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Aims: To develop a German version of the Dental Environment Stress (DES) questionnaire, and to evaluate its reliability and validity. Methods: The original English DES questionnaire was translated into German using a forward–backward translation process. To evaluate construct stability, a subgroup of dental students (n = 43) completed the DES twice (interval: 1 week). To evaluate how the DES responds to anticipated changes in stress, all dental students' (n = 64) DES scores and saliva cortisol levels administered from a clinical study were compared between holiday and term time. Furthermore, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and a stress self‐assessment were used to determine the validity of the DES. Reliability analyses were calculated using Kendall's tau correlations. To estimate reliability strength, correlation coefficients and intraclass correlations (ICCs) were used. Results: Regarding construct stability, 24 of 25 DES items had at least moderate correlations, and most items showed strong correlations. Correlations for the seven subdomains were good (range: 0.778–1.000). The same was true for the total DES score (ICC: 0.944). Correlations for response to term‐time stress were weaker and more varied. Validity analyses revealed fair correlations between the DES and students' self‐assessment (Pearson's r =.592) and DASS score (Pearson's r =.392), suggesting satisfactory validity. Stress levels were quite similar between baseline and follow‐up. Conclusion: The German DES is a reliable tool for evaluating stress in dental students. Because it can be used to identify individual stressors in various categories, it might enable the detection of specific stress situations in educational situations and facilitate solutions (adjustment of curricula, tailored consulting services). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to evaluate the short-term performance of implants and implant-supported dental restorations (single crowns, fixed/removable dental prostheses, and overdentures) and to identify risk factors for prosthetic complications under the conditions of general dental practice. Materials and Methods: De-identified data extracted from electronic patient records were analyzed to clarify the research question. Patient-related variables and implant- and suprastructure-related variables were documented for each patient. The probability of complication-free survival after 1 and 2 years was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. In addition, the prosthetic complications were analyzed using Cox regression models. Results: Eighty-four patients with 134 healed dental implants supporting 107 restorations were studied over a clinical period of up to 52 months (mean: 23.9 months). Of all implants placed (n = 186), nine (4.8%) failed during the healing phase. Of the healed implants, peri-implant bone loss occurred for two implants among two patients. Nonetheless, these two implants remained functional. Complications were as follows: peri-implantitis (1.5%), loss of retention (10%), loosening of the abutment screw (6%), and chipping of the veneer material (3.7%). The probability of complication-free survival for suprastructures alone was 92% (95% CI: 86% to 96%) after 1 year and 84% (95% CI: 75% to 90%) after 2 years of clinical service. Taking into consideration all complications/failures of implants and of restorations, complication-free survival was 86% (80% to 91%) and 79% (70% to 85%) after 1 and 2 years, respectively. Conclusion: Both healed dental implants and implant-supported restorations placed in general practice present high survival; the survival rates seen during the quite short observation period appear comparable to institutional study outcomes. However, technical prosthetic complications are not uncommon among restorations in general dental practice and probably occur more often than reported from university studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the repeatability, interexaminer, and interdevice reliability of two clinically applicable spectrophotometers under laboratory and clinical conditions. Material and Methods: For the in vitro part of the study, measurements were performed by the use of Vita Easyshade Advance 4.0 (ES‐A) and the Easyshade V (ES‐V) at identical positions on different shade tabs (3D‐Master; Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany). To test repeatability, one shade tab was measured 50 times by one operator. To determine interrater and interdevice agreement, two operators used both devices to perform 10 measurements on five different shade tabs. Clinical interdevice and interexaminer reliability was checked with a positioning jig used (15 participants). Measurement accuracy of both devices was evaluated for the recommended color of shade tabs. Results: Repeatability of results from both Easyshades was excellent for all color components (maximum deviation between measurements was ≤0.1 units). Interrater agreement was also perfect (intraclass correlation, ICC = 1.000). Interdevice agreement was lower, but still good (ICC ≥ 0.834). In the clinical environment, interrater and interdevice agreements were similar (ICC > 0.964 and ICC > 0.873). Accuracy was satisfactory for both devices, with both observers in full agreement for nearly 80% of ratings. Conclusions: Both Easyshades produced reliable and accurate measurements and can therefore be recommended for clinical determination of tooth color. Clinical Significance: The outcome of this study might help clinicians estimate the performance of a new digital shade determination device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The oral health of seniors in nursing homes is compromised. Furthermore, reduced chewing efficiency is described to be associated with reduced cognition. However, studies investigating how prosthetic status affects the chewing efficiency