Necibe Damla Şahin

This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the associations of nasal septum deviation (NSD), concha bullosa (CB), and inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH) with palatal dimensions using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). CBCT images of patients younger than 18 years obtained between January 2021 and May 2025 were retrospectively evaluated. A total of 108 eligible subjects were included and categorized into four groups based on the presence of NSD and CB. Maxillary palatal arch angle (MPAA), palatal interalveolar length (PIL), and palatal depth (PAD) were measured. Group comparisons were performed using age-adjusted ANCOVA, and associations between palatal measurements, deviated septal curve angle (DSCA), and age were analyzed using correlation and regression analyses. Unadjusted analyses revealed significant age differences among the groups. After age adjustment, no significant differences were observed in MPAA, PIL, or PAD (p > 0.05). A weak positive correlation was found between DSCA and MPAA (r = 0.219; p = 0.023), whereas no significant correlations were detected for PIL or PAD. Regression analysis showed that age was the only significant predictor of palatal measurements. Age was the only significant predictor of palatal measurements in this pediatric sample. Within the CBCT-based anatomical variables evaluated, NSD, CB, and ITH were not independently associated with palatal dimensions after adjustment for age. These findings should not be generalized to functional nasal obstruction or respiratory patterns, which were not assessed in this study.

Background: Computer‐controlled anesthesia delivery systems (CCLADs), such as SleeperOne, are available as an alternative to traditional anesthesia for the treatment of teeth with molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH). Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the SleeperOne and the conventional local anesthesia technique on pain and anxiety in children with MIH. Design: Twenty‐eight children aged 6–12 were included in the study. Patients were divided into 2 groups ( n = 28): Conventional anesthesia group and SleeperOne group. The Children's Fear Survey Schedule–Dental Subscale (CFSS‐DS) was administered to all participants prior to treatment. Pain and anxiety levels were assessed using both objective measures (pulse rate, oxygen saturation [SpO ₂ ], and salivary cortisol levels) and subjective scales (Wong‐Baker Pain Rating Scale [WBS], Visual Analog Scale [VAS], and Face, Legs, Activity, Crying, Consolability Scale [FLACC]). Results: Cortisol levels were significantly higher in the conventional anesthesia group ( p < 0.001). In the after treatment values, mandibular cortisol levels in participants without hypersensitivity and total cortisol levels in participants with hypersensitivity were significantly lower in the SleeperOne anesthesia group ( p = 0.009 and p = 0.017). Conclusions: Lower salivary cortisol levels, a physiological marker of stress, were observed in the SleeperOne group during the treatment of MIH‐affected teeth. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT07268157

Background/Objectives: Molar–incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is associated with impaired enamel structure and increased risk of restoration failure. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) deproteinization has been suggested to improve adhesive bonding to MIH-affected enamel; however, evidence regarding its clinical effectiveness remains limited. This study evaluated the effect of NaOCl deproteinization on the clinical success and survival of composite restorations in MIH-affected first permanent molars. Methods: This non-randomized split-mouth observational clinical study included 42 MIH-affected first permanent molars from 21 children aged 6–12 years. Teeth were allocated into two groups according to the restorative protocol applied: conventional adhesive restoration or NaOCl deproteinization before adhesive restoration. Restorations were evaluated at 6, 12, and 18 months using modified USPHS criteria. McNemar’s test was used for paired comparisons of categorical outcomes. Restoration survival was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards regression model with patient-level robust cluster variance estimation to account for the split-mouth design. Results: Favorable clinical outcomes were observed in both groups at the 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up evaluations. No statistically significant differences were found between the NaOCl-treated and untreated groups for any modified USPHS parameter throughout the follow-up period (p > 0.05). Although higher failure rates for secondary caries and retention were observed in the NaOCl-treated group at 18 months, these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.625 and p = 0.250, respectively). Survival analysis using a cluster-adjusted Cox regression model also demonstrated no statistically significant association between NaOCl application and restoration failure (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.25–5.89; p = 0.808). Conclusions: In this exploratory study, NaOCl deproteinization did not demonstrate a statistically significant influence on the clinical success or survival of composite restorations in MIH-affected molars during the 18-month follow-up period. However, the limited statistical power of the study does not allow definitive exclusion of a clinically important difference between the treatment protocols. Therefore, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Additional long-term investigations with larger cohorts are warranted.

