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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical outcome of different designs of zirconia dental implants. DATA: This systematic review adhered to the PRISMA checklist and followed the PICO framework. The protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022337228). SOURCES: The search was conducted in March 2023 through four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) along with a search of references in the related reviews. Three authors reviewed on title, and abstract level and analysed the risk of bias, and all authors reviewed on a full-text level. STUDY SELECTION: Clinical studies excluding case reports for patients treated with different designs of zirconia dental implants were included. From a total of 2728 titles, 71 full-text studies were screened, and 27 studies were included to assess the risk of bias (ROBINS-I tool) and data extraction. After quality assessment, four studies were included, and the remaining 23 excluded studies were narratively described. RESULT: The included prospective studies with moderate risk of bias reported success and survival rates of one-piece implants that ranged between 95 and 98.4 % with no difference between different lengths and diameters. The acid-etched roughened surface showed higher clinical outcomes compared to other surface roughness designs. CONCLUSION: Promising 5-year clinical outcomes were found for one-piece zirconia implants with no difference between different diameters and lengths. Concerning surface roughness, better outcomes were found when using the acid-etched implant surface. However, due to the limited available studies, further high-quality clinical studies comparing zirconia one-piece and two-piece implants with different diameters, lengths, and surface roughness are needed. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Based on this systematic review, under suitable clinical situations, the one-piece zirconia implants with diameters of 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, or 5.5 mm and lengths of 8 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm, or 14 mm have simila

Objectives This study evaluates the agreement of data on dental caries between electronic dental records and data retrieved from the national SKaPa-registry (Swedish Quality Registry for caries and periodontal disease), with special reference to e/M in deft/DMFT. Methods In a random sample of 500 6- and 12-year-old children having received dental care in 2014 in the county region of Värmland, Sweden, the diagnostic accuracy of data in electronic dental records with corresponding data obtained from the SKaPa-registry was compared by using Cohen’s Kappa and Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results For dft/DFT the Kappa was 0.95, and ICC 0.98 (total population). For deft/DMFT in the total population the Kappa was 0.80 and ICC 0.96. For 6-year-olds (deft) the Kappa was 0.89 and ICC 0.99 and for 12-year-olds (DMFT) the Kappa was 0.70, and ICC 0.83. The corresponding figures for Kappa and ICC when excluding individuals without caries (deft/DMFT = 0) were: Total population 0.63 and 0.94; 6-year-olds 0.79 and 0.99; 12-year-olds 0.42 and 0.68. Conclusion Agreement between data in the dental records and SKaPa was very high for dft/DFT confirming that transfer from the dental records to the SKaPa-registry is safe and correct. As the accuracy of deft/DMFT was considerably lower than for dft/DFT we advise against using deft/DMFT data from SKaPa for research purposes at this point.

BACKGROUND: Malocclusions in adolescents might have a negative impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Potential confounding variables (confounders) such as age, gender, caries, and socioeconomic status may skew the real relationship between malocclusions and OHRQoL. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the effect of malocclusions in adolescents on OHRQoL, when controlled for potential confounders. SEARCH METHODS: Five databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Cinahl, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched up to 15 June 2022. SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies in which OHRQoL in 10-19-year olds with and without malocclusions were compared. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Screening, data extraction, and quality assessments were performed by four investigators independently. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (SBU) guidelines. To be included, studies had to control for confounders. Certainty of evidence was assessed with GRADE. RESULTS: Thirteen cross-sectional studies with low and moderate risk of bias were included in the qualitative synthesis. Four of these were also included in the quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). The 13 studies in the qualitative synthesis displayed a large variation among the indices used for malocclusion ratings, as well as in instruments measuring OHRQoL. There was moderate quality of evidence that malocclusions have a negative effect on OHRQoL. The four articles included in the quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis) measured malocclusions with DAI and OHRQoL with CPQ 11-14 short form. There was moderate quality of evidence that malocclusions have a negative effect on OHRQoL (RR/PR 1.15, 95% CI 1.12-1.18, 3672 participants). CONCLUSIONS: There is moderate quality of evidence that malocclusions in adolescents have a negative impact on OHRQoL, after taking relevant confounders into consideration. Future studies should ideally use standardized measures for mal

