Guru Nanak Institute of Dental Sciences and Research

INTRODUCTION. Implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the endodontic motor technology offers improved safety due to real-time torque monitoring and adaptive control. Nevertheless, there is little comparative evidence on their clinical effectiveness in preventing instrument separation and reduction of iatrogenic dentinal damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Ninety human mandibular molars with mesial canals (curvature 25–35°) were randomly divided to three groups ( n = 30) Group A (AI-based smart motor with adaptive torque control), Group B (conventional motor with preset torque limits), and Group C (conventional motor with auto-reverse operation). ProTaper Next rotary files were used to prepare the standardized canals. The main variables were file separation rate and dentinal microcracks incidence evaluated through micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Preparation time, apical transportation, canal centering ratio, and motor operational parameters were the secondary outcomes. RESULTS. Group A exhibited a much lower file separation rate (0% vs. 10.0% vs. 13.3% in Group B vs. Group C, p = 0.038) and fewer dentinal microcracks formed (16.7% vs. 43.3% vs. 50.0% p = 0.006). Group A recorded significantly lower peak of mean torque (2.1 + 0.4 Ncm compared to 2.8 + 0.6 Ncm in Group B compared to 2.9 + 0.7 Ncm in Group C, p < 0.001). Apical transportation ( p = 0.284) and canal centering ratio ( p = 0.412) showed no significant differences. Time of preparation did not differ among groups ( p = 0.156). CONCLUSIONS. Smart endodontic motors with adaptive torque control powered by AI allow a significantly lower file separation and dentinal microcrack formation than using conventional motors and offer similar shaping efficiency and preparation quality. Based on these findings, AI-based motor technology can be clinically adopted to improve the safety of the procedures.

Introduction: Sufficient sleep is a crucial factor in child’s behaviour and overall well-being. Observable indications of insufficient sleep among youngsters include increased daytime drowsiness and frequently being late or absent from school. Furthermore, potential consequences encompass overeating, weight gain, and increased vulnerability to accidental injuries. Research suggests that reduced sleep duration corresponds with elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) levels and an elevated risk of Traumatic Dental Injuries (TDIs) in obese children. Studies have shown that overweight/obese children have a higher prevalence of TDI compared to lean children, with urban Indian schoolchildren at particular risk, though research on the link between TDI and sleep problems remains limited. Aim: To determine any association between childhood sleeping disorders with TDI and BMI among school children. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was done from January 2020 to March 2021 including children (6-13 years age) from the Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Guru Nanak Institute of Dental Sciences and Research, and local schools of Kolkata suburban region, West Bengal, India using a simple random sampling method. The children’s BMI was calculated using the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) BMI calculator for child and adolescent, and a visual inspection for signs of TDI was conducted following the International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) (2020) guidelines. Parents were provided with Sleep Behaviour Questionnaires (SBQ) and guidance for completion. Subsequently, the collected data was compiled and analysed statistically with SPSS software version 20 using Kruskal Wallis test A p-value of 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The study identified a TDI prevalence of 153 (25.5%) among 600 participants. Significant association (p=0.033) was observed between TDI and SBQ scores. Mean SBQ scores reflected a BMI-related trend (obesity> overweight> healthy), indicating that overweight or obese children experience more sleep issues. The link between TDI and BMI was notably strong (p<0.001), with individuals having high BMI being 2.436 times more likely to exhibit TDI. Conclusion: The present study provides a positive correlation among childhood sleeping disorders, TDIs and BMI among school children. Information gathered about sleep habits before a dental visit can help educate parent/caregivers on preventing dental injuries.

