Journal of Dental School

Objectives: Concha bullosa is the most common anatomical variation of the middle turbinate, which can be associated with symptoms such as headache, nasal congestion, and loss of smell. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of concha bullosa and its association with osteomeatal anatomical variations in an Iranian population using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated CBCT images of 99 patients. Presence of concha bullosa, nasal septal deviation and paradoxical middle concha was evaluated. The frequency of these anatomical variations and their associations were analyzed.

Results: The study included CBCT scans of 60 women (60.6%) and 39 men (39.4%). According to the results, 57 cases (57.6%) of nasal septal deviation were observed. Concha bullosa was present in 51.5% of the cases (51 cases). Fifty-one patients (51.5%) had evidence of concha bullosa located in the right concha (23.5%), involving the left concha (39.2%), and bilaterally distributed (37.2%). There was no significant difference between males and females regarding the presence of concha bullosa (P=0.092). The relationship between the presence of concha bullosa and nasal septal deviation was not statistically significant (P=0.796).

Conclusion: The presence of nasal septal deviation and concha bullosa in this study seemed to be in accordance with prior studies. The presence of concha bullosa was not significantly associated with the presence or laterality of nasal septal deviation.

Objectives This study aimed to find the appropriate probe site for electric pulp testing (EPT) in maxillary anterior teeth.

Methods Forty patients with available panoramic radiographs referred to the Endodontics Department were studied. In each patient, three intact teeth, including central incisor, lateral incisor, and canine, were selected from one quadrant of the maxillary arch. The incisal third, middle third, and cervical third of the buccal surface of the teeth were assessed. The respective teeth were isolated with rubber dam without a clamp. EPT was conducted starting with the lowest intensity, which gradually increased until the patient reported a sense of tingling, stinging, or heat. This process was repeated for all respective teeth at the three areas. Data were analyzed by the Friedman test (P<0.05), ANOVA (P<0.001), and Man-Whitney test (P>0.05).

Results The middle third of all three maxillary anterior teeth was an appropriate site for EPT. The lateral incisor had the lowest threshold response in all three areas compared with other teeth. No significant difference was observed between male and female patients (P>0.05).

Conclusion Within the limitations of this study, it may be concluded that the middle third of the buccal surface of maxillary anterior teeth is an optimal electrode placement site.

Objectives The present study aimed to assess the dental students' perception about distance education during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was done on 288 dental students from Shahid Beheshti and Mashhad Universities of Medical sciences in February 2022. A standardized, electronic questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire included a comparison of pros and cons of distance and in-person education and the NAVID system with online video lectures. The content validity of the questionnaire was assessed by qualitative and quantitative validation tools. The Chi-square test was used to compare the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning. Online video lectures and the NAVID system were compared by the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

Results Totally, 288 students (141 females and 147 males) completed the online questionnaire. Instant access to online sources was the most essential advantage of e-learning (74.7%), and the most critical disadvantages were lack of student-tutor (50.5%) and student-student interactions (50%). The NAVID system was easier to use than the online video lectures. The online classes were less successful in building student-tutor interactions compared with in-person classes. The NAVID system received more scores in fulfilling the students' expectations about the quality of conveying the concepts and learning.

Conclusion The sudden shift from in-person to distance learning has caused some educational problems and lowered the student-student and student-tutor interaction quality. However, optimizing the infrastructure and necessary facilities for online education would help obviate the students' academic needs.

Objectives After the onset of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2019, it turned out to be one of the most important issues in public health, and the healthcare community must have adequate knowledge about it; therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge level of dental residents at Shahid Beheshti Dental School about COVID-19.

Methods The knowledge level of 104 dental residents at Shahid Beheshti Dental School about COVID-19 was evaluated with a standardized questionnaire that was developed, and its reliability and validity were confirmed. The questionnaire had 4 parts of (I) virology, basic information, and epidemiology, (II) clinical and oral manifestations, (III) prevention of virus transmission and vaccination, and (IV) diagnosis and treatment. The questionnaires were administered in both printed and online forms.