Background Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are common and affect approximately 10% of the adult population. TMD is usually associated with headache, pain in the masticatory muscles and/or the temporomandibular joint, clicking or crepitations during mandibular movement as well as painful and/or reduced mouth opening. This study aimed to investigate the level TMD-patients use social insurance benefits before and after their first time of diagnosis or first surgical event, compared to the general population. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate the differences in the use of social insurance benefits between surgically and non-surgically treated TMD-patients that were diagnosed in a hospital setting. Methods All Swedish citizens aged 23-59 diagnosed with TMD in a hospital setting and/or surgically treated for the condition during 1998-2016 were identified via the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. A non-exposed comparison cohort was collected via the Total Population Registry. Outcome and sociodemographic data were collected via Statistics Sweden. Main outcome was annual net days on sick leave and disability pension five years before (-T5) and five years after (T5) diagnosis and/or surgical treatment (T0). Regression analysis was conducted with generalized estimated equations. Results The study included 219 255 individuals (73% female) - 19 934 in the exposed cohort and 199 321 in the comparison cohort. The exposed group was classified into three subgroups: non-surgical, surgically treated once, and surgically treated twice or more. The mean annual net days of sick leave and disability pension combined during the ten-year follow-up was 61 days in the non-surgical group, 76 days in the surgically treated once group, and 104 days in the surgically treated twice or more subgroup. The corresponding number for the non-exposed comparison cohort was 32 days. Conclusion Patients diagnosed with TMD in a hospital setting are 2-3 times more dependent on the use of

Purpose: There is a well-known association between mental and behavioral disorders (MBD) and temporomandibular disorder (TMD), although the association has not been established in population-based samples. This study aimed to investigate this relationship using national population-based registry data. Patients and Methods: This case-control study used prospectively collected data from Swedish national registries to investigate exposure to MBD and the probability of developing TMD in all Swedish citizens with hospital-diagnosed or surgically treated TMD between 1998 and 2016. Odds ratios were calculated using conditional logistic regression adjusted for educational level, living area, country of birth, musculoskeletal comorbidity, and history of orofacial/neck trauma. Results: A statistically significant association between MBD and TMD was found for mood affective disorders (OR 1.4), neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (OR 1.7), behavioral syndromes associated with psychological disturbances and physical factors (OR 1.4), disorders of adult personality and behavior (OR 1.4), disorders of psychological development (OR 1.3), behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence (OR 1.4), and unspecified mental disorder (OR 1.3). The association was stronger for TMD requiring surgery, with the strongest association in patients with disorders of psychological development (OR 2.9). No significant association was found with schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders, or mental retardation. Conclusion: The findings indicate an increased probability of TMD among patients with a history of certain MBD diagnoses, and a stronger association with TMD requiring surgery, specifically repeated surgery. This highlights the need for improved preoperative understanding of the impact of MBD on TMD, as TMD and chronic pain itself may have a negative impact on mental health.

The findings of this cohort study suggest no increased incidence of oral streptococcal infective endocarditis among high-risk individuals in Sweden since the recommended cessation of antibiotic prophylaxis in dentistry for the prevention of endocarditis in October 2012. Background A few years after the publication of the British guidelines, national recommendations were published by the Swedish Medical Products Agency in October 2012, promoting the cessation of antibiotic prophylaxis in dentistry for the prevention of infective endocarditis (IE). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the incidence of oral streptococcal IE increased among high-risk individuals after October 2012. Methods This nationwide cohort study included all adult individuals (>17 years) living in Sweden from January 2008 to January 2018, with a diagnose code or surgical procedure code indicating high risk of IE. Cox proportional hazard models were performed to calculate adjusted ratios of oral streptococcal IE before and after October 2012 between high-risk individuals and references. Results This study found no increased incidence of oral streptococcal IE among high-risk individuals during the 5 years after the cessation, compared with before. Hazard rate ratios were 15.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.3-28.5) before and 20.7 (95% CI: 10.0-42.7) after October 2012 for prevalent high-risk individuals. Corresponding ratios for incident high-risk individuals were 66.8 (95% CI: 28.7-155.6) and 44.6 (95% CI: 22.9-86.9). Point estimates for interaction with time period were 1.4 (95% CI: .6-3.5) and 0.8 (95% CI: .5-1.3) for prevalent and incident high-risk individuals, respectively. Conclusion The results suggest that the current Swedish recommendation not to administer antibiotic prophylaxis for the prevention of IE in dentistry has not led to an increased incidence of oral streptococcal IE among high-risk individuals.

