BACKGROUND: Gingivitis is a site-specific inflammatory condition initiated by dental biofilm accumulation. The accumulation of dental plaque on the gingival margin triggers inflammatory ef...

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of periodontitis is rather infrequent in children and adolescence and increases with age. We conducted this study because there have been few epidemiological studies on prevalence of periodontitis in children in Saudi Arabia.OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence of periodontitis in high school children in Saudi Arabia.DESIGN: Cross-sectional, using cluster and multistage sampling.SETTING: High school children in Saudi Arabia.PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Periodontal examinations were conducted on a randomized sample of high school children between the ages 15 to 19 in Saudi Arabia. The study spanned from September 2012 to January 2016. Clinical examinations included measurements of the probing depth (PD) percentage of PD ≥4 mm per patient.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence of periodontitis (PD ≥4 mm and CAL ≥1 mm), the mean percentage PD ≥4 mm, the mean percentage CAL ≥1 mm, plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI).SAMPLE SIZE: 2435 high school students.RESULTS: Of 2435 high school children in the sample, 209 students (8.6%) had periodontitis. The mean (standard deviation) for the PD was 0.59 (0.17) mm. Differences in percentage PD ≥4 mm and CAL ≥1 mm were greater in students with periodontitis (P<.001). The prevalence of periodontitis was higher among non-Saudis, students who did not brush their teeth and did not visit their dentist regularly. In the bivariate analysis, periodontitis was positively associated with GI, PI, number of teeth extracted, mean percentage PD ≥4 mm, and mean PD. However, in the multivariate analysis, tooth brushing was the main factor protective against periodontitis (odds ratio: 0.62, 95% CI 0.42-0.92,P=.017).CONCLUSION: Periodontitis prevalence was high compared with Western countries in a nationally representative sample of high school students in Saudi Arabia.LIMITATIONS: Partial mouth study design, which may underestimate the disease prevalence.CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

The variety in shape and type of dental implants in the present time is considered one of the most successful evolutions in dentistry. This facilitates dental treatment options to restore patient function and appearance. However, numerous significant factors influence the predictability of survival or the success rates of dental implants, some of which, such as vitamin D levels, have not been included in many studies. The main purpose of this systematic review was to investigate whether there is a relationship between low serum levels of vitamin D and early dental implant failures (EDIFs). Our literature search involved international databases including PubMed, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and Web of Science. Initially, according to our search criteria, 1200 studies were found. After excluding duplicates, incomplete studies, and studies not meeting our inclusion criteria, only six human studies were included in this research and analyzed. Finally, upon meticulous analysis of included studies, this systematic review revealed inconsistent results in articles with respect to the association between vitamin D deficiency and implant failures. Large-scale studies, especially clinically relevant studies, on this subject is recommended.

Introduction: Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (R&AI) are now playing a significant role in influencing the future of dentistry, owing to the fast advancements in technology. The use of AI in dentistry has already begun to enhance patient care and streamline operational efficiency. However, there has been limited research exploring how dental patients perceive the adoption of R&AI. Objective: To assess and evaluate the knowledge, concerns, and perceptions of patients agreeing to undergo treatment in its variable forms and procedures under R&AI in order to gain insight into the public understanding of such advanced technologies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the dental teaching hospital of King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia from July 2023 to December 2023. The subjects were dental patients from an open network and the public community in different segments, with an alternate group of ages. A digital questionnaire from Google Surveys was used. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA). Results: This study evaluated the perceptions of 807 participants about R&AI dental treatment. The majority, 78.3%, n = 632, reported having already encountered the term AI in dentistry; however, they had never encountered any AI-based treatment (91.9%, n = 742) and remained uninterested in seizing the opportunity (52.8%, n = 381). Around one-third of them also perceived strong disagreement with the dental performance of robotics alone (39.2%, n = 316), even if it was offered at a reduced cost compared to normal treatment (30.7%, n = 248). Conclusion: The study's findings reveal that patients' perceptions of R&AI-assisted dental procedures remain inconsistent. While the participants show a greater willingness to embrace the use of R&AI in dental operations, their overall level of trust in R&AI is only mediocre. Patients believe it is critical for a dentist to have control over the R&AI application and take full responsibility for dental care.

This study aimed at assessing the clinical outcomes of the Single Flap Approach (SFA) with the additional use of Low-level laser therapy (LLLT). The defects were treated as per the principles of SFA, whereby 20 defects received only SFA (control group) and 20 defects received additional LLLT for bio stimulation/bio modulation (test group). Stable primary closure of the flaps was obtained with vertical internal mattress sutures. Plaque indices (FMPS), clinical attachment levels (CAL), probing pocket depth (PPD), and gingival bleeding scores (FMBS) were calculated at baseline, and at the 3rd and 6th months in both groups. An EHI score of 1 was observed at all sites except for two, where a score of 2 in the control group at week 2 was observed. In the test group, the PPD reduction at 6 months was 3.60 ± 0.95 and in the control group it was 3.75 ± 0.91 mm. CAL gain at 6 months was 2.70 ± 1.36 mm and 3.45 ± 1.2 mm in the test group and showed no statistical significance. These data suggested the positive effect of LLLT over CAL gain; thus, LLLT may be combined with SFA to potentially enhance the early wound healing and higher clinical outcomes in terms of increase in CAL and decrease in PPD.

BACKGROUND: The periodontal tissues are continuously exposed to specific bacterial components that have the ability to alter many local functions. Normal endogenous infections in healthy mouths cause disease when their numbers increase significantly. OBJECTIVE: Determine the percentage of different periodontal pathogenic bacteria and their association with periodontal status. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, analytical. SETTINGS: School children of both genders in Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical examination consisted of measurement of the gingival and periodontal supporting tissue including attachment loss, probing pocket depth and furcation involvement following the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and taking samples of the subgingival bacterial flora. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The percentage of periodontal pathogenic bacteria and its association with periodontal status in Saudi Arabia. SAMPLE SIZE: Bacterial samples were collected from 277 subjects. RESULTS: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was present in 21.7% of the subjects, Porphyromonas gingivalis in 21.3%; Tannerella forsythia in 10.1%; Treponema denticola in 34.7% and Prevotella intermedia in 12.3%. The red complex bacteria were found in 2.9% of the subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The percentages of bacteria varied but only T denticola was significantly associated with periodontal breakdown. In addition, the presence of more than 2 of the 5 species tested were significantly associated with tissue damage. LIMITATIONS: Cannot be generalized to all of Saudi Arabia. Larger controlled studies are needed. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.