral disease burden related to caries, prosthetic status and treatment need were lower in this population as compared to the national average (NOHSA, 2010). However, their periodontal disease status and treatment needs were higher compared to the national average indicating a poor oral hygiene standard.ConclusionsThe evidence does not show that the overall oral disease burden and treatment needs in this urban disadvantaged adult population as higher than the national average, except for periodontal disease. The older age groups and elderly were identified as the most in need for oral health intervention and promotion. An integrated health intervention programme through a multisectoral common risk factor approach in collaboration with the Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry and other agencies is needed for the identified target group.

Validation of cone beam CT scan for measurement of palatal depth in study casts

The purpose of this study was to validate the use of digital dental study casts obtained from Cone beam CT Scan (CBCT) against gold standard; that is traditional dental study cast measured with digital caliper.

Validation and reliability of the Malaysian English version of the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire for adolescents

BackgroundThe Malay version of the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire has been validated for use by Malaysian adolescents. Although Malay is their national language, English is widely used as the lingua franca among Malaysians of different ethnicities. This study aimed to validate an English version of the PIDAQ adapted for use by Malaysian adolescents to optimize data capture from adolescents who prefer English as the medium for communication.MethodsThe published English version of PIDAQ was pilot tested on 12- to 17-year-old adolescents, resulting in a few modifications to suit the Malaysian variety of English. Psychometric properties were tested on 393 adolescents who attended orthodontic practices and selected schools. Malocclusion was assessed using the Malocclusion Index, an aggregation of Perception of Occlusion Scale and the Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need, by the subjects (MI-S) and investigators (MI-D). Data were analysed for internal consistency and age-associated invariance, discriminant, construct and criterion validities, reproducibility and floor and ceiling effects using AMOS v.20 and SPSS v.20.ResultsThe item Don’t like own teeth on video of the Aesthetic Concern (AC) subscale was not relevant to a large proportion of participants (11.7%). Therefore, it was removed and the Malaysian English PIDAQ was analysed based on 22 items instead of 23 items. Confirmatory factor analysis showed good fit statistics (comparative fit index: 0.902, root-mean-square error of approximation: 0.066). Internal consistency was good for the Dental Self-Confidence, Social Impact and Psychological Impact subscales (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.70-0.95) but lower (0.52–0.62) though acceptable for the AC subscale as it consisted of only 2 items. The reproducibility test was acceptable (intra-class correlations: 0.53–0.78). For all PIDAQ subscales, the MI-S and MI-D scores of those with severe malocclusion differed significantly from those with no or slight malocclusion. There were significant associations between the PIDAQ subscales with ranking of perceived dental appearance, need for braces and impact of malocclusion on daily activities. There were no floor or ceiling effects.ConclusionThe adapted Malaysian English PIDAQ demonstrated adequate psychometric properties that are valid and reliable for assessment of psychological impacts of dental aesthetics among Malaysian adolescents.

Caries Increment Among Army Personnel: A 5-Year Longitudinal Study

To assess the progression of dental caries among Malaysian infantry soldiers after 5 years in military service. A retrospective cohort study with a self-administered questionnaire and a clinical oral examination. Data were available for 173 (67.3%) soldiers. Mean decayed, missing, or filled teeth had increased significantly by 20.6% (P = .001) over 5 years. The highest increase was in the missing teeth component (+120%), followed by filled teeth (+23%). This was accompanied by a decrease in decayed teeth (−23.5%; P < .05). In terms of surfaces, mean decayed, missing, or filled surfaces, missing surfaces, and filled surfaces had increased significantly (P < .05). Caries experience was significantly associated with smoking status and rank (P < .05). Dental caries experience was worse after 5 years in military service compared with during recruitment, and there were more tooth extractions than restorations. Health promotion interventions are needed to prevent further tooth loss among soldiers.