42^nd Asia Pacific Dental and Oral Care Congress

Dental products can be classified into various subcategories like diagnostics, drugs and pharmaceuticals, equipment and materials, whitening products, etc. Over the counter products include toothpaste, powered toothbrushes, manual toothbrushes, mouthwashes. The quality of treatment depends on the quality of product used for the treatment. Marketing is key to success for any business, and dentistry is not exception to that. Because of the boom in information technology, general dental patients are more aware of the options available to them; this makes marketing a challenge for both manufacturing companies and dentists for their respective products and services. Some platforms and methods used by manufacturing companies and dentists for marketing include: Website, search engine optimization, online reputation management and branding.

In recent years, research in science and modern dentistry has been driven by developments in dental biomaterials science. A biomaterial is any substance or drug that has been designed to interact with a biological system for a therapeutic or medical cause. With the development of any new biocompatible materials, it can be used for the improvement of the presently existing materials characteristics that can in turn broaden the applications of biomaterials in dentistry field. The most commonly used biomaterials including dentin bonding, luting agent, glass ionomers and ceramics require a better understanding in multidisciplinary approach, for the development of new desi oral hard tissues regeneration. The Dental Biomaterials are targeted to treatment in dental enamel, dentine, dental pulp, periodontium, bone, oral, soft tissues, regeneration, arresting dental caries, enamel and dentine remineralization, repairing congenital defects (cleft lip and palate), enhancing dento-facial aesthetics.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery includes diagnosis, surgery and treatment of defects, injuries and diseases mainly in the oral hard and soft tissues, head, neck, face and maxillofacial region i.e. jaws and face. Functions of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon may include dental replacements, jaw, oral and facial tumor diagnosis and removal, jaw and facial bone alignment, jaw reconstruction, etc. In the mid-1980s, CO2 Laser was first introduced that gained immense popularity in the field of periodontology mainly because of ease of simultaneous photo-thermal ablation and coagulation. Recent innovations in oral and maxillofacial surgery include trans-oral robotic surgery and titanium miniplates in the field of guided maxillofacial surgery.

Dental nurses are dental care professionals that provide assistance and support for clinical and non-clinical aspects of patient care. A dental nurse is able to work in all branches of dentistry like general dental practice and hospital and community services. Roles and responsibilities of dental nurses include: Performing infection control and decontamination procedures, handling dental materials, maintaining dental equipment and instruments and providing administrative support. Dental nurses should maintain ethical behavior for the profession, for the patient and for the community. Ethically, dental nurses should be motivated to maintain honor and integrity of the profession and support the dentist in proper patient treatment and welfare of the community. Dental nurse should perform only those dental works which they are entitled to perform. For the patients, the nurses should safeguard the welfare of patient regardless of sex, creed, race, economic standards, etc. Since patients are in close contact with the nurses, it is important for nurses to follow high ethical standards.

Pediatric dentists are dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy through the teen years. They have the experience and qualifications to care for a child’s teeth, gums, and mouth throughout the various stages of childhood.

Some specialized tasks of pedodontists include:

Infant oral health exams

Distribution of relaxation medications

Special counseling on nutrition

Emergency dental care

Space management after the premature loss of a primary tooth

Discouragement of thumb and finger sucking through appliances and method

Cosmetic Dentistry is improvisation of the appearance of the teeth, gums or bite. It mainly concentrates on the improvement of dental aesthetics in terms of color, size, alignment position, and overall smile appearance. Some of the latest techniques and products in cosmetic dentistry are Teeth Whitening, Bonding, Veneers, Crowns, Enamel Shaping and Contouring, Bridges, Braces, etc. Bonding makes use of tooth-collared amalgamated resin (plastic) to Implant Dentistry. Chipped, discolored, broken and decomposed teeth can be corrected with bonding technique. Teeth whitening procedure reduces pigments and improves the color of the teeth. Veneers made of ceramic materials cover the front part of the teeth to change the shape of color. On the other hand, crowns are caps which cover the entire tooth restoring a normal shape and size.

Prosthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the designing, manufacturing, making and fitting of artificial replacements of missing part of the mouth. It also deals with the treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral parts functioning. Prosthodontics has four main branches: Removable prosthodontics; fixed prosthodontics; maxillofacial prosthodontics; and Implant prosthodontics. It is a form of restorative dentistry which deals with the treatment of multiple teeth at one time. Success in prosthodontics treatment requires a strong background in basic and clinical sciences along with excellent theoretical and technical skills as well as effective organizational capabilities. There are much recent advancements like use of CAD/CAM on fixed restoration; laser application in prosthetic dentistry and Stafne’s bone cavity and its utilization incomplete denature retention.