Background The growing resistance of bacteria to antimicrobial medicines is a global issue and a direct threat to human health. Despite this, antibiotic prophylaxis is often still routinely used in dental implant surgery to prevent bacterial infection and early implant failure, despite unclear benefits. There is a lack of sufficient evidence to formulate clear clinical guidelines and therefore there is a need for well-designed, large-scale randomized controlled trials to determine the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis. Purpose To compare the effect of a presurgical antibiotic regimen with an identical placebo regimen in healthy or relatively healthy patients receiving dental implants. Materials and Methods The 474 patients participating in the study were recruited from seven clinics in southern Sweden. We randomized the patients into a test and a placebo group; the study was conducted double-blinded. Preoperatively, the test group received 2 g of amoxicillin and the control group, identical placebo tablets. The primary outcome was implant failure; secondary outcomes were postoperative infections and adverse events. Patients were evaluated at two follow-ups: at 7-14 days and at 3-6 months. Results Postoperative evaluations of the antibiotic (n = 238) and the placebo (n = 235) groups noted implant failures (antibiotic group: six patients, 2.5% and placebo group: seven patients, 3.0%) and postoperative infections (antibiotic group: two patients, 0.8% and placebo group: five patients, 2.1%). No patient reported any adverse events. Between-group differences in implant failures and postoperative infections were nonsignificant. Conclusion Antibiotic prophylaxis in conjunction with implant placement is likely of small benefit and should thus be avoided in most cases, especially given the unabated growth in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Clinical trial registration number: NCT03412305.

INTRODUCTION: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are comprised by a heterogenous group of diagnoses with multifaceted and complex etiologies. Although diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (MSD) have been reported as risk factors for developing TMD, no nationwide population-based registry studies have been conducted to investigate this possible link. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MSD and TMD in a population-based sample using Swedish registry data, and to further investigate the difference in such association between patients diagnosed with TMD in a hospital setting and patients surgically treated for the condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Population based case-control study using Swedish nationwide registry data. Data was collected between 1998 and 2016 from 33 315 incident cases and 333 122 controls aged ≥18, matched for sex, age, and living area. Cases were stratified into non-surgical (NS), surgically treated once (ST1) and surgically treated twice or more (ST2). Information on MSD exposure (ICD-10 M00-M99) was collected between 1964 and 2016. Odds ratios were calculated using conditional logistic regression, adjusted for country of birth, educational level, living area, and mental health comorbidity. RESULTS: A significant association between MSD and the development of TMD was found for all diagnostic categories: arthropathies (OR 2.0, CI 1.9-2.0); systemic connective tissue disorders (OR 2.3, CI 2.1-2.4); dorsopathies (OR 2.2, CI 2.1-2.2); soft tissue disorders (OR 2.2, CI 2.2-2.3); osteopathies and chondropathies (OR 1.7, CI 1.6-1.8); and other disorders of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (OR 1.9, CI 1.8-2.1). The associations were generally much stronger for TMD requiring surgical treatment. The diagnostic group with the strongest association was inflammatory polyarthropathies, M05-M14 (OR 11.7, CI 8.6-15.9), which was seen in the ST2 group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MSD diagnoses have

