Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of orthodontic brackets detachment during orthodontic treatment.Methods: Using electronic databases; eligible studies up to January 2018 were retrieved, independently reviewed, and screened. The Coleman Methodology Scoring System (CMS) and Cochrane Collaboration

Aim: To evaluate the degree of enamel demineralization of teeth bonded with ceramic and metal brackets. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional experimental in vitro study, 60 extracted human premolar teeth were selected according to the experimental criteria. They were divided into three groups; 20 premolar teeth in each group. Teeth in group 1 were bonded with “ceramic brackets”, and teeth in group 2 were bonded with “metal brackets”, while teeth in group 3 served as the “control group” without any brackets. Teeth in all groups were then immersed in demineralization media, de-bonded, sectioned into three parts (proximal 1, middle, and proximal 2), and evaluated to determine the level of enamel demineralization under a Scanning Electron Microscope. Results: On tooth level, the results show that the control group has significantly less enamel demineralization compared to the other two experimental groups, with mean values of 145.3 µm and 192.7 µm, respectively (P=0.000). The mean value of enamel demineralization in the metal group is 55.93 µm, compared to 72.55 µm in the ceramic group, which is significantly less (P≤0.05), while there is no difference between the control and metal group with regard to enamel demineralization. On section level, the control group has significantly less enamel demineralization in all three sections compared to the ceramic group, while a significant difference is found in one of the proximal sections when compared with the metal group. Moreover, the ceramic group has significantly higher enamel demineralization in the middle section compared to the metal group (73.54 µm, 46.5 µm, respectively) (P=0.000), while there is no statistical significant difference between the two experimental groups in proximal sections. Conclusion: In vitro, non-bonded teeth show least demineralization compared to the bonded teeth. Teeth bonded with ceramic brackets show significantly higher enamel demineralization compared to teeth bonded with metal brackets.

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To investigate the oral colonisation potential after four weeks' administration of Lactobacillus reuteri and to examine the short-term effect of probiotics on salivary Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli. The study group comprised 13 young adults who volunteered after receiving verbal and written information. The short-term prospective clinical trial lasted 9 weeks, consisting of a 4-week intervention period with administration twice daily and a 5-week post-administration follow-up period with no probiotic consumption. Saliva and dental biofilm samples were obtained immediately before probiotic administration, after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks of L. reuteri administration. Follow-up samples were collected once every week on a regular basis after administration was terminated. The numbers of salivary S. mutans and lactobacilli were assessed by regular plating, while the presence of the two L. reuteri strains in saliva and dental biofilm was evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The occurrence of L. reuteri in the oral cavity increased gradually during the intervention period and reached the maximum level after four weeks of probiotic administration (p < 0.0001). The 4-week samples of stimulated whole saliva showed a statistically significant decrease in the number of S. mutans and a statistically significant increase in the salivary lactobacilli level in comparison to baseline. qPCR showed that the DSM 17938 strain has better colonisation for both saliva and dental biofilm than the ATCC PTA 5289 strain at the nine-week follow-up. Probiotics have the ability to colonise the oral cavity during usage, but it gradually disappears after the completion of intake. It also has ability to decrease the number of salivary S. mutans.

To evaluate the presence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) among undergraduate dental students of the College of Dentistry, King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017 and distributed to150 undergraduate female, and male dental students of KSU who had started to work with patients in the clinic or with manikins. Data were collected related to WRMSDs. Nearly, 142 (95%) students returned the completed questionnaire, 88 (62%) were females and 54 (38%) were males. The results of this study indicate that musculoskeletal symptoms among dental students of KSU are high. Females generally reported more WRMSDs. Seventy-two percent of females and 41% of males reported frequent headaches. Fourteen percent of females and 6% of males had some musculoskeletal pain disorders before joining the dental profession, whereas 68% of females and 43% of males reported pain attributed to their clinical dental work. In the majority of females (67%) and males (61%), the onset of pain was gradual. Commonly reported pain sites in both females and males were the neck, shoulder, upper and lower back. The most common pain sites, among females were shoulder and neck, and upper- and lower-back among males. The WRMSDs can affect the dental professionals from the early stages of their clinical carrier, even as dental students. Concrete steps are required to prevent the occurrence of WRMSDs among dental students by providing them the detailed knowledge about theoretical and practical aspects of dental ergonomics. Higher prevalence of WRMSDs among female dental students indicate that female dental professionals need to be extra vigilant to adhere to the principles of dental ergonomics from the very beginning of their clinical career. The awareness to implement the principles of dental ergonomics among dental students can help to prevent early development of WRMSDs among them. The inclusion of dental ergonomics as a detailed stand-alone subject in the dental curriculum before the start of clinical training can contribute minimize the risk of WRMSDs throughout the professional life of the dentists.

To assess the knowledge about dental ergonomics and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) among dental students of King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, undergoing practical clinical training. A self-designed questionnaire after pre-testing was distributed to 150 dental students of KSU undergoing clinical training, to collect data related to (a) basic knowledge about dental ergonomics; (b) any course/workshop about dental ergonomics attended; (c) basic knowledge about WRMSDs; (d) familiarity about preventive measures to decrease the risk of WRMSDs; and (e) knowledge about treatment options for WRMSDs. One hundred forty-two students (95%) returned the completed questionnaires, of them 54 (38%) were males and 88 (62%) were females. The main findings of the study are that only 30% of the students knew about dental ergonomics; 93% of students have not attended any course/workshop about dental ergonomics; about half the students knew about WRMSDs; 62% of the students did not know about preventive measures to decrease the risk of WRMSDs, and 80% of students did not have knowledge about treatment options for WRMSDs. In general, female students had a better understanding of dental ergonomics and WRMSDs than male students. The basic knowledge of the dental ergonomics among dental students at King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not adequate. There is a need for introducing dedicated theoretical and practical courses covering all aspects of dental ergonomics in the undergraduate curriculum of dental education.