Research Outputs (Oral Health Sciences)

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    Clinical, histological and microbiological study of hand-excavated carious dentine in extracted permanent teeth
    (2003) Bönecker, M.; Grossman, E.; Cleaton-Jones, P. E.; et al
    Changes in cultivable flora in dentine samples collected before and after hand excavation were examined in association with clinical status of the cavity surface, light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thirty-five extracted permanent molar teeth with an occlusal caries lesion were excavated with hand instruments according to the atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach. Excavation pressure, dentine colour and consistency were recorded at the dentine-enamel junction (DEJ) prior to carious dentine removal and at the cavity floor after the final excavation; a microbiological sample of dentine was taken at both stages. Twelve restored teeth; six with positive and six with negative bacterial growth on the second sample, were selected for light microscopy and SEM. The hand-excavation removed tooth structure was soft, irreversibly damaged, dark and highly infected. Hand excavation reached dentine of increased hardness with a more normal colour to provide a sound structural base for restoration. Light and SEM examination of the cavity floor showed infected dentinal tubules in all 12 teeth examined. Linear logistic analysis showed a statistical association between light-yellow dentine on the cavity floor and an absence of bacterial growth (P = 0.006). This short-term in vitro study showed that caries-producing bacteria remained in dentine close to the cavity floor in 26/35 teeth despite clinical observations that indicated a suitably prepared cavity floor.
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    Analysis of attendance rates at Soweto dental clinics 1995 - 2002
    (2004) Harkison, B. N.; Cleaton-Jones, P. E.
    BACKGROUND: Patient attendance rates at Soweto dental clinics increased during the year after the implementation of free primary oral health care in 1995. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to examine if the attendance rates continued to increase between April 1995 and March 2002. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Monthly clinic records were used to record casual (pain and sepsis treatment) and booked patient attendance (restorative, prosthetic and orthodontic treatment) and number of dental operators in the nine primary health care clinics and one hospital clinic in Soweto. Data were analysed with SAS and Prism software. RESULTS: Total patient attendances in the primary health care clinics significantly increased from 6,161 in 1995 to 10,519 in 2002 (P<0.05) due to an increase in casual patients Booked patients decreased and patients treated per operator increased. In the hospital clinic the casual patient attendances decreased but booked patients significantly increased (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Patient attendance rates increased between 1995 and 2002 with an increase in dental operator workload.