Ancuta Mioara Banu

Dr. Ancuta Mioara Banu


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

9Years (2018-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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3 May 2018 in BMC Oral Health
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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ABAncuta Mioara Banu
Ancuta Mioara Banu
CSCostela Lacrimioara Serban
Costela Lacrimioara Serban
MPMarius Octavian Pricop
Marius Octavian Pricop
HUHoratiu Urechescu
Horatiu Urechescu
BVBrigitha Vlaicu
Brigitha Vlaicu
Self-perception of oral health status is a multidimensional construct that includes psychological, psychosocial and functional aspects of oral health. Contemporary concepts suggest that the evaluation of health needs should focus on clinical standards and socio-dental indicators that measure the impact of health/disease on the individual quality of life. Oral health cannot be dissociated from general health. This study evaluates a possible association between oral health status, body size, self-perception of oral health, self-perception of body size and dissatisfaction with body image in prepubertal children with mixed dentition, targeting the completion of children’s health status assessment which will further allow the identification of individuals at risk and could be further used as an evaluation of the need for specific interventions. The present study is cross-sectional in design and uses data from 710 pre-pubertal children with mixed dentition. The outcome variables comprised one item self-perception of oral health: dmft/DMFT Index and Dental Aesthetic Index, body size, self-assessed body size and desired body size. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. The level of significance was set at 5%. More than a half (53.1%) of the participants with mixed dentition reported that their oral health was excellent or very good. In the unadjusted model, untreated decayed teeth, dmft score and body dissatisfaction levels had a significant contribution to poor self-perception of oral health, but after adjustment for gender, BMI status, dmft score, DMFT score and DAI score, only untreated decayed teeth OR = 1.293, 95%CI (1.120–1.492) and higher body dissatisfaction levels had a significant contribution. It was concluded that the need for dental treatment influenced self-perception of oral health in prepubertal children with mixed dentition, especially with relation to untreated decayed teeth. Since only body dissatisfaction levels, but not BMI, were related to poor self-perception of oral health, which involves a psychological component, further studies should evaluate the risk factors of body dissatisfaction, in order to plan health care directed to this age group, and with the purpose to positive parenting strategies.

31 March 2020 in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SPSalomeia Putnoky
Salomeia Putnoky
ABAncuta Mioara Banu
Ancuta Mioara Banu
LMLavinia Cristina Moleriu
Lavinia Cristina Moleriu
SPSandra Putnoky
Sandra Putnoky
DȘDenis Mihai Șerban
Denis Mihai Șerban
CSCostela Lacrimioara Serban
Costela Lacrimioara Serban
Background: Nutritional knowledge assessment is an important component in nutrition research, and a prerequisite for the implementation of many policies and programs aimed at improving eating behavior. In order to generate objective results, validated tools for a given population must be employed. The aim of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of a nutrition knowledge questionnaire for Romanian adults. Methods: Kleimann’s version of a General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire, was translated and adapted to Romanian language, culture, and cuisine. The final format was developed in several steps and used four components: internal and external reliability were assessed in a general population sample (n1 = 412), respectively in a subgroup (n2 = 46) from Component 1; Component 3 assessed construct validity (n3 = 96) using the “known-groups” method; Component 4 (convergent validity, n4 = 508) tested the association between socio-demographic characteristics and nutrition knowledge. Results: The overall internal reliability was 0.878 and the external reliability was >0.880 in all sections, and overall. Specialists had higher scores than nonspecialists, with a very large effect size. In the general population, females scored higher than males, and middle-aged and older adults scored higher than young adults. Higher scores were associated with higher levels of education. The characteristics of individuals prone to giving wrong answers were: males (beta = 0.170), high school or less (beta = 0.167), and no training in nutrition (beta = 0.154). Conclusions: The Romanian version of the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for measuring nutrition knowledge in adults.

16 June 2024 in Nutrients
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
DSDenis Mihai Serban
Denis Mihai Serban
SUSorin Ursoniu
Sorin Ursoniu
RMRadu Dumitru Moleriu
Radu Dumitru Moleriu
ABAncuta Mioara Banu
Ancuta Mioara Banu
CSCostela Lacrimioara Serban
Costela Lacrimioara Serban
Academic stress and transitioning to young adulthood can lead medical students to develop inadequate eating habits, affecting both their physical and mental well-being and potentially compromising their ability to offer effective preventive counseling to future patients. The primary objective of this study is to analyze the levels of mindful eating and nutrition knowledge in Romanian medical students and their associations with various sociodemographic variables. Additionally, we explore the relationship between mindful eating and nutrition knowledge while accounting for sociodemographic factors and examine the impact of these factors on excess weight. Significant predictors of excess weight include high weight gain in the past year (OR = 15.8), the mindful eating questionnaire (MEQ) score (OR = 0.131), male gender (OR = 2.5), and being in the clinical years of medical school (OR = 2.2). While nutrition knowledge levels do not directly impact weight status, they share a 4% common variance with mindfulness in multivariate analysis. Notably, high weight gain is independent of the levels of mindful eating, but univariate testing links it to disinhibition and emotional response, components of mindfulness. Mindful eating stands out as independently associated with both nutrition knowledge and excess weight among medical students. Thus, interventions to address obesity should consider incorporating mindfulness training to enhance food intake awareness and improve weight management outcomes in Romanian medical students.

