Nilsun Bagis

Orthodontic treatment in adult patients should ideally cause minimal clinical changes in alveolar bone levels while enhancing smile aesthetics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in aesthetic parameters in patients undergoing maxillary expansion with the Invisalign system to determine the contribution of the orthodontic treatment to smile aesthetics, as well as to assess changes in alveolar bone levels. Retrospective data from 81 patients was analyzed. Aesthetic parameters such as smile line, lip curvature, smile index, and smile width were evaluated using pre- and post-treatment photographs. Alveolar bone level changes in the premolar regions were measured on panoramic radiographs using the Progressive Rate Index. The number of teeth visible in the smile increased significantly after treatment (p = 0.022). Although not statistically significant, improvements were observed in smile line values after treatment (p = 0.238). No significant changes were observed in upper lip curvature (p = 0.679) or smile index (p = 0.261). Percentage bone loss did not differ significantly between pre- and post-treatment measurements (p = 0.831). A non-significant increase in bone loss was observed with longer treatment durations (p = 0.071). Maxillary expansion treatment with Invisalign resulted in improvement in some aesthetic parameters with minimal changes in the bone.

Implant failure may necessitate another surgical procedure to improve implant survival. Photofunctionalization(PF) with UV light is a promising method to enhance dental implant osseointegration. The study evaluates the effect of the PF on bone quality around the implants using Fractal Dimension Analysis (FDA). A total of 42 implants were placed in a split-mouth design and evaluated using FDA on panoramic radiographs taken pre- and post-operatively. Regions of interest (25 × 25 pixels) were analyzed using ImageJ. Statistical analysis used SPSS 26 with a 95% confidence level. Shapiro-Wilk test confirmed non-normal distribution. A statistically significant increase in Fractal dimension(FD) values was observed in the test group between pre- and post-operative images (p = 0.044). The control group showed a non-significant increase (p = 0.794). PF appears to enhance osseointegration by improving bone microstructure as shown by increased FD values. FDA is a reliable imaging-based proxy for evaluating implant-related bone changes. Current Controlled Trials NCT06821932 (Retrospectively registered) ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06821932 /2025-02-11).

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of verbal and video‐based oral hygiene instructions (OHIs) on the improvement of the oral hygiene status (OHS) in children of different age groups in the mixed dentition period.Methods: In total, 202 children aged 6–9 and 10–12 years (n = 101 each) were included. Before providing the OHIs, the baseline OHS was determined using the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI‐S). From each age group, approximately half of the participants were randomly assigned to the verbal (n = 50 and n = 51 from the 6–9‐year and 10–12‐year age groups, respectively) or video‐based (n = 51 and n = 50 from the 6–9‐year and 10–12‐year age groups, respectively) OHI groups. Children were recalled after 30 days and post‐instruction OHI‐S were recorded. Data were analysed using Shapiro–Wilk, Mann–Whitney U, and Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests. The statistical significance level was set at 5%.Results: For both OHI methods, no significant difference was found between the age groups in terms of the OHI‐S at both the pre‐ and post‐instruction timepoints (verbal OHIs: p = 0.354, p = 0.860 and video‐based OHIs: p = 0.174, p = 0.632, respectively). In both age groups, a significant difference was found between the baseline (pre‐) and post‐instruction OHI‐S for both OHI methods (p < 0.001); the post‐instruction OHS was found to be better than the pre‐instruction OHS. In both age groups, video‐based OHIs resulted in a significantly higher improvement in the OHS, compared with verbal OHIs (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively).Conclusion: OHIs are effective in improving the OHS of children. In addition, video‐based education is preferable to verbal instruction for improving the OHS of children.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06449950

Background and Objectives: We aimed to develop a predictive model for the outcome of bruxism treatments using ultrasonography (USG)-based machine learning (ML) techniques. This study is a quantitative research study (predictive modeling study) in which different treatment methods applied to bruxism patients are evaluated through artificial intelligence. Materials and Methods: The study population comprised 102 participants with bruxism in three treatment groups: Manual therapy, Manual therapy and Kinesio Tape or Botulinum Toxin-A injection. USG imaging was performed on the masseter muscle to calculate muscle thickness, and pain thresholds were evaluated using an algometer. A radiomics platform was utilized to handle imaging and clinical data, as well as to perform a subsequent radiomics statistical analysis. Results: The area under the curve (AUC) values of all machine learning methods ranged from 0.772 to 0.986 for the training data and from 0.394 to 0.848 for the test data. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) led to excellent discrimination between bruxism and normal patients from USG images. Radiomics characteristics in pre-treatment ultrasound scans of patients, showing coarse and nonuniform muscles, were associated with a greater chance of less effective pain reduction outcomes. Conclusions: This study has introduced a machine learning model using SVM analysis on ultrasound (USG) images for bruxism patients, which can detect masseter muscle changes on USG. Support Vector Machine regression analysis showed the combined ML models can also predict the outcome of the pain reduction.

