This study evaluated the sealing of composite resin restorations after cavity preparation with high speed diamonds burs or Er:YAG laser. Two different adhesive systems were used; conventional and self-etching. Seventy bovine incisors were divided into groups according to the cavity treatment (N = 10): G1 (bur + acid + Excite); G2 (bur + One Up); G3 (bur + laser + Excite); G3 (bur + laser + One Up); G4 (laser + acid + Excite); G5 (laser + One Up) and G6 (laser + Excite). Restorations were performed with Filtek Z250 3M/ESPE. The specimes were then thermocycled and placed in a vacuum machine, at a negative atmosphere of 20 inch Hg for 5 minutes, for removal of entrapped air. This procedure was followed by immersion in a 50% silver nitrate solution. The teeth were sectioned and the evaluation of the marginal leakage was performed in a light stereomicroscope. The results were submitted to the ANOVA and Tukey statistical tests. It was concluded that preparations performed with high-speed turbines and Er:YAG laser presented the same performance; preparations with Er:YAG laser submitted to acid-etching and conventional adhesive system presented high values of marginal leakage, with statistical significance; conventional and self-etching adhesive systems presented the same performance as to marginal microleakage.

The role of dental plaque in gingivitis and periodontitis is well established. It is commonly observed that daily brushing often fails to achieve and maintain optimum gingival health. In order to improve the efficacy of the self-performed mechanical tooth cleaning procedure, antimicrobial substances like chlorhexidine, metallic ions, fluorides and various phenolic compounds have been evaluated, as such adjuvants in clinical trials that have been added to dentifrice used during tooth brushing. Triclosan (2, 4, 4' trichloro-2'hydroxyphenylether) is a nonionic antibacterial agent with broad spectrum activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. Recently, triclosan was introduced in toothpaste and mouth rinses for control of plaque and gingivitis. However, maximum antiplaque activity is shown when triclosan is used in combination with agents like copolymer polyvinyl methyl ether maleic acid (PVM/MA). The PVM/MA copolymer retains the triclosan on the soft and hard surfaces of the oral cavity for several hours. This study aims in proving efficacy of triclosan copolymer toothpaste over the triclosan alone and non-triclosan toothpaste in reduction of plaque and gingivitis.

This study evaluated the microhardness of restorative materials after the use of self-etching and acid-etching adhesives. Specimens were divided into four groups: Group 1 (CR): Composite resin, Group 2 (GIC): Glass ionomer cement chemically activated, Group 3 (EC): Dual resinous cement, Group 4 (E): Dual resinous cement. Each group was divided into three subgroups, according to the type of adhesive system applied on the surface: Subgroup 1 (C): Control subgroup, Subgroup 2 (XE): Xeno III self-etching adhesive, Subgroup 3 (SB): Single bond acid-etching adhesive. Vickers microhardness analysis was performed on the surfaces and the data were submitted to the two-way ANOVA and the Tukey's test. The means for the material factor: GIC: (35.61)a; CR: (43.54)b; E: (44.65)b; EC: (50.13)c. The means for the adhesive factor: SB: (36.35)a; XE: (38.44)a; C: (55.65)b. All materials tested showed a decrease in surface hardness after application of the adhesive systems, irrespective of the system. The lowest microhardness was shown by GIC and the highest by Enforce Core.

Hybrid technique of maxillary distraction osteogenesis is the latest advance introduced to correct maxillary hypoplasia in cleft lip and palate patients. The objectives of this study was to clinically and cephalometrically evaluate the stability of advanced maxilla over a period of 3 years, after maxillary advancement with hybrid technique of distraction osteogenesis in cleft lip and palate patients, and to asses the patient compliance during the procedure.

Ten cleft lip and palate patients having severe maxillary hypoplasia underwent surgical correction of maxillary hypoplasia using hybrid technique of distraction osteogenesis where the rigid external distraction device was immediately removed after the active distraction period, and the advanced maxilla was fixed with rigid internal fixation. Clinical and cephalometrical analyses of the craniofacial skeleton were done at the predistraction, after active distraction and 3 years postdistraction period.