Sports dentistry is the branch of sports medicine dealing with prevention and treatment of dental injuries and oral diseases associated with sports and exercise. Amateur and young athletes face greater risk of oral injuries, because they may not receive proper guidance and/or training. Although the indication of customized types of mouthguards has increased, and the effectiveness for preventing injuries has been demonstrated, there is a need to further specify the sport characteristic, age group, selected material, guard design, as well as time of use. Current evidence also shows that mouthguards may lose efficiency over time, due to use and regular maintenance.

3D Imaging is one of the most significant tools for orthodontists to evaluate and record size and form of craniofacial structures. Orthodontists regularly use 2-dimensional (2D) static imaging procedures, but deepness of structures cannot be acquired and restricted with 2D imaging. Three-dimensional (3D) imaging has been developed in the early of 1990's and has gained a prized place in dentistry, particularly in orthodontics. In 3D diagnostic imaging, a series of anatomical records is gathered using certain technical equipment, processed by a computer and later presented on a 2D monitor to present the illusion of deepness.

Digital dentistry refers to the use of dental technologies or devices to carry out dental procedures rather than using mechanical or electrical tools. The use of digital dentistry can make carrying out dental procedures more efficient than using mechanical tools.

The use of engineered nanomaterial (ENMs) to enhance the mechanical and physiological functions of the tooth via new nanofillers and composites should provide an enhanced capability for some areas of restorative dentistry. Nanotechnology is concerned with the physical, chemical, and biological properties of structures and their components at nanoscale dimensions. High understanding of materials and oral tissues combine at nanoscale has bring many researches for therapeutic dental applications, like fluoride release, drug delivery. For the public and patients, the Nano specific labeling on the many personal care products in dentistry can be improved to clearly evaluate the Nano ingredient(s). Thus, giving clarity on whether a product contains an ENM and what the proposed mode of action or benefit of the new product might be to the consumer.

Oral microbiology is a science which deals with the oral micro biota and their interactions with the host. Oral bacteria utilize the ecological niche provided by gingival epithelium and tooth surface. Constant monitoring of bacterial colonization and prevention of bacterial invasions is done by the innate host defense system. Increase in bacterial colonization in the oral cavity leads to dental plaques and then causes dental caries and periodontal disease. Lack of oral hygiene and influential factors which effect the structure of microbial community leads to Oral diseases. To identify the main cause for the onset of oral diseases it is essential to understand the oral environment and microbial interactions.

Periodontology is the branch of dentistry that deals with the scientific study, diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the surrounding tissues (Gum, Alveolar mucosa, periodontal ligament, etc.) of teeth. There are various roles played by periodontium like: they resist and optimize the forces generated by speech, mastication and swallowing; adjust the structural changes associated with age and external environment by continuous regeneration and remodeling. Periodontology deals with diseases which can be classified into gingivitis and chronic periodontitis. The common symptoms of gingivitis are redness, edema and bleeding. Chronic periodontitis can cause inflammation and bone loss. These diseases can be treated with periodontal therapy which includes oral hygiene, scaling and root planning and with the usage of antimicrobials.

Orthodontia is the branch of dentistry that is concerned with the correction, prevention and treatment of the malocclusion, improper bites and crooked teeth as well as abnormalities of the dento-facial region. The main objective of orthodontics can be explained by Jackson’s triad which includes: Structural balance; functional efficiency; and aesthetic harmony. Orthodontics can be performed in three ways by alteration in tooth position, skeletal patter and soft tissue pattern. In the recent advancements of orthodontics, introduction of cone beam CT scanning has proved to be revolutionizing in treatment planning and evaluation. Recently, passive self-ligating brackets are used which have the ability to reduce crowding and eliminating the need for extraction.

Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with diseases of dental pulp, tooth root, and encompassing tissue. Teeth are made up of a hard structure enveloping a delicate, living tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains veins, nerves and connective tissues.  When the pulp gets infected or inflamed endodontic treatment is necessary to spare the tooth.

Forensic odontology is the application of dental science that helps in the identification of various medicolegal issues using physical and organic dental proof. It helps dental specialists to recognize bite marks found on the victim, human remains that cannot be identified by face recognition or fingerprints, estimate the age of skeletal remains.

Dental professionals are routinely opposed with certain conditions that incorporate hazard administration, interrelated moral, and true consistence issues. Remembering the ultimate objective to meet the most shocking good benchmarks dental professionals swing to a guide, the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. The American Dental Association (ADA) is America's driving patron for oral prosperity and reliably, this association has created the fundamental wellbeing of oral prosperity related information for dental experts and patients.