21 December 2022 in Nutrients
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SPSalomeia Putnoky
Salomeia Putnoky
DSDenis Mihai Serban
Denis Mihai Serban
ABAncuta Mioara Banu
Ancuta Mioara Banu
SUSorin Ursoniu
Sorin Ursoniu
CSCostela Lacrimioara Serban
Costela Lacrimioara Serban
Negative emotions and chronic stress trigger abnormal compensatory behaviors known as emotional eating (EE). EE is a well-known mediator for increased body mass index and weight gain. Our aim was to analyze the factor structure and validity and reliability of the Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ) in a sample of 200 Romanian adults with excess weight. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the construct validity. The mindful eating questionnaire (MEQ) was used to test concurrent validity. Cronbach’s alpha and Spearman correlations were used to analyze internal and external reliability. The socio-demographic characteristics were used as factors for convergent validity. PCA revealed the existence of three major factors, disinhibition, type of food, and guilt, which accounted for 64.9% of the variance. Concurrent validity showed medium to large associations with MEQ (r = 0.650; p < 0.001) and a large association with the emotional subscale of MEQ (r = 0.732; p < 0.001). Reliability was adequate with Cronbach’s alfa = 0.841 and ICC = 0.775. In a multivariate model, the highest contribution to the EE score was the age (beta = −0.327), followed by feminine gender (beta = 0.321), high levels of perceived stress (beta = 0.215), BMI (beta = 0.184) and lower perceived health status (beta = 0.184). The Romanian version of the EEQ is a reliable and valid tool for measuring emotional eating in adults with excess weight.

17 July 2025 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
HUHoratiu Urechescu
Horatiu Urechescu
ABAncuta Mioara Banu
Ancuta Mioara Banu
MPMarius Octavian Pricop
Marius Octavian Pricop
FSFelicia Streian
Felicia Streian
APAlisia Pricop
Alisia Pricop
CCCristiana Cuzic
Cristiana Cuzic
Background and Objectives: The extraction of mandibular third molars poses challenges due to their proximity to the mandibular canal and risk of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury. Accurate preoperative evaluation is essential to minimize complications. This study assessed the three-dimensional positional relationship between the mandibular canal and lower third molars using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), aiming to identify anatomical positions associated with increased surgical risk. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 253 CBCT scans of fully developed lower third molars. The mandibular canal position was classified as apical (Class I), buccal (Class II), lingual (Class III), or interradicular (Class IV). Contact was categorized as no contact, contact with a complete or defective white line, or canal penetration. In no-contact cases, the apex–canal distance was measured. Statistical analysis included descriptive and contingency analyses using the Chi-Square Likelihood Ratio test. Results: Class I was most common (70.8%) and presented the lowest risk, while Classes III and IV showed significantly higher frequencies of canal contact or penetration. Class II exhibited shorter distances even in no-contact cases, suggesting residual risk. Statistically significant associations were found between canal position and both contact type (p < 0.001) and apex–canal distance (p = 0.046). Conclusions: CBCT offers valuable insight into the anatomical relationship between third molars and the mandibular canal. High-risk positions—particularly lingual and interradicular—require careful assessment. Even in the absence of contact, close proximity may pose a risk and should inform surgical planning.

22 December 2024 in Journal of Clinical Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
HUHoratiu Urechescu
Horatiu Urechescu
ABAncuta Mioara Banu
Ancuta Mioara Banu
FSFelicia Streian
Felicia Streian
FUFlorin Ciprian Urtila
Florin Ciprian Urtila
CCCristiana Cuzic
Cristiana Cuzic
MPMarius Octavian Pricop
Marius Octavian Pricop
Background/Objectives: The most common form of supernumerary teeth is represented by the mesiodens. Very often, they are impacted, usually palatially, but can be found buccally or between the roots of the permanent central incisors. Their position can be normal, inclined, or inverted. In the possible case where the impacted mesiodens crown is oriented upwards towards the nasal cavity, they are called inverted mesiodens. The inverted mesiodens are mainly asymptomatic, and the main diagnostic methods are radiological, especially CBCT. Methods: This paper presents the intraoral approach through the nasal floor as a very reliable method for the surgical removal of inverted mesiodens. We report a protocol, including the diagnosis process, criteria for choosing this surgical approach, and description of the surgical procedure. Preoperative CBCT is mandatory for diagnosis and choice of the surgical approach. This is chosen based on measurements on the cross-sectional view of the CBCT investigation and is in compliance with our criteria related to the appropriate surgical approach. Results: Using this approach, the mesiodens were extracted without intraoperative or postoperative complications or accidents, and operating times were relatively short. Conclusions: The intraoral approach through the nasal floor for surgical removal of inverted mesiodens satisfies all the conditions to be a predictable, safe, and time-efficient technique. It has its limitations, mainly regarding the surgical skills of the operating team. The cone–beam computed tomography (CBCT) has a fundamental role in the diagnosis and treatment of included mesiodens.