Periodontitis ve osteoporoz, yaşlanan nüfus için önemli halk sağlığı sorunları oluşturan yaygın inflamasyonla ilişkili durumlardır. Periodontal hastalıklar, ağırlıklı olarak dento-gingival dokulardaki disbiyozis ve inflamatuvar nitelikli bir dizi bozukluktan oluşur. Osteoporoz, artan kırık riski ile birlikte kemik mineral yoğunluğu (KMY)’ nun ve yapısının bozulması ile karakterize, yaşa bağlı bir kemik hastalığıdır. Bu derlemede, osteoporoz ve periodontitis arasındaki ilişki hakkında bir güncelleme sağlamak için son 25 yıldaki literatür değerlendirilip, bunların mekanistik bağlantılarının, ortak risk faktörlerinin ve terapötik etkilerinin tartışılması amaçlanmaktadır. Sistemik ve alveolar kemik kaybı (AKK) arasındaki ilişkiyi inceleyen klinik çalışmalarda, 1996-2020 yılları arasındaki 10 araştırma, KMY ile AKK arasında ters bir korelasyon olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Alveolar kemik kaybının radyografik olarak değerlendirilmesi önemli bir kriter olsa da, klinik ataçman kaybı (KAK); hastanın yaşamı boyunca periodontitis prognozunu yansıtan, teşhisi ve evrelendirilmesi için kritik bir ölçümdür. 1995-2020 yılları arasındaki 23 çalışmadan 17'si KAS ile osteoporoz arasında anlamlı bir ilişki olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Her iki hastalıkta yaşa bağlı oksidatif stres ve yaşlanma, proinflamatuvar doku mikroçevresini yönlendiren ve kemik yeniden şekillenme sürecinin bozulmasına neden olan altta yatan mekanizmalardır. D vitamini eksikliği ve sigara kullanımı gibi ortak risk faktörleri bu mekanistik ilişkide önemli rol oynamaktadır. Bu faktörlerin ve aralarındaki etkileşimin anlaşılması, disiplinler arası yönetimi ve her iki hastalığa yönelik potansiyel terapötikleri incelemek için iyi kontrollü uzun dönem çalışmalar yapılmasını gerektirmektedir.

Smokers with periodontitis are therapeutically challenging. Azithromycin (AZM) may be used as an adjunct to periodontal treatment. The aim of this randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical study was to determine the effect of azithromycin in shallow, moderate, and deep pocket depths in smokers when combined with non-surgical periodontal treatment. Forty-nine patients who smoked at least 20 cigarettes per day for more than 5 years were included in the study; however only 40 completed it. The number of teeth, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), PPD, CAL, bleeding on probing (BOP) and gingival recession were recorded at baseline and months 1, 3 and 6. The pocket depths (PD) were grouped as shallow, moderate, and deep. Twenty-four patients assigned to the AZM+ (test) group received AZM (500 mg tablets) once a day for 3 days, beginning on the first day of SRP. The decline in the total number of pockets in all groups was statistically significant from baseline to 1^st, baseline to 3^rd, baseline to 6^th; and from 1^st to 3^rd and 1^st to 6^th months. There was a statistically significant increase in the number of shallow pockets between baseline and 3^rd, baseline and 6^th; and 1^st and 6^th months (p=0.000) for both groups. Antibiotic administration significantly increased the number of shallow pockets at all time points. However, larger scale controlled clinical studies are needed to verify the efficiency of AZM in smoker periodontitis patients.

Objectives: The novel coronavirus pandemic has become a real challenge for provision of dental education. The aim of this survey study was to evaluate the opinions of dental faculty educators and students about online education after e-learning experience. Materials and Methods: The research was conducted on educators and 4th and 5th grade students at XXXXX University, Faculty of Dentistry. Questionnaire items for educators and students were categorized into the following factors: educators’/students’ personal and professional skills and attitudes towards online education, online theoretical education, online practical training, online exams, handling and quality of education during pandemic. The data obtained was recorded as percentage (%) and interpreted. Results: 52 (73%) educators participated in this survey study. 50% of them said online courses were not as successful as face-to-face learning. Moreover, 40% of the educators stated that shortened class times were not sufficient to convey the course content. 74% of the participants expressed belief that online exams do not properly gauge students’ lesson comprehension. In addition, 281 students (75%) participated in this survey study. 32% of the students stated that they easily adapted to online education conditions. However, 84% of the students stated that they do not think that online education increased their clinical skills. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that academicians hold a negative view of distance learning as they think online theoretical courses, practical training and exams impaired the quality of learning. On the other hand, dentistry students have a positive attitude towards online theoretical education but are concerned about clinical skill acquisition.

Aim: Bruxism is defined as the involuntary recurrent masticatory muscle activity characterized by gnashing, grinding, clenching of teeth, and/or pushing the mandible. Factors creating its etiology are peripheral (morphological) or central (physiopathological and physiological), and exogenous. Recently, among physiological factors, depression and bruxism were considered to be related. A definitive treatment method does not exist for bruxism; however, botulinum toxin-A (BT-A) application is an up-to-date and effective way of treatment. The present study is aimed to evaluate the levels of depression in bruxism patients treated with BT-A application. Materials and Methods: A total of 25 individuals (23 females and 2 males) who were diagnosed as bruxism patients were included in the study. 25 U of BT-A for each masseter muscle was injected into the patients. Patients were prospectively observed for a possible change in depression levels by using Beck’s Depression Inventory. The inventory was implemented before and six months after the BT-A application. Depression levels before and six months after the injection were compared. A paired t -test was used to compare “before” and “after” treatment values. One-way analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey tests were used to evaluate the change in Beck’s Depression Inventory scores according to age groups. Results: The mean total score was 7.80 ± 8.10 before the treatment and 7.16 ± 6.52 six months after the treatment. The decrease in the mean score was not statistically significant ( P > .05). Conclusion: In conclusion, despite the decrease in the mean Beck’s Depression Inventory scores, a statistically significant decrease in the depression levels of patients was not observed.