Our knowledge of synovial tissues in patients that are scheduled for surgery as a result of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders is limited. Characterising the protein profile, as well as mapping clinical preoperative variables, might increase our understanding of pathogenesis and forecast surgical outcome. A cohort of 100 patients with either disc displacement, osteoarthritis, or chronic inflammatory arthritis (CIA) was prospectively investigated for a set of preoperative clinical variables. During surgery, a synovial tissue biopsy was sampled and analysed via multi-analytic profiling. The surgical outcome was classified according to a predefined set of outcome criteria six months postoperatively. Higher concentrations of interleukin 8 (p = 0.049), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (p = 0.038), lumican (p = 0.037), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (p = 0.015) were significantly related to an inferior surgical outcome. Several other proteins, which were not described earlier in the TMJ synovia, were detected but not related to surgical outcome. Bilateral masticatory muscle palpation pain had strong association to a poor outcome that was related to the diagnoses disc displacement and osteoarthritis. CIA and the patient-reported variable TMJ disability might be related to an unfavourable outcome according to the multivariate model. These findings of surgical predictors show potential in aiding clinical decision-making and they might enhance the understanding of aetiopathogenesis in TMJ disorders.

Background The aim of the study was to evaluate a potential association between individuals with different craniofacial types or other exposures, and the risk of infraposition due to continued growth/eruption of adjacent teeth in the anterior maxilla. Materials and methods This is a systematic review in which primary studies as well as other systematic reviews are scrutinised. A search of PubMed (Medline), Scopus, Web of science and Health technology assessment (HTA) organisations and a complementary handsearch was carried out. Selected studies were read in full-text by several reviewers. The quality of the included primary studies was assessed using a protocol for assessment of risk of bias in exposure studies. Results The literature search resulted in 3,296 publications. Title and abstract screening yielded 25, whereof one systematic review, potential publications allocated for full-text inspection. The quality assessment resulted in a total of seven studies with a low/moderate risk of bias and four studies with a high risk of bias. Conclusion In conclusion, a long-term risk for infraposition of dental implants, or ankylosed teeth, among natural teeth can be observed in some cases. The predisposing factors are still not fully understood since the current scientific evidence is very limited.

Objectives: To report three-dimensional (3-D) movement of teeth adjacent to single-implant crowns (SICs) in the anterior maxilla and to relate the findings to patient characteristics and esthetic outcome. Materials and Methods: 3-D movements of teeth adjacent to anterior maxillary SICs were measured in 30 patients with original SICs in function after 14-20 years. The movements were related to facial type, lower anterior facial height (LAFH), age at crown delivery, sex, the position of the implant, implant occlusion, cause of tooth loss, follow-up period, orthodontic treatment prior to implant placement, and marginal bone-level changes. The esthetic outcome and quality were assessed using Visual Analog scale (VAS) and California Dental Association (CDA) index. Results: 3-D movement of adjacent teeth between 0 and 2.5 mm was observed at follow-up with incisal and palatal movement being most pronounced. Incisal tooth movement of >1 mm was observed in 30% of the patients and was significantly associated with LAFH ≥70 mm. VAS rating associated poorly between patients and clinicians with scores of >80% in 63% and 20%, respectively. The CDA rating was assessed as satisfactory in 87% of the patients. Conclusions: Significantly more extensive infraposition was observed in patients with SICs without occlusion, other causes of tooth loss than trauma, implant in lateral incisor and canine position, and a LAFH of ≥70 mm. Although infraposition occurs, patients are highly satisfied with the esthetics of their implants and the esthetic results are valued as higher by patients than dentists.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic disc displacement (DD) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) may cause pain and limited mouth opening. The aetiopathogenesis is obscure and probably complex, which makes the diagnostic classification crude and mainly based on clinical criteria rather than disease mechanisms, and tissue characteristics. OBJECTIVES: The study aim was to characterise and quantify synovial tissue in DD, where specific cytokine patterns might serve as potential biomarkers. METHODS: An observational cohort study was performed harvesting synovial tissue from 63 patients: 44 with DD without reduction (DDwoR) and 19 with DD with reduction (DDwR). DDwoR was subdivided depending on type of onset (sudden, n = 17; delayed, n = 27), and DDwR served as the control group. Proteins were extracted from tissue samples and investigated in a multi-analytic profiling system. RESULTS: DDwoR patients had significantly higher concentrations in 12 out of 28 analysed cytokines compared to DDwR. In the same statistical model, significantly lower concentrations of interferon gamma-induced protein (IP) 10, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and RANTES were detected in DDwoR patients. Women showed significantly higher concentrations of epidermal growth factor and interleukin (IL) 1ra compared to men. DDwoR with sudden onset had significant higher concentrations of bone morphogenetic protein 4, eotaxin and IL-8 compared to DDwoR with delayed onset. CONCLUSIONS: Characterising the biomarker panel for TMJ conditions may serve as suggestible targets for disease classification and novel treatment options. The significantly lower concentrations of IP-10, OPG and RANTES could be proposed as putative markers for the separation of the studied conditions to other TMJ diseases.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate attitudes to and perceptions of dental treatment and costs, self-assessed personal oral health status and dental self-care in an adult Swedish population, with special reference to potential associations between these factors and periodontal status. Material and methods: The study population comprised 1577 subjects who had undergone radiographic dental examination. The subjects were grouped by severity of periodontitis, based on extent of bone loss, as none, mild/moderate or severe. Subjects answered a questionnaire about socioeconomic factors, oral care habits and attitudes to dental treatment. Other questions covered medical history, smoking and other life style factors. Associations were tested using the Chi-squared test and a logistic regression model. Results: Compared to subjects with no periodontitis, those with mild/moderate or severe periodontitis were less likely to afford (p < .001), more often refrained from treatment due to costs (p < .001) and in the past year had experienced dental problems for which they had not sought treatment (p < .001). They also reported more anxiety in relation to dental appointments (p = .001). Regarding caries prevention, the severe periodontitis group used least fluoride products (p = .002). Conclusions: Swedish adults regard their oral health as important, those with periodontitis have a more negative perception of their oral health and are less prone to seek help. These discouraging findings suggest the need for targeted measures, which focus on improving the care of this group of patients.