of nursing home residents are not available. Objective: To evaluate associations between prosthetic status, dementia and chewing efficiency of seniors in nursing homes. Methods: This study was performed in nine nursing homes. In addition to assessing the general and medical data of the participants, a dental examination was assessed and the severity of dementia was evaluated by use of the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). Furthermore, chewing efficiency was assessed by use of a two‐colour mixing ability test. Descriptive and bivariate statistics, as well as linear regression models with the dependent variable chewing efficiency and possible confounders, were used to analyse data at P <.05. Results: Complete target variables of 146 participants were analysed. The mean (SD) chewing efficiency of the study sample, as expressed by the variance of hue, was.590 (.250). The type of prosthesis used (P <.001), the number of occluding tooth pairs (P <.001) and the presence of dementia (P =.002) were the main variables significantly affecting chewing efficiency. The condition of removable dentures also had an effect (P =.016). Multivariate testing predominantly confirmed these associations. Conclusion: The chewing efficiency of seniors in nursing homes is somewhat compromised. Beyond dental aspects, suffering from dementia seems to reduce the chewing efficiency. Further interventional/longitudinal studies are, however, encouraged to verify this outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The objective of this controlled clinical study was to evaluate the association between oral health and 1-year mortality among nursing home residents with or without oral health intervention.Methods: This research was part of a multidisciplinary intervention study (EVI-P) performed in 14 nursing homes in Germany. Two-hundred and nineteen nursing home residents were included in the study and assigned to an intervention group, for which dental health education was offered and ultrasonic baths were used for denture cleaning (n = 144), or to a control group (n = 75). Before the intervention, each participant was examined, and dental status, plaque control record (PCR), Denture Hygiene Index, and results from the Revised Oral Assessment Guide were recorded. Amount of care needed and dementia were also assessed, by use of the Barthel Index and the Mini Mental State Examination, respectively. Participant mortality was determined after 12 months, and bivariate analysis and logistic regression models were used to evaluate possible factors affecting mortality.Results: Bivariate analysis detected a direct association between greater mortality and being in the control group (p = .038). Participants with higher PCR were also more likely to die during the study period (p = .049). For dentate participants, the protective effect of being in the intervention group was confirmed by multivariate analysis in which covariates such as age and gender were considered.Conclusion: Oral hygiene and oral health seem to affect the risk of mortality of nursing home residents. Dental intervention programs seem to reduce the risk of 1-year mortality among nursing home residents having remaining natural teeth. Further studies, with larger sample sizes and evaluation of the causes of death, are necessary to investigate the reasons for these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years the oral health of seniors has improved and more seniors retain their natural teeth until old age; however, the prevalence of oral diseases among seniors is still very high and a serious problem. Good oral health is, however, relevant for seniors as it influences the chewing function, the nutritional status and general satisfaction. In addition, diseases of the oral cavity show interactions with general health. The current article therefore provides an evidence-based overview of the oral health of seniors and highlights important relationships (nutritional status, oral health-related quality of life, general health). It also gives advice on when dental treatment may be indicated. Furthermore, instruments for assessing oral health, chewing function and oral health-related quality of life are presented and explained., (© 2021. Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To assess the extent of differences between the oral health of people aged 50 and 70 years in a community-based setting., Materials and Methods: This research is part of the Interdisciplinary Study on Adult Development (ILSE). All participants lived in the city of Heidelberg, Germany. For the dental study, 194 participants born 1930-1932 (n = 88) or 1950-1952 (n = 106) underwent a comprehensive dental examination. For each participant the number of teeth present, the number of decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces (DMF-S), the Plaque Index (PI), the Gingiva Index (GI) and the Community Index of Periodontal Treatment Needs (CPITN) were determined. Depending on the structure of the data, differences between the birth cohorts were calculated by use of t tests or chi-squared tests. Multivariate analysis was also performed to assess possible effects of gender and birth cohort., Results: Oral health conditions were significantly worse among septuagenarians than among quinquagenarians. Besides poorer oral hygiene, as measured by use of PI and GI (p <0.001), periodontal conditions were worse for septuagenarians (p <0.001), who also had fewer natural teeth (p <0.002); the number of carious lesions was similar in the cohorts (p >0.05). These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis and seem to be mostly gender independent., Conclusions: Oral hygiene and health is poor for quinquagenarians and septuagenarians, with more problems associated with greater age but not with gender. Longitudinal studies are necessary to evaluate the intraindividual development of changes of oral health during ageing.