Management of the Oral Health of Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

Managing the oral health of children during the time of a health emergency linked to the current COVID-19 pandemic presents specific problems. A high number of non-specific effective infection control protocols are available in dental settings. It is of fundamental importance to implement specific protocols relating to those clinical situations that normally do not represent an emergency but which now fall into that category. The aim of this study was the comparison of data obtained from the Regional National Health Fund (NFZ) relating to the number and the type of procedures in the oral health management of children aged 0–18 years from the Wielkopolska region, with the months of March and April of 2019 being compared with those of the, respective, pandemic period of 2020. The results showed statistical differences in the number of performed procedures when comparing 2019 and 2020; especially in April (n = 53,077 in 2019 but only n = 2,287 in 2020), when lockdown restrictions reached their highest level and when only 30% of the dental clinics for children were open for patients in the Wielkopolska region of Poland. Regarding surgical cases, there were no differences in percentage frequency between April 2019 and 2020 in terms of extractions. However, an increase was observed in abscess incisions (3.5–17.8%) and surgical dressings (1.5–10.07%). There was a decrease in the total number of performed conservative dentistry procedures in April 2020, but temporary fillings in primary and permanent teeth showed a prominent increase: from 6.4% in 2019 to 19.3% in 2020; and 5.8–11.4%, respectively. Pulp treatment and mucosal lesions therapy fall into the dental emergency category during this COVID-19 pandemic. These cases have shown an increase from 3.2% in 2019 to 12.8% in 2020 for pulp treatment, and from 2.3 to 4.3% for the treatment of oral mucosal lesions. As suspected, after the lockdown was implemented, the number of pediatric dental cases were low. Moreover, the analysis revealed differences in the profile of clinical situations that represented the emergency cases and the pandemic treatment protocols. Future implications suggest that dental prophylactic procedures be included in pandemic protocols with even dental services being limited to a form of urgent treatment. New approaches and treatment models should be implemented in the control of the infectious spread of the disease in the management of the oral health of children in this pandemic period.

Reducing Intervention in the COVID-19 Era: Opportunities for Vital Pulp Treatment

Over the last 12 months, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) virus has emerged as a significant global health problem with extensive repercussions for the practise of dentistry. As the principle transmission-route is via droplet-spread, aerosol-generating dental procedures (AGPs) present an exquisite challenge, which either has to be avoided or performed using strict infection-control measures, which increase the deployment of resources and cost. This new working environment necessitates the adoption of simplified, yet effective procedures that reduce intervention and minimise clinical chair time to short, single visits. Vital pulp treatment (VPT) has emerged as an attractive, technically less-complicated group of biologically-based management strategies that are aimed at maintaining pulp vitality and avoiding root canal treatment (RCT). These procedures are carried out in a strict aseptic environment using a rubber dam and have a reported high success rate, suggesting that they could be considered as effective and simple alternative therapies to relieve pain and avoid multiple visit RCT and other endodontic procedures. The relevance of promoting a simple, predictable and effective alternative to traditional, more complex dentistry has never been more compelling. In this perspective article, the latest advances in VPT are highlighted, along with an analysis of their relative success and compelling reasons why we as dentists should be adopting these treatment approaches. Thereafter, case selection, prognostic factors, techniques, limitations and future prospects of these procedures are discussed.

Comparative Evaluation of Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Indirect Pulp Treatment with Silver Diamine Fluoride Versus Calcium Hydroxide in Primary Teeth: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Indirect pulp treatment (IPT) has been a minimally invasive procedure for deep dentinal caries with considerable success. IPT is a procedure which involves excavation of infected dentin and keeping affected dentin intact, followed by application of IPT agent and restoration. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare clinical and radiographic outcomes of IPT with silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and calcium hydroxide in primary teeth. Materials and Methods: The present study is a prospective, parallel, randomized controlled trial. The study was conducted with a sample size of 50 primary molars in 4 to 7 year old children. In Group A, 25 teeth each were considered for SDF whereas, 25 teeth for calcium hydroxide IPT (Group B). Clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated at baseline, three and six months and were compared for both the groups. Data obtained was analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. Level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: On statistical analysis of clinical and radiographic outcomes between both the groups IPT using SDF showed 96% success rate at six month follow up whereas IPT using calcium hydroxide showed 88% success. However, there was no statistically significant difference found between the groups. Conclusions: SDF can be used as an effective alternative of calcium hydroxide for IPT in primary molars. Keywords: Indirect pulp treatment, Calcium hydroxide, Silver diamine fluoride, Primary teeth.