Objective In orthognathic surgery, antibiotics are prescribed to reduce the risk of postoperative infection. However, there is lack of consensus over the appropriate drug, the dose and duration of administration. The aim of this complex systematic review was to assess the effect of antibiotics on postoperative infections in orthognathic surgery. Methods Both systematic reviews and primary studies were assessed. Medline (OVID), The Cochrane Library (Wiley) and EMBASE (embase.com), PubMed (non-indexed articles) and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) publications were searched. The primary studies were assessed using GRADE and the systematic reviews by AMSTAR. Results Screening of abstracts yielded 6 systematic reviews and 36 primary studies warranting full text scrutiny. In total, 14 primary studies were assessed for risk of bias. Assessment of the included systematic reviews identified two studies with a moderate risk of bias, due to inclusion in the meta-analyses of primary studies with a high risk of bias. Quality assessment of the primary studies disclosed one with a moderate risk of bias and one with a low risk. The former compared a single dose of antibiotic with 24 hour prophylaxis using the same antibiotic; the latter compared oral and intravenous administration of antibiotics. Given the limited number of acceptable studies, no statistical analysis was undertaken, as it was unlikely to contribute any relevant information. Conclusion With respect to antibiotic prophylaxis in orthognathic surgery, most of the studies to date have been poorly conducted and reported. Thus scientific uncertainty remains as to the preferred antibiotic and the optimal duration of administration.

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJD) involve orofacial pain and functional limitations that may limit important daily activities such as chewing and speaking. This observational case-control study attempted to identify factors associated with TMJD development, particularly inflammation. The study participants were patients treated at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. The cases were patients who received a diagnosis of TMJD, chronic closed lock, or painful clicking and were treated surgically during the period from 2007 through 2011. The control group was randomly selected from among patients who had undergone tooth extraction and was matched by age and sex. A total of 146 cases and 151 controls were included in the analyses. The response rate was 55.3% for the case group and 21.8% for the control group. The male:female ratio for patients with TMJD was 1:4.4. TMJD was significantly associated with pneumonia (odds ratio [OR], 2.1), asthma (OR, 2.1), allergies (OR, 1.8), headache (OR, 3.1), general joint hypermobility (OR, 3.8), orofacial trauma (OR, 3.9), rheumatism (OR, 2.5), and orthodontic treatment (OR, 2.4) (P < 0.05 for all outcomes). In conclusion, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions are associated with increased risk of TMJD. Moreover, certain lung disorders may predict subsequent development of TMJD.

