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The etiology of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) is remarkably diverse. This case report highlights the use of clear aligners as a probable cofactor of TMD in an adult patient. A 56-year-old woman who presented with a chief concern of crowding was missing teeth in both arches and had generalized tooth wear, an indistinct history of temporomandibular joint musculoskeletal pain, and a self-reported history of clenching. Based on the patient's preferences, clear aligner therapy (CAT) was Initiated with a limited treatment goal of providing improved esthetics by reducing the overjet, expanding the arches, and aligning the anterior teeth. A few weeks into CAT, the patient developed acute masticatory facial pain. Therefore, the course of CAT was adjusted in favor of an individualized protocol to alleviate her occlusal symptoms until orthodontic treatment was completed. Dental providers must consider the potential contributory role of CAT in TMDs in patients who adapt poorly to occlusal changes and offer a patient-centered approach to manage the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the association between a dental implant and changes in adjacent teeth over time. Electronic health records of 1818 patients who received a dental implant were retrospectively evaluated over 14 years (2005–2019) in a university setting. The status of the adjacent tooth and vertical and horizontal distance from the implant platform to adjacent teeth were determined using digital intraoral radiographs taken at baseline and the last follow-up visit (1–14 years, median 4 years). In total, 1085 dental implants were evaluated. There were 234 instances of a change in the adjacent tooth. Decay was observed in 83 (7.6%) of adjacent teeth; the mean time to development was 4 years (range 1–14 years). Approximately 9% of adjacent teeth received direct restorations, 4.8% received indirect restorations, 1% received endodontic root canal treatment, and 5.6% were extracted. The mean horizontal distance between the implant platform and the adjacent teeth was 3.56 mm; the mean vertical distance from the contact point to the alveolar crest on the tooth side was 6.2 mm at the first time of the reported decay on X ray. These distances did not significantly influence the occurrence of caries. The prevalence of interproximal contact loss was higher on the mesial of the implant crown at 63% compared with 20% on the distal side. This large retrospective analysis identified that teeth adjacent to a dental implant were at risk of decay and changes in their condition. In addition, the implant-to-tooth distance and inadequate emergence profile may contribute as caries risk factors in addition to hygiene and a high sugar level diet. These findings appear essential for clinicians when making treatment decisions and discussing outcomes with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distalization of mandibular molars comes with significant challenges, especially in adult and young adult patients. In selected cases, third molar extraction procedures offer the opportunity to place miniplates for anchorage to distalize mandibular molars, providing additional solutions to the traditional extraction of premolars or a single incisor. This approach can be of special interest to adult patients, who may have life commitments and time restraints that limit traditional orthodontic and surgical treatment options, and it can improve the efficiency of dental care. This case series describes 3 clinical scenarios in which miniplates were placed with minimal invasiveness during the removal of impacted third molars, offering the patients nontraditional orthodontic treatment options. Awareness of these options is essential for general dentists so that they can explain all treatment possibilities and provide appropriate referrals to patients with impacted third molars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to test the reliability of a modified magnification method for determining the position of an impacted canine from a single panoramic radiograph. This retrospective study evaluated 114 panoramic radiographs showing 136 impacted maxillary canines. The widths of the impacted canines, contralateral erupted canines, and ipsilateral maxillary incisors were measured, and ratios for the canine-incisor index (CII) and canine-canine index (CCI) were calculated. The impacted canines were also classified according to their location in the vertical plane (apical, middle, or coronal zone) relative to the contralateral central incisor. Continuous data were analyzed for normal distribution, and logistic and multivariate logistic regression models were conducted. The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure with a false discovery rate of 0.05 was used to account for multiple testing. The intrarater reliability was excellent for impacted canine, central incisor, and contralateral canine measurements (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.9). The CII and vertical zone were strong predictors of an impacted canine position with clinically useful sensitivity and specificity values (0.69 and 0.74, respectively, based on an area under the curve concordance statistic of 0.75). A predictive range was evident for the CII of palatally (1.10-1.39) and buccally (0.90-1.19) impacted canines in the middle and coronal zones, respectively. The occurrence of palatal or buccal positioning was not significantly associated with the CCI (P = 0.2). The CII and vertical zone identified from a single panoramic radiograph can be used to determine the buccopalatal position of an impacted canine, with more reliability if the impacted canine crown is in the middle or coronal zone of the contralateral central incisor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental academics provide a fulfilling career path to educate the next generation of oral health professionals. The number of dentists choosing a career in dental academics is declining and existing faculty are opting for other career options. As the number of dental schools increase across the US, a critical shortage of educators may be evidenced. In dentistry, innovative approaches to develop academic faculty are not keeping pace with the growing needs of dental faculty, who are challenged to establish a fulfilling work‐life balance. This work reviews existing methods that other health professions implement to develop faculty for successful career growth. This review highlights factors and related cofactors that influence career development among dental faculty. Recommendations are presented as potential solutions based on the assessment of similar experiences published by related academic healthcare professions. Dental academia must increase attention to faculty needs and awareness by conducting institutional‐specific studies to address these issues with customizable solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this case report are to describe the course of treatment for a 29-year-old woman with a chief complaint of spaces in her dentition and to review relevant clinical topics in the literature. The primary etiology of the spacing in this case was a congenitally missing maxillary right lateral incisor and a peg-shaped maxillary left lateral incisor. The clinical diagnosis included skeletal and dental discrepancies in all 3 planes of space; a skeletal and dental open bite; a high and asymmetric smile line with a skeletal occlusal cant; a Class II dental occlusion; a Class III skeletal tendency; and insufficient space for standard-size restoration of the maxillary lateral incisors. A history of poor oral hygiene, multiple restorations, and tooth wear were added challenges. The patient initially requested minimal esthetic procedures. However, during the course of treatment, she changed her treatment goals to achieve optimal esthetics. The case required a multidisciplinary planning approach. This report highlights treatment options, outcomes, and avoidable mistakes for this type of complex case involving high esthetic demands. Additionally, key factors are identified to achieve successful treatment and patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the influence of photodynamic therapy on bacterial attachment. Topics include infectious diseases of the oral cavity generated by bacteria and fungi remain one of the major problems confronting clinical dentistry; and Dental biofilm can cause bacterial infection around dental implants leading to the risk of implant failure due to the loss of the supporting bone.