The Periodontal Inflamed Surface Area (PISA) is a novel parameter which quantifies the extent of periodontal inflammation. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between the PISA value and conventional
parameters, including mean probing pocket depth (PPD) and mean clinical attachment level (CAL). Additionally, the PISA value was compared across severity levels of periodontitis, as classified by the CPITN and CDC/AAP definitions in the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) workers. PISA was calculated using full-mouth periodontal parameters including PPD, CAL, and bleeding on probing. Periodontitis, as defined by CPITN and CDC/AAP, was classified into no/mild, moderate, or severe periodontitis. The reliability of PISA compared with severity types of periodontitis defining by CPITN and CDC/AAP was explored by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Among a total of 2,643 participants aged 34-74 years, the median of PISA value was 319.4 mm2 with a range of 2.2 to 3624.4 mm2, and the mean of PISA value was 440.68±415.40 mm2. When defining periodontitis according to CPITN and CDC/AAP, the prevalence of severe periodontitis were 28.7% and 26.3%, respectively. Pearson’s correlation indicated that the correlation between PISA and mean PPD, as well as between PISA and mean CAL, was significant (p <0.001) with coefficients of 0.78 and 0.52, respectively. When comparing PISA values across severity levels, there were statistically significant (p <0.001) differences in PISA values among severity levels of periodontitis classified by CPITN and CDC/AAP. A dose-response relationship was also observed. Therefore, periodontal parameter represented by PISA had the significant association with conventional periodontal case definitions.

The aim of this study was to compare the agreement and reliability among visual, colorimeter and spectrophotometer for primary tooth shade matching. Tooth color measurement was performed on the middle one-third
of the primary maxillary right central incisor of 30 participants. The visual method was done by operator 1 and 2 using Vita Classical and Vita 3D-Master shade guide. The instrumental methods were performed by operator 1 using ShadeEye NCC® colorimeter and Vita Easyshade V® spectrophotometer. Data was analyzed using McNemar test to compare the agreement between two methods and Cohen’s kappa for reliability. The results shown that the shades of primary maxillary right central incisors were A1 B1 in Vita Classical system and 0M3 1M1 1M2 in Vita 3D-Master system. The agreement of shades matched between ShadeEye NCC® colorimeter and Vita Easyshade V® spectrophotometer was 90%. There was no significantly different in agreement between these instrumental methods (P=0.25). While the agreement of shades matched between visual and instrumental methods was 1/3 of the participants. The reliability of ShadeEye NCC® colorimeter and Vita Easyshade V® spectrophotometer was in the almost perfect strength of agreement (0.81-1.00) and visual method was in the substantial strength (0.61-0.80). It can be concluded that ShadeEye NCC® colorimeter and Vita Easyshade V® spectrophotometer were more agreeable of shades matched and more reliable than the visual method in primary tooth shade matching.

Patient expectations and satisfaction are indicators of success in healthcare service delivery. This research aims to study the expectations and satisfaction of patients treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial
Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University. A secondary objective is to compare the levels of expectations and satisfaction between patients treated on National Oral Health Day and those treated at the teaching clinic, and to examine factors related to expectations and satisfaction. Patients were surveyed, including questions on general information, expectations, satisfaction regarding treatment processes, service quality, and facility and amenities. The survey received complete responses from 198 patients treated on National Oral Health Day and 206 patients from the teaching clinic. Patients’ expectations and satisfaction levels were high to very high in all aspects, with the highest levels in service quality, such as polite speech, cheerful demeanor, attentive care, service readiness, and the dentists’ expertise. Patients at the teaching clinic had higher expectations and satisfaction than those treated on National Oral Health Day. Factors related to expectations and satisfaction differed between the two groups. In the National Oral Health Day group, factors included dental care coverage and the providers related to service quality expectations. The regular dental clinic they visit and the providers were linked to satisfaction with service quality and facilities. For the teaching clinic group, income and regular dental clinic they visit were related to facility expectations, while age and income influenced satisfaction with the treatment process and service quality.

