Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the pandemic and the control measures implemented to contain it on the dentistry. The study also aims to identify the changes that have occurred in the field of dentistry and to compare the initial period of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Türkiye with the present situation. Material and Methods: The study assessed a total of 424 patients, with the first group being evaluated in May 2020 and the second group being evaluated in November 2022. A record was taken of the patients, detailing when they were admitted, the reason for admission, their history of systemic disease, the number of people accompanying them, and whether they had any symptoms such as cough, respiratory distress, or nasal discharge. The information from both batches was then compared. Results: During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, endodontic pain was the most prevalent complaint, followed by restorative issues such as tooth decay or tooth fracture. However, in the final stages of the pandemic, the most common complaint was about restorative issues. Temporomandibular joint disease was the second most frequent condition among the patients. Conclusion: While the number of patients who applied for dental care was low in the first period of the pandemic, the number started to increase again in the last period. It is thought that the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused an increase in temporomandibular joint disorders in individuals.
Keywords: COVID-19; dentistry; diagnosis; infection control; symptoms
Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, pandeminin ve kontrol altına almak için uygulanan önlemlerinin diş hekimliği üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Çalışma ayrıca diş hekimliği alanında meydana gelen değişimleri tespit etmeyi ve Türkiye'de koronavirüs has talığı-2019 [coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)] salgınının başlangıç dönemini mevcut durumla karşılaştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmada 1. grup Mayıs 2020 yılında, 2. grup Kasım 2022 yılında olmak üzere toplam 424 hasta değerlendirildi. Hastaların hastaneye başvuru zamanı, hastaneye başvuru nedeni, sistemik hastalık öyküsü, hastaya eşlik eden kişi sayısı, öksürük/solunum sıkıntısı/burun akıntısı semptomlarından herhangi birinin olup olmadığı öğrenildi. Her iki gruptan gelen bilgiler daha sonra karşılaştırıldı. Bulgular: COVID-19 ilk döneminde en yaygın şikâyet endodontik kaynaklı ağrı idi ve bunu diş çürüğü veya diş kırığı gibi restoratif sorunlar izledi. Ancak COVID-19 salgınının son döneminde en sık şikâyet restoratif problemler iken, en sık 2. geliş sebebi temporomandibular eklem rahatsızlıklarıydı. Sonuç: Pandeminin ilk döneminde diş tedavisi için başvuran hasta sayısı az iken, son dönemde bu sayı yeniden artmaya başladı. COVID-19 pandemisinin bireylerde temporomandibular eklem rahatsızlıklarında artışa neden olmuş olabileceği düşünülmektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler: COVID-19; diş hekimliği; tanı; enfeksiyon kontrolü; bulgular
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