Healthy subjects have a prevalent side on which they display higher-muscle activity during clenching. The relationship between symmetry of masseter muscle (MM) and anterior temporalis (TA) muscle activities and occlusion has been evaluated on the basis of physiological parameters. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the symmetry of surface EMG (sEMG) activity in asymptomatic young adults is related to symmetry of occlusal contacts.Material. The study population consisted of seventy-two 18-year-old subjects with no temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms.Method. All the participants underwent an sEMG recording with an 8-channel electromyograph (BioEMG III). A T-Scan III evolution 7.01 device was used to analyze the occlusal contact points.Results. The correlation between the activity of right (R) and left (L) TA and the percentage of occlusal contacts was assessed, but no significant differences were found between the RMM and LMM muscles. The differences in the medium values of sEMG between males and females were not statistically significant. Equilibrated muscular activity between RTA and LTA occurred when occlusal contacts reached the percentage of 65% on the left side.Conclusion. The symmetry of sEMG activity in asymptomatic young adults is not related to symmetry of occlusal contacts.

Aim: Denture-related stomatitis is a disorder that often affects denture wearers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intensity, genera, and frequency of yeasts in the oral cavity of complete denture wearers in terms of subject gender and age. Materials and methods: Nine hundred twenty patients (307 males and 613 females) with complete upper dentures were selected for the study and divided into four age groups: ≤50 years, 51–60, 61–70, and >70 years. Yeast samples were taken as a smear from the palate. The data were collected from January 15, 2007 to January 15, 2012. Results: The distribution of the number of yeast colonies by gender was statistically significant (P=0.02). Across all subjects, there was a statistically significant relationship between the intensity of yeast growth and the gender (P=0.01). In every age group, the number of infection-free individuals was greater among males than females. Intermediate, intense, and abundant growth of yeast occurred most frequently in the youngest group of females. Conclusion: The genera of Candida species and the frequency of yeast infection in denture wearers appear to be influenced by both age and gender. The complete denture wearers ≤50 years of age appeared to have the greatest proclivity to oral Candida infections.

To assess the frequency and age distribution of Axis I and Axis II diagnoses among Polish patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). One hundred sixty-three (n = 163) consecutive adult patients seeking TMD treatment were assessed based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) guidelines. Descriptive statistics on the frequency of diagnoses and mean age of the diagnostic groups was performed. Frequency of muscle disorders, disc displacements, and other joint disorders was 56.9, 48.9, and 31%, respectively. Disc displacement was the most common diagnosis in younger patients. Severe somatization and depression were shown in 11.9 and 15.8% of patients, respectively. Only 10.5% of the patients showed severe pain-related impairment. Females tended to have higher psychosocial scores than males. The frequency of Axis I TMD diagnoses in Polish patients is similar to other populations, whereas Axis II findings slightly differ from previous reports from other countries.

The education of dentists is associated with high levels of stress among students. This phenomenon is observed in many countries. The aim of the study was to sum up the knowledge about stress burden among dental students and to determine the causal factors on the basis of a quantitative systematic review of the literature. The PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases were reviewed, and the literature was manually searched for the following keywords: 'stress'; 'dental student'; 'dental education'; and 'DES questionnaire'. The inclusion criteria for the systematic literature review were original papers and literature reviews, published after 1990, written in English, containing the analysis of the DES questionnaires, and on the topic of stress among students of dentistry. The inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis were publications with the same thematic structure of the DES questionnaire and with the number of survey participants provided. A total of 36 original papers were found, out of which 29 met the inclusion criteria, and thus were included into the systematic literature review analysis. Taking all the papers into consideration, the highest level of stress was caused by grades and examinations, and the atmosphere created by clinical professors. Nearly half of the studies demonstrated higher levels of stress in women. Also, students of higher years were characterized by higher stress indicators. The statistical analysis comprised data from 11 European universities that met the inclusion criteria. The highest mean scores were obtained for 'performance pressure', while the lowest mean scores for 'relationship with sex/race'. There was a great heterogeneity among the pooled estimates, which could be attributed to the varying levels of stress among dental students. The students' ethnicity and cultural indicators have a decisive influence on the stress levels of dental students, not the characteristics of the field of study.

Symmetry evaluation of the craniofacial complex generally involves models of mandibular movement and masticatory muscle activity, especially during the development of the craniofacial complex. The aim of this screening study was to detect differences in the asymmetry and activity indices and in the occlusal contact distribution in groups with and without orthodontic treatment, and between the sexes in the healthy population. This screening study involved the participation of 149 Caucasian (F = 101, M = 48) 18-year-old volunteers, of whom 77 had received orthodontic treatment (Group I) and 72 had not (Group II). All participants underwent sEMG recording with an eight-channel electromyograph (Bio EMG III). A T-Scan III device was used to analyze the occlusal contact points. We measured the voltage of the right and left temporalis anterior (RTA, LTA) and of the right and left masseter muscles (RMM, LMM). On the basis of the Naeije study, we calculated the Asymmetry and Activity indices (AsI, AcI). No significant differences were found in the asymmetry or activity indices, or in the occlusal contact distribution of young adult subjects with or without orthodontic treatment. There were two findings in the females. First (p = 0.04), a higher voltage (131.12 μV) was recorded in the right temporalis anterior muscle in female group, compared to 119.65 μV in the male group. Secondly (p = 0.002), the activity index showed a predominance of the temporalis anterior (AcI = 10.52). In the males, the activity index showed a predominance of the masseter muscles (AcI =−1.22). The null hypothesis was supported, as we found that no significant differences were observed in occlusal contact, asymmetry, or activity indices between healthy young adults with or without orthodontic treatment. However, there do exist significant differences in the activity index between genders.