Patients with head and neck (H&N) cancer are commonly treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy, which can increase the risk of oral infection, dental caries, and periodontal disease. The present study investigated dental care consumption and costs in patient with H&N cancer before and after the cancer diagnosis. Data from Swedish regional and national registers were used to follow up dental care utilization and dental procedure costs. The analysis included 2,754 patients who had been diagnosed with H&N cancer (exposed cohort) in Stockholm County, Sweden, during 2000–2012 and 13,036 matched persons without cancer (unexposed cohort). The exposed cohort was sub-grouped into irradiated and non-irradiated patients for analysis. The exposed cohort underwent a moderately higher number of dental procedures per year than the unexposed cohort in both the year of the cancer diagnosis and the year after cancer diagnosis; in addition, these numbers were higher in the irradiated than in the non-irradiated subgroup of the exposed cohort. Dental care consumption and costs in the exposed cohort declined over time but remained at a slightly higher level than in the unexposed cohort over the long term (more than two years). Examinations and preventive procedures accounted for most of the higher consumption in the short term (2 years) and at the longer term follow-up. Swedish national insurance subsidized costs for dental treatment, which were highest in the irradiated subgroup and lowest in the unexposed cohort. Direct costs to the patient, however, were similar among the groups. Swedish national health insurance protects patients with H&N cancer from high dental expenditures. Further studies on the cost-effectiveness of preventive dental care for patients are needed.

Objective: Prenatal exposure to elemental mercury may be a potential hazard for the offspring of female dental personnel working with dental amalgam. The aim of this study was to investigate whether potential in utero exposure to mercury might have affected the development of nervous system of the sons of Swedish female dental personnel leading to an increased risk of neurological disease or intellectual disability. Material and methods: We used national Swedish registers to investigate risks for diseases potentially related to adverse effects on neurodevelopment. Sons of female dentists (n=1690) and dental nurses (n=10,420) were compared with cohorts consisting of sons of other female healthcare personnel. Due to changes in mercury exposure in dentistry during the study period, analyses were stratified by decade of birth. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: We found no elevated risk for neurological disease, epilepsy or intellectual disability among the sons of dental personnel during any of the decades studied. HRs for neurological disease among the dental nurse cohort were even below 1.00 during the 1970s and 1980s. A low number of events resulted in uncertainty regarding results in the dentist cohort. Conclusions: We did not find any support for the hypothesis that mercury exposure in Swedish dentistry during the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s had any effect on the incidence of neurological disease or intellectual disability among the sons of female dental personnel. Our results imply that current use of dental amalgam should not represent an elevated risk for neurological disease or intellectual disability among the offspring of dental personnel.