Introduction: Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSF) is an oral precancerous condition with highest potential for malignant transformation. When OSF advances to oral cancer, epithelial cells undergo several dysplastic changes that alter the epithelial properties and architecture. Analysis of these features can provide useful diagnostic information to assess malignant potentiality of the disease process to avoid progression to oral cancer. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the progression of non dysplastic and dysplastic OSF to malignancy using histomorphometry and E-cadherin expression in different layers of epithelium. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Guru Nanak Institute of Dental Sciences and Research (GNIDSR), Panihati, Kolkata, and School of Medical Science and Technology (SMST), IIT, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India during the period of December 2019 to August 2021. It included 50 subjects divided into two groups, with 43 individuals suffering from OSF and seven individuals without disease process. Biopsy was conducted to establish diagnosis of OSF and stained sections were classified into nondysplastic and dysplastic category. Some sections were also prepared on lysine coated slides for immunohistochemical analysis. Finally, both sections were taken to SMST, IIT, Kharagpur, India, for staining with E-cadherin antibody and for procurement of photomicrographs using inverted microscope to undergo histomorphometrical analysis in basal-parabasal layers of epithelium and for assessing/comparing expression of adhesion molecule (E-cadherin) in basal-parabasal and spinous layers of non dysplastic and dysplastic OSF tissue using Image J software. Results: The mean cell area was found to be gradually increased from Normal Oral Mucosa (NOM) (35.60±3.26) to OSF with dysplastic (wd (39.12±4.99) followed by OSF without dysplastic (wtd) (64.11±9.90). The mean value of major axis was highest in OSFwtd (14.53±3.20) in comparison to OSFwd (11.23±1.98) and NOM (8.14±0.99), whereas the mean of minor axis was found to be decreased in OSFwd (4.24±0.89) and increased in case of OSFwtd (6.62±1.11) when compared with NOM (6.60±0.83). aspect ratio was highest in OSFwd (2.82±0.86), which showed gradual decrease in OSFwtd (2.37±0.71) and NOM (1.24±0.08). The gray scale value of membranous expression of E-cadherin in basal-parabasal layers was found to be highest in OSFwd (124.6±14.8) whereas it showed decrease in cytoplasmic expression in OSFwd (89.85±20.08) indicating loss of E-cadherin expression in cell membrane and simultaneous accumulation in cell cytoplasm (as gray scale value is inversely proportional to E-cadherin expression).The spinous cell layer also showed increased membranous gray scale value in OSFwd (143.17±15.5) and decreased cytoplasmic gray scale value in OSFwd (93.03±6.98). Conclusion: The study concluded that semiquantitative light microscopic histomorphometrical parameters like cellular size (area, major axis, minor axis) and shape (aspect ratio) depicting various statistically significant alterations, along with membranous loss of E-cadherin with concomitant cytoplasmic accumulation, both in basal-parabasal and spinous layers of the surface epithelium can be regarded as a significant indicator in predicting the disease progression of OSF to malignancy.

Introduction: Visual shade matching has been practiced in dentistry for decades to find a shade of restoration that perfectly match with adjacent tooth for natural aesthetic look. Intraoral camera is an adjunct tool for visual shade matching that can reduce the shortcomings of conventional method. It is especially beneficial for subjective shade matching with in-built optimal lighting conditions while eliminating all environmental influences. The study’s rationale is to determine whether or not external lighting and background affect a clinician’s visual shade-matching performance. Aim: To determine the inter-rater reliability of shade matching by conventional visual method and using intraoral camera (SOPRO 717) assisted visual method, while taking account into the environmental influence on visual shade matching. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in-vivo in the Department of Prosthodontics, Guru Nanak Institute of Dental College and Hospital in Kolkata West Bengal, India, over a period of 18 months from May 2022 to November 2023. Five dental professionals with normal colour vision performed the shade selection procedure on 30 patients of 24 to 60 years. Each dental professional or examiner matched the shade of tooth with VITA System 3D-Master® shade guide by conventional visual method and with intraoral camera; before and after the insertion of restoration. Chi-square test was used to determine the reliability among examiners and p-value<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: When two methods were compared, it showed that shade selection using intraoral camera was more aligned with the selected shades based on consensus than conventional method. The Chi-square statistic was 24.6544. The p-value was <0.00001 (significant at p<0.05). Reliability among five raters or examiners showed statistically significant difference (p<0.05) for conventional visual method indicating less agreement level among examiners. Whereas agreement level was higher for intraoral camera. Conclusion: Intraoral camera is a reliable assistance for visual shade selection as it reduces certain level of subjectivity and help the observer for easy decision making by increasing the agreement level.

Traumatic ulcerative granuloma with stromal eosinophilia (TUGSE) is an uncommon benign inflammatory lesion of the oral mucosa characterized by persistent ulceration accompanied by a dense eosinophil-rich inflammatory infiltrate within the connective tissue. Clinically, the lesion often presents as a chronic indurated ulcer and may closely resemble oral squamous cell carcinoma, creating diagnostic uncertainty. Histopathologically, it typically shows ulcerated stratified squamous epithelium with a polymorphous inflammatory infiltrate predominantly composed of eosinophils extending into deeper connective tissue and skeletal muscle bundles. We report a case of a 75-year-old female presenting with a persistent ulcer on the right lateral border of the tongue associated with chronic mechanical irritation. The clinical, histopathological and follow-up findings were consistent with traumatic ulcerative granuloma with stromal eosinophilia, and the lesion resolved completely after elimination of the traumatic factor.