The objectives of this action research were to create a model for administering silver diamine fluoride to dependent elders in accordance with the concept of Kemmis & McTaggart (1988), and to study the dependent
elders’ acceptance and satisfaction following the application of silver diamine fluoride. The research methodology was divided into two sections. The first section was the development of model for using silver diamine fluoride
included studying details of the home visiting program from the dental nurse in the Muang Samsib district Ubon Ratchathani province, holding a workshop for 11 dental nurses to practice providing information before applying
silver diamine fluoride to patients and applying it to three elderly volunteers, following to the plan for applying silver diamine fluoride during home visits, and evaluation and participatory adjusting the model. The second section was the assessment of 17 dependent elders’ acceptance and satisfaction after being applied with silver diamine fluoride through interviews. The study’s findings demonstrated that the following elements should be included in the model of applying silver diamine fluoride for dependent elders combined with a home visiting program: 1. preparing knowledge and skills of silver diamine fluoride for dental practitioners, 2. supporting adequate amounts of silver diamine fluoride and equipment, and assigning a cooperator to rotate silver diamine fluoride, 3. having media to explain and illustrate about silver diamine fluoride to patients and caregivers, 4. building up a team composed of assistants to help in between operation, 5. dental practitioners should promote self-care oral hygiene for patients and caregivers and 6. the working group should have channel access to communicate about problems and learn from others. The elders and caregivers in this study accepted the use of silver diamine fluoride in the home visiting program and accepted the black staining in their both anterior and posterior teeth, after being applied with silver diamine fluoride. They believed that silver diamine fluoride can stop caries progression, reduce tooth pain and tooth sensitivity in the future, and decrease the chance of getting services in a hospital.

To compare the effectiveness of aerosols reduction during endodontic access opening (OC) procedure using a hand-free high-volume evacuation device (EasyPrep) versus a rubber dam. Thirty-eight patients who required endodontic treatments of posterior mandibular teeth were recruited and divided into two groups which are rubber dams with high-volume evacuation (HVE) and EasyPrep. Air samples were collected by settle-plate technique from five different locations and at three different time points - before operation (baseline), at operation, and after operation. The number of colony-forming units (CFU) was enumerated. The genus and species of bacteria were
identified by a proteomic fingerprint using a mass spectrometer. Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics version 29.0 (IBM). At and after operation, the total CFU count was significantly higher than the baseline in both groups across various locations (p<0.05). The total CFU in the EasyPrep group was slightly higher than the rubber dam group. However, there was no statistically significant difference in total CFU count at operation between the two groups at different locations. Gram-positive cocci species including Micrococcus luteus were the most found bacteria. A hand-free high-volume evacuation device provided comparable results to rubber dam in reducing aerosols during OC procedures.

The purpose of this study was to compare maxillary anterior teeth positions and smile appearances between four first premolar extraction and nonextraction in Class I crowding cases. Forty-one participants with moderate Class I crowding who had finished orthodontic treatment were recruited and divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 21 participants who had finished nonextraction orthodontic treatment, and the other group consisted of 20 participants who had finished orthodontic treatment with four first premolars extracted. Smiling pictures in frontal and lateral positions of the participants were taken. In part one, the maxillary anterior teeth positions and smile appearances were measured and analyzed. In part two, the smile esthetic of the cropped frontal smiling pictures was rated by three certificated board orthodontists and ten laypersons using the visual analog scale (VAS), and then the VAS scores were compared between the nonextraction and the extraction groups. In the assessment using smiling pictures, the ratio of the distance between the maxillary dental midline and the distal surface of the maxillary canine to the distance between the maxillary dental midline and the angle of the mouth, as well as the ratio of the distance between the left and right maxillary canine cusp to the distance between the left and right alar of the nose in four first premolar group, was significantly higher than in the nonextraction group. The difference between the horizontal distance of the left and the right alar of the nose to left and right maxillary canine cusp tip in the four first premolar extraction group was significantly lower than the nonextraction group. Maxillary canines in the four first premolar extraction group are significantly closer to the alar of the nose and the labial commissures than the maxillary canines in the nonextraction group. Maxillary teeth positions and smile appearances evaluated from the other smile parameters did not differ significantly between the two groups.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 80 patients at prosthodontics department, faculty of dentistry, Chulalongkorn University in 2022. Two outcomes, oral health (OHRQoL) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), were interviewed using the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref index, respectively. Independent variables, collected by intraoral examination and interview, were general characteristics of patients, tooth loss status (number of posterior occluding pairs and remaining natural teeth), and removable denture status.  The association between each outcome and independent variables were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis test. The correlation between OHRQoL and HRQoL score was calculated to determine the Spearman correlation coefficient. Data were analyzed at a 5% significance level. The results showed that a greater number of posterior occluding pairs (p = 0.019) and natural teeth (p = 0.001) and having functional denture (p = 0.001) were associated with better OHRQoL. Meanwhile, higher income (p = 0.09) and better medical conditions (p = 0.012) were associated with HRQoL. There was a correlation between psychological dimension of OHRQoL and overall HRQoL (Spearman rho = -0.217; p = 0.045). In conclusion, tooth loss and poor denture status were associated with worse OHRQoL. However, the OHRQoL and HRQoL were not directly related.

