Validity of staining and marginal ditching as criteria for diagnosis of secondary caries around occlusal amalgam restorations: an in vitro study.
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Rural Mexican immigrant parents' interpretation of children's dental symptoms and decisions to seek treatment.
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OBJECTIVE: Mexican-origin children have higher rates of decay and lower dental utilization rates than children from all other racial/ethnic groups. Different cultural groups' interpretations of dental symptoms illuminate their different decision-making process about seeking care. Through ethnography in a small rural U.S. city, we examined low-income Mexican immigrant caregivers' interpretations of their children's dental symptoms and evaluations of the need for treatment. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: We conducted 49 in-depth interviews with 26 Mexican immigrant caregivers about their perceptions of their children's dental symptoms, and observations of five such caregivers' help-seeking episodes and 30 other caregivers' presentation of their children's symptoms at dental clinics. All interviews and fieldnotes were analyzed qualitatively through a series of readings and codings. RESULTS: A conceptual model of caregivers' decision-making processes was developed. Most caregivers deduced the health of teeth from visible appearance, and thus children's complaints of pain alone were often ineffective in triggering a dental visit. Caregivers often delayed treatment because they viewed their children's oral disease as mere "stains" requiring cleaning rather than as bacterial infections requiring restorative treatment. Parents appeared to confuse carious "stains" with fluorosis stains common in rural Mexico. CONCLUSIONS: Even when Mexican immigrant caregivers recognize a dental problem, they often misinterpret it as a "stain." Caregivers' interpretations of decay were shaped by their lack of experience with children's decay in rural Mexico. Oral health education programs should help rural immigrant caregivers distinguish between "stains" and "cavities," and understand the heightened oral hygiene requirements of the cariogenic diet in industrialized countries. (+info)
Bleaching of nonvital teeth. A clinically relevant literature review.
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Today, the bleaching of nonvital, discolored teeth is a low-risk routine treatment for improving esthetics. This review article focuses on the etiology of tooth discolorations, different treatment techniques, and risks of bleaching procedures. Some tooth discolorations in endodontically treated teeth are caused by dental treatments. The three most popular techniques for nonvital tooth bleaching are the walking bleach technique, inside/outside bleaching, and in-office bleaching. The walking bleach technique is a relatively reliable, fairly simple technique for dentists and patients. Inside/outside bleaching can be used additionally when internal and external bleaching must be combined. In-office bleaching seems to be a short-term solution, the effects of which can largely be attributed to dehydration of the teeth. There are still some open questions concerning the bleaching agents. Improved safety seems desirable with regard to adding thiourea as a scavenger of radicals or newer materials such as sodium percarbonate. The thermocatalytic technique, insufficient cervical sealing, and high concentrations of bleaching agents should be avoided, as this can increase the risk of cervical root resorptions. Patients should be informed about the low predictability of bleaching success and the risk of recurrent discoloration. The risk of cervical root resorption should be discussed with the patient. There is a strong correlation between root resorption and dental trauma. (+info)
Amelogenesis imperfecta, hypoplastic type associated with some dental abnormalities: a case report.
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