Purpose: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, treatment modalities, ASA classification, and anesthesia durations of healthy and special needs children undergoing dental treatment under general anesthesia at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Dentistry. Materials and Methods: A total of 132 pediatric patients treated under general anesthesia between June 2022 and June 2024 were included. Patients were divided into healthy and special needs groups. Demographic data, presence of disabilities, treatment types, dental materials used, and anesthesia durations were recorded. Results: Among the participants, 58.3% were male and 41.7% were female. The mean age of healthy children was 5.32±1.67 years, while that of special needs children was 7.73±2.68 years, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). ASA I classification was observed in 49.2% of patients. The mean anesthesia duration was 130.38 minutes for healthy children and 115.22 minutes for special needs children, with no significant difference (p=0.051). A total of 1882 dental procedures were performed, with restorative treatment being the most frequent (48.62%). Extraction rates were 31.99% in special needs children and 28.13% in healthy children. Fissure sealants and prefabricated crowns were more commonly applied in healthy children. Conclusions: Special needs children were treated under general anesthesia at an older age and required more extractions compared to healthy children. While restorative treatment was the most common procedure in both groups, preventive applications were relatively low. These findings highlight the importance of considering age, disability status, and treatment needs in planning dental procedures under general anesthesia.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic success of the use of the Er,Cr:YSGG laser, ferric sulfate, or a herbal hemostatic agent for hemostasis in primary molar pulpotomy. Sixty‐five children aged 5–9 years with a total of 81 primary mandibular second molars indicated for pulpotomy were included in the study. The teeth were randomly divided into the following three groups according to the pulpotomy agents used: ferric sulfate, herbal hemostatic agent, or Er,Cr:YSGG laser. Following pulpotomy treatments, the patients were followed up for 12 months. Pearson Chi‐square and Fisher's exact tests were used for statistical analysis. At the end of the follow‐up period, the clinical success rates for ferric sulfate, the herbal hemostatic agent, and the Er,Cr:YSGG laser were 96, 100, and 100%, respectively, while the radiographic success rates were 76, 73, and 96%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between treatments with respect to radiographic success rates, with the Er,Cr:YSGG laser showing a higher success rate compared with the other groups. Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that the Er,Cr:YSGG laser can be used as a hemostatic agent in the pulpotomy of primary teeth and is considered a suitable alternative to ferric sulfate and the herbal hemostatic agent.

Different educational methods play an important role in oral hygiene education programs. This study aims to evaluate the impact of various educational methods on the oral hygiene knowledge of primary school children. A total of 490 primary school students participated in this cross-sectional study. The students were assigned to one of three groups: a verbal explanation group, an animation group, or a peer-led reels group. Before and after the intervention, the students completed questionnaires assessing their oral hygiene knowledge. A significant increase was observed in the post-educational knowledge levels of the children in three educational methods (p < 0.001). The study found that the main effect of educational methods was statistically significant (p < 0.001). However, effects of gender, and tablet/mobile phone use, respectively, were not statistically significant (p = 0.694, p = 0.641). The animation group (6.73) and the verbal expression group (6.57) had the highest post-training knowledge levels, respectively, while the peer-led reels group had the lowest (5.95) (p < 0.001). All three educational methods are effective in promoting oral hygiene, but due to the accessibility and consumption of information in the current technological era, animation videos may be more useful and suitable for modern education. ID: NCT06569745; Date: 21.08.2024; ‘retrospectively registered’.

Aim: Dentists play an important role in identifying signs of child abuse and neglect and reporting them to the appropriate authorities. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge of a group of dental students in the Central Black Sea region about child abuse and neglect. Material and Method: This cross-sectional study includes dental students from the Faculty of Dentistry at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, enrolled during the 2023-2024 academic year. An online survey consisting of 28 questions was administered to dental students who agreed to participate, covering demographic information and assessing their knowledge level regarding child abuse and neglect. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and two-way ANOVA. Results: A total of 266 (70.4%) students aged between 18 and 25 participated in this study. Among the dental students reported that 10.2% suspected child abuse and neglect, while 9.8% stated that they would prefer to report when they suspect such cases. While 58.6% of dental students believed that child abuse and neglect should be reported legally, 60.9% stated that they may not report suspected cases due to the possibility of making a misdiagnosis. While the impact of gender on dental students' knowledge levels regarding child abuse and neglect was not observed, the effect of academic year was significant (p

Çalışmanın amacı diş hekimliği fakültesi öğrencilerinin empati düzeylerini çeşitli demografik değişikliklere göre değerlendirmektedir. Çalışmaya Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesinde eğitim gören 435 öğrenci dahil edilmiştir. Öğrencilerden; demografik bilgilerinin ve Jefferson Doktor Empati Ölçeği Öğrenci Versiyonu (JSPE-S) sorularının olduğu anketi doldurmaları istenmiştir. İstatistiksel analizler için SPSS 25.0 paket programı kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizi için Mann-Whitney U testi ve Kruskal-Wallis testi kullanılmıştır (p

Purpose: The present study aimed to comparatively evaluate the acceptance perceptions of satisfaction towards distance theoretical education of students studying at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University faculty of dentistry (new faculty), which is newly established and located in the countryside, and Ankara University faculty of dentistry (old faculty) located in a metropolitan, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Materials & Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire consisting of 5 parts and compatible with a Likert scale was prepared. The prepared questionnaire was sent online to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year. Pearson chi-square analysis was applied to determine the difference between qualitative variables according to the groups. The appropriate chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical variables between groups. The statistical significance level was determined as p<0.05. Results: Students in the old faculty thought that the instructors prepared classes including up-to-date resources in distance theoretical education during the pandemic process at a higher percentage than the students in the new faculty (60.1% vs. 48.4%; p=0.001) and that the classes were given regularly with distance education (75.2% vs. 52.9%; p<0.001). 57.7% of the students in both faculties stated it would be useful to continue some theoretical classes with distance education even if the pandemic process ends Conclusion: It is incorrect to apply the same educational strategies at all universities in the country. It would be less costly and much more beneficial for each faculty to produce solutions for their problems. The new faculty needs to develop improving strategies for the academic staff. Keywords: COVID-19, Dentistry, Distance Learning, Questionnaire