Frequency of Pulp Treatments in a Peruvian Pediatric Population: a Retrospective Study in a Specialized Dental Center from 2015 to 2019

Pulp treatments are one of the types of procedures most performed in pediatric patients, whose primary objective is to restore the masticatory, aesthetic and phonetic function. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of pulp treatments performed in patients from 3 to 11 years of age treated at the Pediatric Dentistry Service of the Centro Dental Docente Cayetano Heredia from January 2015 to December 2019. The search for the medical records of patients treated at the Pediatric Dentistry Service who have met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected on age, sex, type of dentition and tooth, for the elaboration of a database, and later tables of contents. Of a sample of 514 virtual medical records, with 1166 pulp treatments performed, indirect pulp treatment was the most performed for both sexes, 41.17% (n=247) for females and 34.98% (n=198) for males. According to age range, 3 to 5 years of age are the patients who received more indirect pulp treatment with 39.06% (n=359). The majority of patients with deciduous dentition underwent indirect pulp treatment with 39.32% (n=326). Being the tooth most treated with indirect pulp treatment 84 with 41.18% (n=70). The pulp treatment that was most performed in our study was indirect pulp treatment followed by pulpectomy and pulpotomy. The female sex, age group 3 to 5 years and deciduous dentition were the ones that received the most pulp treatments. The teeth with the highest frequency of pulp treatments were the second lower left molar and the first lower right molar, and those with the least frequency were the lower right and left canines.

Biocompatibility of a HA/β-TCP/C Scaffold as a Pulp-Capping Agent for Vital Pulp Treatment: An In Vivo Study in Rat Molars

Bioceramic materials possess desirable biological properties, highlighting their non-reactivity and osteoconductivity. Their use has been extended in vital pulp treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), hydroxyapatite (HA), and collagen (C) scaffold with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on the vital pulp of rat molars. Thirty-two molars of Sprague–Dawley rats underwent direct pulp capping with β-TCP/HA/C (n = 16) and MTA (n = 16). After 30 days, the following parameters were evaluated in the tested samples: the degree of pulp inflammation and pulp vitality, the presence of reparative dentin, the homogeneity of the odontoblastic layer, and the presence of pulp fibrosis. No statistically significant differences were observed between HA/β-TCP/C and MTA in terms of the degree of inflammation (p = 0.124). Significant differences were found in reparative dentin formation between the treatment groups (p = 0.0005). Dentin bridge formation was observed in the MTA-treated group. The local action of HA/β-TCP/C is similar to that of MTA when used as an agent for pulp vital treatment in terms of absence of inflammation and maintenance of pulp vitality, although there are significant differences between both materials regarding the formation of dentin bridges.

Dens Invaginatus in Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate: A Case Series

Dens invaginatus is a rare developmental anomaly characterized by an infolding of the enamel organ within the crown or root of a tooth, and it is an example of a dental anomaly that has a higher incidence in patients with CL/P. If undiagnosed, dens invaginatus can lead to severe, acute pain and pulpal necrosis since it can permit direct entry of bacteria into the dental pulp. Treatment of dens invaginatus includes prophylactic sealant or composite restoration, endodontic therapy if pulpal involvement has already occurred, or extraction if aberrant tooth morphology precludes endodontic therapy. Few studies report on the incidence of dens invaginatus in patients with CL/P. The purpose of this article is to describe 4 cases of dens invaginatus in patients with CL/P which were encountered in a cleft-craniofacial orthodontic clinic. Each case describes dens invaginatus in a maxillary lateral incisor, and treatments ranged from sealant application to endodontic therapy to extraction. These cases highlight the importance of awareness of this dental anomaly among cleft team providers to facilitate early diagnosis in patients with CL/P.

Long-Term Outcome of Reattached Tooth Fragment in Permanent Anterior Teeth of Children and Adolescents

This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of teeth treated with reattachment technique in children and adolescents. Twenty seven permanent anterior teeth from 21 patients treated with fragment reattachment were evaluated. Clinical photos and medical records were used to assess treatment outcomes. Effect of pulp treatment and the ratio of fragment on success rate were statistically analyzed. Detachment of fragment was observed in 17 teeth, and their duration of retention was 21.41 ± 23.39 months. Repeated trauma was found to be the most frequent causes of failure. Pulp treatment before reattachment did not affect the success rate (<i>p</i> > 0.05). The mean ratio of fragment was 0.482 ± 0.147, and the success rate was affected by the ratio of fragment (<i>p</i> = 0.018). The median retention time of the teeth was 72 months if the ratio was under 0.5, and 8 months for that of the others. A significant correlation was found between the ratio of fragment and retention time (<i>p</i> = 0.003). Reattachment can be a predictable treatment option for crown fracture in anterior teeth in children and adolescents when a fracture involves less than 50% of the clinical crown.