Results The overall response rate was 72%. The mean number of correctly answered questions was 7.2 ± 2.6 out of 14. Correct answers were 44.5% in virology, basic information, and epidemiology, 49.2% in clinical and oral manifestations, 48,5% in prevention of virus and vaccination, and 69% in diagnosis and treatment. The knowledge level of dental residents was weak in 12%, average in 52%, and good in 36%.

Conclusion The majority of dental residents had average knowledge about COVID-19. Considering the importance of adequate knowledge for proper diagnosis and management of COVID-19, it is suggested to arrange educational programs for dental residents’ knowledge enhancement.

Objectives The present study aimed to investigate the effect of muscle relaxation training on perceived stress and rumination in patients with dental anxiety.

Methods This was a quasi-experimental study (pretest-posttest design and a control group). The statistical population comprised of all patients with dental anxiety who visited dental clinics in Ahvaz city (Iran) in 2019. The sample consisted of 30 patients with dental anxiety selected through convenience sampling. The participants were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (15 participants per group). The experimental group received six 90-minute sessions of muscle relaxation, while the control group received no intervention. The research instruments included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS), and the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). The data were analyzed by MANCOVA and ANCOVA.

Results The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the post-test scores of perceived stress and rumination in the experimental group were 21.53±5.60 and 29.06±6.70, respectively which were significantly different from the scores in the control group (54.33±3.71 and 70.86±7.55, respectively). The muscle relaxation training reduced the perceived stress and rumination in patients with dental anxiety in the experimental group compared with the control group (P<0.001).

Conclusion Muscle relaxation training may thus be administered as an effective approach to mitigate perceived stress and rumination in patients with dental anxiety.

Objectives The decision regarding orthodontic tooth extraction or dental arch expansion is an important yet challenging topic in orthodontic treatment planning. However, studies in this respect are limited In Iran. This study aimed to assess the frequency of orthodontic tooth extractions and the role of malocclusion-related factors that affect the frequency of orthodontic extractions in a university setting during 25 years.

Methods This descriptive retrospective study evaluated 1,222 records of patients who underwent fixed orthodontic treatment in Shahid Beheshti Dental School from 1994 to 2018. The frequency of tooth extraction, type of malocclusion, and age and gender of patients were analyzed by the Chi-square test. The correlation of quantitative and qualitative variables related to occlusion (overjet, overbite, space discrepancy, cross-bite, A point–nasion–B point angle, mandibular plane angle, canine relationship, molar relationship, and the Curve of Spee) with orthodontic extraction was analyzed by the binary logistic regression. All statistical analyses were performed by SPSS version 21.

Results The frequency of orthodontic extraction decreased from 1994 (74.5%) to 2018 (41.6%). The highest frequency of orthodontic extraction (60%) occurred in class II division I malocclusion cases. Frequency of orthodontic extraction in the age group of 12-20 years was significantly higher than in other age groups (P=0.003). The odds of orthodontic extraction increased by an increase in overjet (P=0.036) and in class II malocclusion cases (P=0.05), and decreased by an increase in overbite (P=0.020).

Conclusion Tendency to orthodontic extraction has decreased in contemporary orthodontics in Shahid Beheshti Dental School. In addition to the degree of dental crowding, the decision regarding orthodontic extraction also depended on overjet, overbite, and type of malocclusion.

Objectives Rhinolith is an uncommon condition that results from calcification of an endogenous or exogenous nidus within the nasal cavity. It may present asymptomatically or cause symptoms like headache and nasal obstruction.

Case: In this case report, we present a case of an unusual and quite big rhinolith in a 17-year-old male which was undetected for some time, and was accidentally found in the radiographic examination. It possibly originated from a retained foreign body in childhood. We discuss its clinical and radiographic features and its effect on the surrounding structures.

Conclusion Radiographic assessment and rigid endoscopy are important to evaluate the rhinolith's location.