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Objective:We analyzed operator-related differences in endodontic malpractice claims in Finland. Materials and methods:Data comprised the endodontic malpractice claims handled at the Patient Insurance Centre (PIC) in 2002–2006 and 2011–2013. Two dental advisors at the PIC scrutinized the original documents of the cases (n = 1271). The case-related information included patient’s age and gender, type of tooth, presence of radiographs, and methods of instrumentation and apex location. As injuries, we recorded broken instrument, perforation, injuries due to root canal irrigants/medicaments, and miscellaneous injuries. We categorized the injuries according to the PIC decisions as avoidable, unavoidable, or no injury. Operator-related information included dentist’s age, gender, specialization, and service sector. We assessed level of patient documentation as adequate, moderate, or poor. Chi-squared tests,t-tests, and logistic regression modelling served in statistical analyses. Results:Patients’ mean age was 44.7 (range 8–85) years, and 71% were women. The private sector constituted 54% of claim cases. Younger patients, female dentists, and general practitioners predominated in the public sector. We found no sector differences in patients’ gender, dentists’ age, or type of injured tooth. PIC advisors confirmed no injury in 24% of claim cases; the advisors considered 65% of injury cases (n = 970) as avoidable and 35% as unavoidable. We found no operator-related differences in these figures. Working methods differed by operator’s age and gender. Adequate patient documentation predominated in the public sector and among female, younger, or specialized dentists. Conclusions:Operator-related factors had no impact on endodontic malpractice claims. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Eighty-five 12-18-yr-old adolescents suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and their healthy age- and sex-matched controls were investigated with respect to dental caries, salivary flow rate, pH and buffering capacity of saliva, counts for lactobacilli and mutans streptococci, and salivary glucose content. The diabetics had their disease well controlled according to the HbA1 levels. The results showed no statistically significant difference between diabetics and controls in DMF and DMFS indexes and the number of initial caries lesions. Mean number of initial caries lesions was 3.2 in diabetics, 2.3 in controls. Mean stimulated salivary flow rate was 1.2 ml/min in the patients, 1.4 ml/min in the controls. The pH and buffering capacity values were 7.3 and 4.8 in the patients, 7.4 and 5.1 in the controls, respectively. High counts of mutans streptococci (> 106 CFU/ml) and lactobacilli (> 105 CFU/ml) were observed more often, but not significantly so, among the patients than in the controls. The mean concentration of glucose in saliva was 10.3 μg/ml in the patients, 9.7 1μg/ ml in the controls. Thus, if the patients' IDDM is well controlled, their salivary and caries data does not differ from that of healthy controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional disorders of the masticatory system in a working age population in Southwest Finland were investigated both by interview (subjective symptoms) and by clinical examination (objective symptoms). The randomized material consisted of 583 subjects. 58% had had subjective symptoms of dysfunction. With certain exceptions, the symptoms did not correlate with age, sex or use of removable dentures. The number of subjects with symptoms was highest in the group with the highest number of occluding teeth. 5% of subjects with subjective symptoms had received treatment. Clinical examination revealed symptoms in 41%. Sex did not correlate with the findings. The percentage of subjects with clinical symptoms was higher among those over 35 than in the younger age groups; this correlation was not, however, observed in the full denture wearers. Full denture wearers had symptoms more often than the others. Although young persons with relatively good natural dentition showed objective symptoms less often than the elderly and those wearing full dentures or with incomplete dentition, they more frequently had subjective experiences. This perhaps explains why the findings based on patient materials differ from those reported from pure population studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The periodontal status of 85 12-18 year-old Finnish adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and their paired, age- and sex- matched healthy controls was assessed clinically and radiographically. The clinical examination consisted of plaque index, gingival index (GI), retentive calculus index. WHO community periodontal index of treatment needs, number of pockets ≥4 mm and number of surfaces bleeding after probing. Alveolar bone loss was measured interproximally from the first molars in bite-wing radiographs (all subjects) and from the first incisors in periapical X-rays (patients only). The results show that in spite of similar plaque scores, the patients had higher GI scores and more surfaces bleeding after probing. No differences were found in the number of ≥4 mm pockets or radiographical bone loss in the first molars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]