Assessment of the definition of choice preferred by dental students when treating light-to-moderate dental fluorosis stains through digital simulation.

• Grant number: 22/01221-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2022
• End date: October 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Bresciani
• Grantee: Júlia de Cássia Borato Gomes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

During the last fifty years, through population-wide measures, such as the supply of fluoride in water and the use of fluoride toothpastes, there has been a decline in caries in the world. Prior to that, people were exposed to fluoride only through contact with nature, in regions where the mineral could be found, such as in waters coming from rocky mountains, or through the consumption of foods such as seafood, for example. . The expansion of fluoride use methods has drawn the attention of clinicians and health professionals due to the increase in the prevalence of mild dental fluorosis in the population. This condition is characterized by enamel hypomineralization, which can generate the optical appearance of whitish stains, in mild and moderate cases, and brownish stains, in more severe cases. Recent studies show the growing search for a socially acceptable smile, especially in the young population, which is in a phase of great socialization. Thus,, there is a great demand on the part of these young people for aesthetic dental treatments that mask the stains. Currently, the most used protocols for the aesthetic resolution of dental fluorosis are external tooth bleaching, microabrasion and resin infiltration. In view of the low number of studies that compare the preference for treatment by people with less exposure to the subject versus the preference of people who have a certain level of knowledge on the subject before the possible treatment protocols, the objective of the present project will be to contribute to a greater understanding of the psychosocial aspects related to the expectation and the aesthetic perception of dental fluorosis resolutions. Therefore, volunteers for this project will be divided into two groups. The first group will be composed of students of the 1st year of graduation of the Dentistry course. The second group will consist of undergraduate students of the Dentistry course who have already had contact with the subject of dental fluorosis and its possible resolutions in the Dentistry discipline, as well as students of the postgraduate program of the course. From photographic shots of a smile that presents mild to moderate fluorosis, digital simulations will be made. Thus, students will be exposed to this series of photos. The first will present the natural condition of the mouth, with mild to moderate dental fluorosis. The second will consist of a smile simulation submitted to the resin infiltration protocol. And the third will simulate the treatment with resin infiltrant associated with tooth whitening. At each stage, the volunteer must answer the aesthetic perception and satisfaction form according to the respective photos. For statistical analysis, data will be described by percentage of frequency and analyzed by association tests (5%).