Journal of the Tennessee Dental Association

The overall health of the United States' (U.S.) population has been surveyed and reported for several decades in a quest by healthcare professionals to understand the etiology for healthcare disparities and seek to lessen its effects on individuals and, ultimately, eliminate them. Many of these surveys and reports have illuminated disparities, of access to healthcare by focusing on measures to address health literacy deficiencies. A plethora of information concerning patients' health literacy skills and printed information has been made available for dentists and their staff...

The need for partial removable dental prostheses (PRDP) is increasing as the over-65 partially edentulous population grows. The use of flexible materials in the fabrication of these prostheses has captured a large portion of the market once occupied by traditional cast metal PRDPs. While there are some clinical advantages to the use of flexible PRDPs, there are also disadvantages and contraindications that must be considered. This paper describes a clinical case in which a patient's dentition is restored with a hybrid partial removable dental prosthesis consisting of a traditional metal framework and flexible denture base and clasps...

Oral complications of cancer therapy can be so severe that they can lead to the discontinuation of cancer treatment. This can affect prognosis, patient survival, and alter patient quality of life. Early recognition and management of oral complications in cancer patients is a very important part of the overall treatment. Currently, a large number of cancers are treated at the ambulatory level, and when patients develop oral problems they may seek care from their private dentist. The goal of this manuscript is to discuss common oral complications of cancer therapy, and the role the general dentist can play in diagnosis and management...

Amelogenesis imperfecta is a hereditary enamel protein disorder affecting deciduous and secondary crown formation. The prevalence ranges from 1:700 to 1:14,000 depending on the population. These teeth may be hypoplastic, hypomineralized, or hypermineralized and are often discolored, sensitive and caries vulnerable. Patients often present with psychosocial issues due to appearance. Primary teeth are often treated with stainless steel crowns while secondary teeth are treated with full coverage esthetic crowns...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Digital impressions and CAM/CAD systems are currently burgeoning dental technologies. This article presents a case study describing the clinical protocol necessary to produce multiple crown restorations supported by dental implants.

Dental trauma is sudden, unscheduled, and the dentist and staff must be adequately equipped to expeditiously and properly treat the patient to assure the best possible outcome. This paper reviews current dental trauma guidelines to provide the correct treatment protocol to ensure the best prognosis. The case report illustrates the technique of avulsion care, RCT care, and functional splinting in a successful manner.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries is a highly prevalent, yet preventable disease that is commonly overlooked in the adult population. It is strongly related to health-related behaviors and knowledge, and therefore, is potentially receptive to a behavioral health intervention. However, prevention strategies that target health behaviors in adults are fundamentally different from those in children, whom most current intervention strategies for dental caries target. This study attempts to pilot design, implement, and assess health behavior intervention tools for adults, in order to improve their oral health...

Predictable reconstruction of alveolar ridge defects can be obtained by using autogenous bone block. Ultrasonic bone surgery (USBS) is a fast, precise, and simple technique for block graft harvesting. It allows for a clean surgical field with no risk of injury to surrounding neurovascular structures. This article describes a case of horizontal alveolar ridge defect augmented with mental bone block harvested using USBS. The defect was overcorrected using bovine derived xenograft and platelet rich plasma, which is an autologous source of growth factors that helps in early graft consolidation...

Women's health issues are receiving increased attention, including the differences in their dental needs and experiences. Biological and social factors are strong determinants of physical and dental health along the entire life spectrum. Socio-environmental place also contributes significantly to some of the barriers to quality and quantity of health care received, placing population groups who have less access to care at risk. Considerable disparities exist in who receives dental care and what type of dental treatment is received among different segments of the population...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in reduction of an interproximal surface coating with the use of Sonicare Airfloss, tooth brushing or dental flossing since there are currently no articles available comparing dental flossing to Sonicare Airfloss. Three groups of six typodont teeth were sprayed with Occlude Indicator Spray as a test surface coating. Each group was treated with one removal method: Sonicare Airfloss, tooth brushing or dental flossing. In all groups, when used as a single removal method, Sonicare Airfloss resulted in the least removal of the surface coating when compared to either tooth brushing or flossing...

The American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs recommends a four-minute application of professionally applied topical fluoride, based on clinical evidence for caries reduction. However, some product manufacturers imply that a one-minute application is sufficient. The purpose of this laboratory study was to ascertain if a one-minute application of acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) is equivalent to a four-minute application for reduction of enamel demineralization. We measured baseline hardness of polished bovine enamel before treatment with APF gel or foam for one or four minutes (N = 10)...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tetracycline hydrochloride has been shown to produce changes on periodontally involved root surfaces that can potentially enhance periodontal regeneration. This in vitro study was carried out to compare the root surface changes after scaling and root planing alone, and scaling and root planing followed by application of 100 mg/ml tetracycline hydrochloride under the Scanning Electron Microscope. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Fifteen periodontally compromised freshly extracted single-rooted teeth were thoroughly cleaned...

Deletion Syndrome 22q13 (or Phelan-McDermid Syndrome) is a very rare genetic disorder characterized by general neonatal hypotonia, absent to delayed speech, and global developmental delays. With only 600 cases reported worldwide, the disease remains largely under-diagnosed, but diagnosis is on the rise. Current thinking suggests that 22q13 Deletion Syndrome may be one of the principal causes of idiopathic mental retardation. Patients with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome, especially children, can be a challenge for dental professionals, as it is often associated with autism...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

PREMISE: The epidemiological data from many countries indicates a global increase in dental caries in children and adults. The purpose of this study was to determine if children in a school setting would accept an after lunch brushing program and if such program would be effective in reducing plaque. STUDY SETTING: A small school of 300 students in Eastern Tennessee was selected to participate of which 200 elected to brush after lunch for 30 school days. Fifty-four students' anterior teeth were stained with a disclosing solution before, during and at the end of the study...

Patients are provided limited-reach media materials, such as information sheets and pamphlets, as reinforcement of information when the oral healthcare professional is no longer face-to-face. Patients are more likely to use the printed information if text complexity and reader's ability match, or if their need to know the content provokes an urge to read. A number of researchers have developed readability tests. This study used the Fry Readability Graph to plot the results of three independent raters' averages of the number of sentences and the words (syllables) of continuous (prose) and non-continuous (matrix-style) pre-selected passages from several reputable sources...

The use of high-intensity illumination via Light-Emitting Diode (LED) headlamps is gaining in popularity with dentists and student dentists. Practitioners are using LED headlamps together with magnifying loupes, overhead LED illumination and fiber-optic dental handpieces for long periods of time. Although most manufacturers of these LED illuminators advertise that their devices emit "white" light, these still consist of two spectral bands--the blue spectral band, with its peak at 445 nm, and the green with its peak at 555 nm...

Recent advancements in ridge augmentation and bone regeneration have expanded the pool of patients that could benefit from dental implants. However, providing the patient with a temporary prosthesis during the wound healing phase without impairing the process is a challenging task. This article summarizes available information pertaining to provisional prostheses, both tooth-supported and soft tissue-supported, that may meet the patient needs. The advantages and disadvantages of each class of prosthesis, along with indications and contraindications, were taken into consideration to aid the restorative dentist in choosing the optimal provisional for their patients...