The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of the surface preparation by polishing on the microtensile bond strength of resin composite to carious dentin treated with silver diamine fluoride. Thirty human
posterior teeth with natural carious dentin were stored in artificial saliva for 14 days after application of 38 percent silver diamine fluoride on the carious lesion. After 14 days, the samples were sectioned in half through the middle of the carious lesion and randomly assigned to either the test or the control group (n=30), with or without superficial dentin polishing by 600-grit silicon carbide paper. Rinsing the specimens were performed prior to the bonding with composite resin using universal adhesives in etch-and-rinse mode. Following the bonding, the specimens were sectioned perpendicularly to the interface to produce sticks (1 mm x 1 mm in dimensions) and submitted to the microtensile bond strength testing. The bond strength data were obtained after 24-hour water storage by a universal testing machine, followed by the failure mode assessment with a stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope. Data were analyzed by independent samples T-test. The mean and standard variations of microtensile bond strength in the control and the test group, superficial dentin polishing, were 13.29 ± 11.67 MPa and 17.80 ± 12.34 MPa, respectively (p=0.000). The superficial polishing prior to the bonding affects the bond strength of resin composite to carious dentin of permanent tooth treated with silver diamine fluoride and promisingly encourages the bonding efficacy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate wear resistance and surface roughness of injectable resin composites after undergoing chewing simulation and compared with those of conventional flowable resin composites and conventional paste resin composites. Ten specimens of each product from three different types: 1) two injectable resin composites (GU, BI), 2) two conventional flowable resin composites (SF, BF) and 3) two conventional paste resin composite (GP,BT), were fabricated in a sample holder and the top surface was polished using silicon carbide papers. The surface topography of the specimens was profiled using a three-dimensional contact profilometer before being subjected to a chewing simulation at 120,000 cycles with a flat enamel antagonist. The surface topography of the specimens was profiled again to determine the wear resistance and surface roughness (Ra). SEM was used to evaluate the surface characteristics of the specimens. After chewing simulation, the conventional flowable resin composites (BF and SF) showed lower wear volume (0.066±0.017 mm3, 0.084±0.015 mm3, respectively) than the others. The lowest maximum wear depth was found in the BF group (23.04±4.243 μm). The injectable resin composites (GU and BI) demonstrated a significantly (P<0.05) lower mean Ra value (0.147±0.036 μm, 0.168±0.051 μm respectively) than the others. The SEM micrographs of the GU group showed the smoothest surface texture while the BT group demonstrated the largest area of wear as well as the most prominent cracks and plucks of fillers. The baseline surface roughness and surface roughness after chewing simulation have a positive correlation (R=0.367, p=0.004). Wear volume and maximum wear depth have a positive correlation as well (R=0.892, p=<0.001). There was no
correlation between wear volume and surface roughness. In conclusion, the injectable resin composites exhibited material dependent wear resistance which might relate to intrinsic factors of the material. In addition, they exhibited

The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning COVID-19 dental practice guidelines. A questionnaire was distributed to undergraduate dental students at the Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, who practiced in the clinic during the academic year 2022 through online platforms. Data was collected during December 2022 and February 2023. One hundred and fifty-seven responses were received and analyzed, resulting in a 53.95% response rate. The average knowledge score was 6.52 out of 10, with a standard deviation of 1.175. Among all respondents, 53.5% provided all correct answers related to general knowledge of COVID-19. However, only 10.2% and 8.9% accurately answered all questions regarding self- and interpersonal transmission prevention, and environmental contamination prevention, respectively. More than 80% of the participants exhibited a positive attitude toward infection control protocols. In contrast, 65.6% and 46.5% expressed positivity towards social distancing and COVID-19 risk assessment questionnaires, respectively. In accordance with the COVID-19 dental practice guidelines, practices that were consistently followed by over 80% of the respondents included wearing personal protective equipment during dental treatments, instructing patients to use antimicrobial mouthwash before treatment, and disinfecting dental unit surfaces before and after procedures. Additionally, more than 50% of UGs requested a laundry delivery room for long-sleeved gowns near treatment areas, as well as an increase in the availability of alcohol gel and air purifiers. In conclusion, while UGs exhibited positive attitudes, their knowledge and adherence to COVID-19 dental guidelines were lacking. Urgent actions are needed to enhance UGs’ understanding and compliance with these guidelines.