Objectives: To evaluate the available evidence that the use of arginine-containing dental care products prevents the development of new caries lesions and the progression of existing lesions. Search Methods: We performed a systematic literature search of databases including PubMed, the Cochrane Library and EMBASE. Selection Criteria: We selected randomized controlled trials of treatment with arginine in fluoride-containing dental products measuring dental caries incidence or progression in children, adults and elderly subjects. Data Collection and Analysis: Two review authors independently assessed trials for risk of bias and evaluated overall study quality using the GRADE classification. Main Results: Due to conflicts of interest and weak transferability to Swedish conditions, no conclusions can be drawn from studies on the effects of arginine-fluoride toothpaste in children. Arginine-containing toothpaste costs about 40% more than basic fluoride toothpaste; to determine whether it is more cost-effective, the higher cost must be considered in relation to any additional caries-preventive effect. The literature review also disclosed some questionable research ethics: in several of the studies, the children in the control group used non-fluoride toothpaste. Toothpaste without fluoride is not as effective against dental caries as the standard treatment - fluoride toothpaste - which has a well -documented effect. This contravenes the fundamental principles of research ethics. Conclusion: At present there is insufficient evidence in support of a caries-preventive effect for the inclusion of arginine in toothpastes. More rigorous studies, and studies which are less dependent on commercial interests, are required. (C) 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the literature on the longevity of posterior resin composite restorations in adults. Material and methods: A systematic literature search was conducted according to predetermined criteria for inclusion and exclusion. The studies selected were prospective clinical trials with a minimum follow-up time of 4 years, 40 restorations per experimental group and an annual attrition rate of less than 5%. Initially, abstracts and full-text articles were assessed independently and the assessment was subsequently agreed on by five reviewers. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed according to the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment (SBU) standard checklist for determining the extent to which studies meet basic quality criteria. Results: In all, the literature search identified 4275 abstracts and 93 articles were read in fulltext. There were eighteen studies which met the criteria for inclusion, eight of which were included in the analysis. There were 80 failures of restorations with a total follow-up time at risk for failure of 62,030 months. The overall incidence rate for all causes of failure was 1.55 lost restorations per 100 restoration years. The most common biological reason for failure (a total of 31 restorations) was secondary caries, with or without fracture of the restoration. The quality of the evidence was low. Conclusions: In an efficacy setting, the overall survival proportion of posterior resin composite restorations is high. The major reasons for failure are secondary caries and restoration fracture which supports the importance of adequate follow-up time. Clinical significance: The overall survival proportion of posterior composite restorations was high, but the results cannot be extrapolated to an effectiveness setting. The importance of adequate follow-up time is supported by the finding that secondary caries often occurred after 3 years or later.

Aims: Dental personnel are exposed to mercury when using dental amalgam. This exposure constitutes a potential hazard to offspring of women working in dentistry. The present study examined increased mortality risk in offspring of mothers working in dentistry. Methods: Mortality was compared between sons of dental personnel and sons of nondental health-care personnel. Hazard ratios were calculated for three decades (1960s-1980s), when the magnitude of mercury exposure in dentistry was likely to have varied. Results: During the 1960s, there was a statistically significant increase in the risk of neonatal mortality for sons of dental nurses when compared with sons of assistant nurses: hazard ratio (HR) 1.82 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.04-3.22). There was no increased risk in the subsequent decades, but a trend test demonstrated a consistent decrease in the risk over the three decades: HR for trend 0.63 (95% CI: 0.44-0.90). The raised mortality risk was limited to neonatal mortality. The comparison between dentists and physicians had insufficient statistical power. Conclusions: There is no increased mortality risk among sons of female dentists after the 1960s. Although the results should be interpreted with caution, they suggest a modestly raised risk of neonatal mortality, during the 1960s, when exposure to mercury was thought to be highest., Funding Agencies:Karolinska InstitutetNational Board of Health and WelfareSwedish Society of Medicine

Dental amalgam is one of the most widely used, but also the most controversial of dental restorative materials. Since its introduction during the first half of the 19th century, concerns have been raised about health hazards related to the toxicity of a major component of amalgam, mercury. This has been a particularly contentious issue in Sweden, where amalgam use was discontinued in 2009, on environmental grounds. Two aspects of particular concern are the release of mercury vapour from dental amalgam fillings in patients and occupational exposure to mercury in clinical dental personnel handl ing amalgam. The aims of this thesis were twofold: to follow the progress of patients with health problems which they attribute to dental amalgam fillings and secondly, to investigate whether the offspring of female dental personnel handling amalgam were at increased risk of adverse effects from potential exposure to mercury vapour in utero. In Study I we examined symptoms, perceived health changes over time and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among applicants for subsidized replacement of amalgam fillings. We used a questionnaire to collect data. The results showed that the applicants had a wide range of symptoms and that their HRQoL was much poorer than in the general population in Sweden. Study II documented the use of social security benefits b y applicants for replacement of amalgam fillings. The data were retrieved from Swedish registers for the years 1994 to 2006. The cohort of dental filling replacement patients had a significantly higher number of days on sick leave and disability pension than the general population. These differences increased during follow-up. In the replacement cohort, the highest number of sick-leave days was recorded in the year they applied for subsidized replacement of fillings. While sick leave decreased following the year of application, the number of days on disability pension increased and peaked at the end of follow-up. Study III com