South African Dental Journal

Is there a decline of Scientific Output in South African Dentistry: Addressing the Concerns and Nurturing Future Scientists

Breaking free from medical aid rates: empowering dentists to provide high-quality dental services in South Africa

Prevalence and risk factors of missed appointment among paediatric patients after minor oral surgical procedures in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Missed appointments are common in paediatric dentistry, yet not many studies have explored its prevalence and associated factors AIM: To determine the prevalence of missed appointments and the associated factors METHODS: This prospective study design recruited all consecutive paediatric patients that presented for minor oral surgical procedures from 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021. Data collected was the age of patients, gender, parents' educational level, distance from the clinic, type of minor oral surgical procedures and missed appointments. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Chi-square test of association was used to determine the association between study participants' age, sex, parents' educational level, the distance from the clinic, and the prevalence of missed dental appointments. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the predictors. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version 26 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant RESULT: A total of 182 paediatric dental patients, age ranged from 0.5 to 16 years and with a mean age of 8.55+3.88 participated. Most (60.4%) of the patients were females and 46.2% of them were of school age. Most of the parents had a tertiary level of education and lived within 7 to 12 kilometers from the clinic. The prevalence of missed appointments was 54.9% and the most performed minor oral surgical procedure was primary tooth extraction. The relationship between age group, minor surgical procedures with missed appointments was statistically significant (P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the type of surgical procedure was the only independent predictor of missed appointments (p<0.05 CONCLUSION: The prevalence of missed appointments in this study is remarkably high. Although the age of the patients and the type of procedure was associated with the prevalence of missed appointment, it was only the type of surgical procedure that was a significant risk factor for missed appointment

Perceptions of oral health practitioners regarding the long-term effects of service learning; a qualitative study

INTRODUCTION: The long-term effects of service learning (SL) have not been explored in the oral health field. Such information has the potential to provide useful feedback to dental educators regarding the effectiveness and impact of SL. This would be relevant in the South African context of inequality and poor access to care Aim and objective: To explore the perceptions of oral health professionals from an academic institution regarding the long-term effects of SL. METHODS: A case study design was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. A total of 22 participants from the Bachelor of Dental Therapy, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, and Bachelor of Oral Hygiene participated in the study RESULTS: The participants indicated that SL is a worthy activity that exposed them to the real world of dentistry and provided them with the exposure that prepared them for work actualities. Four major themes emerged; namely, personal qualities, relationship building, challenges related to SL and strategies to improve the outcomes CONCLUSION: Participants found SL to be beneficial in their professional development and practice although they highlighted some challenges in practice. They recommended the improvement and upgrading of the SL program, as well as further research on SL approaches in other environments

Supernumerary teeth in a sample of South African dental patients

INTRODUCTION: Supernumerary teeth (SNT) are often associated with malocclusions. Data on SNT in the South African population are not well documented OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, distribution of characteristics and any associated complications of SNT in a South African sample of dental patients DESIGN: The study was retrospective, cross-sectional and descriptive METHOD: Orthopantomographs of 12,005 dental patients were reviewed for the presence of SNT. The number, morphology, location, eruption status and orientation of SNT were assessed. Associated orthodontic problems were noted RESULTS: The prevalence rate was 2.48%. No sexual dimorphism in the distribution of SNT was noted. Types of SNT tabulated were: supplementary, conical, tuberculate and odontoma. Maxilla demonstrated a higher predilection for SNT. Variation in the distribution of SNT in the anterior, premolar and molar regions in each jaw and across jaws was statistically significant. Relationship of eruption status to the morphology and orientation of SNT was of significance. Malocclusions noted were displacement and impaction of adjacent teeth CONCLUSION: From an orthodontic perspective, presence of SNT may compromise tooth movement and space closure in patients. Additionally, as majority of SNT in this population were in the maxillary molar and mandibular premolar regions, caution is advised when planning the placement of orthodontic implants in these regions

**Neoplastic tissue transfiguration in vivo by recombinant human transforming growth factor-**β₃

Proteus Syndrome - A one in a million occurrence

The syndrome is named after the Greek sea-god Proteus, who could change his shape. Proteus Syndrome (PS) is a rare condition with an incidence of less than 1 in 1 million people. It is characterized by variable, multifocal overgrowth of bones, skin, or other tissue derived from any of the three germinal layers. It is generally not apparent at birth, but signs develop rapidly from as early as 6 months and get more severe with age. Craniofacial deformities are less frequent but overgrowth of facial bones leads to disfigurement, malocclusion and a number of other oral and dental anomalies. The following case report of a young boy with PS was written for three reasons. Firstly, it will describe this unusual condition to colleagues who have never encountered patients with the syndrome. It then stresses the importance of a holistic approach to treatment planning. This entails addressing the immediate needs, and then basing the definitive treatment on considerations of possible short- and longterm, patient-related developments. Finally, it illustrates how a complex case was treated successfully with conservative management using modifications of standard clinical procedures.

Morphological variations of two cases of maxillary myofibromas

An innovative digital workflow for the fabrication of a prosthetic ear: A case report

The aim of maxillofacial rehabilitation is to provide suitable prostheses for patients with oro-facial defects, and enable them to resume their roles in society. Recent advances in bionics and prosthetics have combined different techniques to help in the production of aesthetic and functional prostheses. Technology can now supplement the freehand sculpting skills of the clinician by capturing accurate images of the soft tissues from both the defect and non-defect areas, and using these to digitally recreate the desired templates. This case report describes the digital steps used to capture necessary data for the design and fabrication of an auricular template, and final ear prosthesis. Results from this case study suggested that the digital method is: 1) more accurate; 2) less time-consuming than traditional methods; and 3) less invasive, and thus more accepted by patients.

Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology

What's new for the clinician - summaries of recently published papers (March 2023)

Are you responsible and accountable for your actions?

In all walks of life we are accountable for our actions. However in dentistry the scope and extent of one's responsibilities may not always be obvious. This paper aims to remind clinicians of their need to be cognisant of some fundamental principles, and to ask themselves certain relevant questions before embarking on any procedure. It makes special reference to the obligations associated with the increased use of dental imaging modalities. It does not purport to be a comprehensive review into any specific dental condition or treatment modality, but is rather a broad overview and reminder of their ethical obligations with respect to their "duty of care".