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Results for “Dental Prophylaxis”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Effects of audiovisual distraction during dental prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Fear and anxiety often inhibit patients from seeking dental care. Audiovisual, or A/V, distraction techniques have been shown to reduce patient anxiety and pain during dental procedures. The authors investigated the effects of a virtual image A/V eyeglass system on patients' anxiety and pain. METHODS: Twenty-seven routine dental prophylaxis patients participated and completed the Dental Fear Survey and the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-III before treatment. In random order, the clinician scaled and polished two quadrants in subjects while they watched and listened to a standard video using the A/V eyeglasses and two quadrants while they did not. A posttreatment questionnaire was administered to both the patient and the clinician. RESULTS: Subjects reported less anxiety and discomfort when using the A/V eyeglass system than when they did not. Most subjects preferred to use the A/V equipment rather than receive traditional treatment. The clinician experienced no significant technical interference during the use of the A/V device. The use of the A/V eyeglasses led to decreased treatment time in the first one-half of the procedure. The system appeared to lead to some decreases in the physiological parameters over the course of treatment, with the highest systolic blood pressure occurring after the condition with no use of A/V eyeglasses. CONCLUSIONS: A virtual image A/V system is beneficial in the reduction of fear, pain and procedure time for most dental prophylaxis patients. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Use of screening questionnaires may be helpful for identifying anxious patients. An A/V device may be beneficial to the clinician and the mildly or moderately anxious patient.

Adult↗

Assessment of evidence-based dental prophylaxis education in postdoctoral pediatric dentistry programs.

The objective of the study was to investigate various aspects of evidence-based dental prophylaxis education in postdoctoral pediatric dentistry training programs in the United States. An anonymous nationwide postal survey of fifty-two postdoctoral pediatric dentistry program directors was conducted in September 2001. The survey had a response rate of 75 percent with all geographic regions of the nation represented and with a preponderance of university-based programs (62 percent). Most of the training programs (74 percent) routinely recommended dental prophylaxis for all recall patients. The proportion of programs that recommended dental prophylaxis for the following indications were: plaque, stain and/or calculus removal--97 percent; caries prevention--59 percent; prior to topical fluoride application--67 percent; prior to sealant application--62 percent; and for behavioral modification--77 percent. Most training programs (77 percent) defined dental prophylaxis as both rubber cup pumice prophylaxis and toothbrush prophylaxis. However, only one-half of the training programs (51 percent) had modified their teaching to substitute toothbrush prophylaxis in lieu of rubber cup pumice prophylaxis. In conclusion, only one half of postdoctoral pediatric dentistry training programs in the United States teach evidence-based practice of dental prophylaxis for recall patients.

Child↗

Microbiological changes associated with dental prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the common application of dental prophylaxis as part of patient therapy, there is little reported that describes the microbiological impact of this treatment. METHODS: The authors gave 20 healthy college-aged subjects three dental prophylaxes with a fluoride-containing prophylaxis paste during a two-week period and instructed them in oral hygiene. They evaluated the microbiological composition of dental plaque samples collected before and after treatment using DNA probe analysis. They analyzed 40 representative bacterial species in seven bacterial complexes by checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization assay techniques. RESULTS: After three dental prophylaxes, the patients' mean Gingival Index score decreased from 0.82 to 0.77, the mean Plaque Index score decreased from 0.72 to zero, and the total number of bacteria per tooth decreased to approximately one-third of the original number. The authors computed two different measures of bacterial presence. The reduction in bacterial numbers was statistically significant and occurred in many species. Bacterial proportion (DNA percentage or percentage of the bacteria per tooth) did not change significantly. Greater reductions in bacterial count occurred in species that showed high numbers before treatment. The total bacterial count decreased by approximately 72 percent of its original level before prophylaxis was initiated. CONCLUSIONS: Professional dental prophylaxis did not target any particular bacteria or bacterial groups but removed bacteria nonspecifically and in proportion to their initial numbers. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Repeated dental prophylaxes effect a reduction in bacterial amount that is commensurate with the initial amount, but they do does not alter composition. This suggests that mild gingivitis may be a bacterially nonspecific effect of plaque accumulation and emphasizes the need for regular plaque removal to maintain optimal gingival health.

Adolescent↗

Effectiveness of sealed dental prophylaxis angles inoculated with Bacillus stearothermophilus in preventing leakage.

It was the purpose of this in vitro investigation to evaluate the effectiveness of several brands of sealed, reusable prophylaxis angles to keep internal materials within the internal portions of the head of the prophylaxis angle, and not allowing contaminates to leak out. Three brands of sealed, reusable dental prophylaxis angles were autoclaved and then taken apart under a biocontainment flow hood. Testing conditions were designed to prevent a "worst case scenario" by inoculating dental prophylaxis angles with 10(6) of the heat resistant spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus and 20% bovine serum albumin to simulate the presence of human serum. The concentration of Bacillus stearothermophilus spores was verified before testing procedures were initiated. The internal portions of the sterile prophylaxis angles were inoculated with a 1:1 mixture of the Bacillus stearothermophilus spores and bovine serum albumin, at a concentration of 1.15 x 10(6) spores/inoculation. The prophylaxis angles were reassembled under sterile conditions, and a sterile rubber cup was inserted into each of the prophylaxis angles. The prophylaxis angles were attached to a sterile dental handpiece and then submerged in a 50 ml tube containing sterile trypticase soy broth and run at 3000 rpm for 30 seconds. The tube of medium was incubated for 7 days. No growth of Bacillus stearothermophilus spores could be cultured from one of the brands of prophylaxis angles at any time during the incubation period. The other two brands of prophylaxis angles did produce some leakage of the Bacillus stearothermophilus spores.

Cross Infection↗

The self-fulfilling prophecy in dental prophylaxis.

This report deals with the influence of the self-fulfilling prophecy on dental prophylaxis. The aim was to test if this phenomenon had any influence on the treatment of patients, they and their therapeutist's perception of each other and the result of the prophylactic work. Sixty patients and 34 students were involved. The patients were randomly classified as "good" or "bad". Twenty-seven students had a patient from each group. Dental plaque and gingival inflammation were recorded before and after the treatment. No difference in improvement between the two groups could be shown. Both patients and students were interviewed about their experiences and feelings during the treatment. All patients were satisfied with their therapeutist. The students generally accepted the classification although they were made aware of the self-fulfilling prophecy. This was confirmed by a significantly higher frequency of patient drop-outs, broken appointments and critical notes about the patients in the "bad" group compared to the "good". The conclusions are that the self-fulfilling prophecy can be initiated by even minor notes in patient files, and that this affects the treatment of patients.

Appointments and Schedules↗