The results of the clinical and cephalometrical evaluation indicated that there was an effective horizontal advancement of maxilla, increase in the length of the maxilla and a positive correction of overjet all together esthetically improving the facial profile. Three years post distraction evaluation of both the hard and soft tissue profiles indicated a very minimal relapse. All the patients had greater level of compliance after the removal of rigid external distractor and fixation of the distracted maxilla.

This study concluded that hybrid technique of maxillary distraction osteogenesis in cleft lip and palate patients gave esthetically acceptable facial profile with minimal relapse after 3 years of follow-up and an increased level of patient compliance during the procedure.

Developmental defects of enamel may lead to esthetic tribulations. Malformed dental enamel is usually susceptible to caries and sensitivity of teeth. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the distribution of developmental defects affecting the enamel surfaces in the teeth of newborn babies of the mothers, caused by the use of lithium for a long time during pregnancy.

The female rabbits were kept on this drug during pregnancy and their offsprings were used for the study. They were sacrificed to obtain their jaws. Teeth were extracted for assessment of the congenital defects developed during intrauterine life. Surface structure was studied by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDX).

The results showed that the drug had caused erosions of the incisors and the molars, as compared to the premolars.

According to the results, incisors and the molars appeared esthetically and functionally compromised teeth. The drug should, therefore, be used by doctor's prescription only, especially during pregnancy, avoiding the teratogenic effect on the dentition of the newborns.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of different placement techniques (bulk, oblique incremental, centripetal and split horizontal) on marginal microleakage in class II composite restoration.

Standardized class II preparations were made in 40 caries-free extracted molars and randomly assigned to four groups (n = 10): (1) Bulk technique (2) oblique incremental insertion technique,(3) centripetal incremental insertion technique and (4) split horizontal incremental insertion. The teeth were restored with a total-etch adhesive and nanocomposite resin. The specimens were immersed in a solution of 2% methylene blue for 24 hours, and subsequently evaluated for leakage. The microleakage scores (0 to 4) obtained from the occlusal and cervical walls were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests (p < 0.05).

Microleakage scores indicated that incremental technique was better than bulk for composite placement and among incremental techniques split incremental technique showed best results.

Incremental placement technique showed lower microleakage compared to bulk, and lower microleakage was seen at occlusal margin compared to gingival margin. Split horizontal incremental technique showed the least microleakage scores among incremental techniques

This study evaluated the effect of the Er:YAG laser at different settings on the surface of bovine dentin as well as adhesive systems. A total of 21 bovine teeth had their apexes embedded in chemically activated acrylic resin to allow sectioning of a dentin slice parallel to the buccal aspect of each tooth. Thus, group A (12 slices), prepared with the high-speed turbine, being four for analysis of the dentin surface, four for analysis of the interface and four for analysis of resin tags. Group B (9 slices) prepared with the Er:YAG laser, being three for analysis of the surface, three for analysis of the interface and three for analysis of resin tags. Each slice received a different treatment: etching with phosphoric acid, Er:YAG laser (60 mJ/10 Hz), conventional adhesive Excite (Vivadent) and self-etching adhesive One-Up Bond F (Tokuyama). For analysis of the interface, all slices were fractured for exposure of the resin/dentin bond. All slices were processed to allow evaluation by scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the Er:YAG laser employed both for preparation and dentin etching removed the smear layer, opened the dentinal tubules and yielded surface cracks; there was formation of a large amount and deep tags in the study groups, except for the slice prepared with diamond bur at high-speed and self-etching adhesive systems; the interfaces revealed adequate adaptation of the adhesive system/composite resin to the dentin, with little evidence of hybrid layer; also, the slice prepared with diamond bur, etched with phosphoric acid and receiving the Excite adhesive system displayed a porous hybrid layer.

Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is an aggressive cyst with neoplastic behavior and unicystic ameloblastoma (UA) is a neoplasm with cyst like behavior. Both odontogenic keratocyst and unicystic ameloblastoma show biologic behavior unlike other lesions in their respective groups. In the present study, the biological behavior of these lesions were assessed by studying the collagen fibers in their walls using picrosirius red (PSR) polarization method.

Collagen fibers in 20 cases of OKC and 20 cases of UA were studied histologically by staining sections with picrosirius red dye and examining them by polarizing microscopy. Polarization colors of the collagen fibers of the lesions were recorded according to their width.

While no differences were seen between the polarization colors of thin fibers (< 0.8 μ) in both odontogenic keratocyst and unicystic ameloblastoma, the polarization colors of thick fibers of odontogenic keratocyst were significantly more greenish-yellow as compared to the unicystic ameloblastoma which were predominantly yellowish-red.

These findings suggest that odontogenic keratocyst is a more aggressive lesion than unicystic ameloblastoma by means of identifying abnormally packed collagen fibers in odontogenic keratocyst but not in unicystic ameloblastoma. Thus, the nature of collagen fibers as studied by the picrosirius red polarization method may be useful as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between the two lesions.

Development of an optimal interface between bone and orthopedic or dental implants has taken place for many years. In order to determine whether a newly developed implant material conforms to the requirements of biocompatibility, mechanical stability and safety, it must undergo rigorous testing both in vitro and in vivo. Results from in vitro studies can be difficult to extrapolate to the in vivo situation. For this reason the use of animal models is often an essential step in the testing of orthopedic and dental implants prior to clinical use in humans. This review discusses the reasons, the importance, and the research carried out in rabbits in our quest to develop a dental implant ideally suited for human bone.

The occurrence of dental traumas in children is on the rise, according to the literature, and require correct and adequate treatment specific to each fracture in order to preserve the remaining tooth. This article reports a case of a complicated crown fracture of maxillary right central incisor. It describes the reattachment of the original tooth fragment to the fractured tooth, provides benefits of maintaining the tooth's shape, color texture and translucency of the restoration.

Darier's disease (DD) is a rare autosomal dominant genodermatosis clinically manifested by greasy hyperkeratotic papules primarily affecting seborrheic areas with less frequent involvement of the oral mucosa. Oral manifestations, if present, are usually asymptomatic, and are discovered in routine dental examination. Acantholysis and dyskeratosis represented by corps ronds and corps grains are the typical histological findings.

We report a case with clinical signs of DD in the palatal mucosa and skin. Skin biopsy and analysis of clinical history helped to diagnose DD. We report this case because of its clinical rarity as the prevalence of the disease has been estimated at 1/50,000-1,00,000. This could be a case of sporadic mutation as there was no family history. This case emphasizes the importance of oral examination among dermatologists, clinicians and pathologists to clinch the diagnosis of DD as it has a wide range of clinical presentations, therefore going undiagnosed for many years.

A case of skeletal class III malocclusion treated by both orthodontics and orthognathic surgery is presented. In this case, body osteotomy has been done so as to maintain the natural integrity of the posterior part of stomatognathic system, including the TMJ. A new splint was designed to position and align the sectioned mandibular segments so as to assist in easy fixation and obtain proper occlusion. The postsurgical orthodontic treatment was minimal and no relapse was observed even after 1 year follow-up.

Several systemic factors are known to contribute oral diseases. At same time, the drugs used for the treatment of such systemic diseases itself might cause spectrum of clinical conditions. The identification of a positive agent becomes difficult when the patient is on multiple drug regimens.

Reporting a case of an elderly female patient, who was on regular medication for hypertension over 5 years, developed generalized bullous eruptions in couple of weeks after being treated with Ciprofloxacin and Paracetamol for urinary tract infection. The dermal lesion worsened with administration of Dapsone.

The placement of implants in patients with aggressive periodontitis has always been questioned. The presence of highly pathogenic bacteria, severe periodontal bone destruction and the refractory nature of this disease tends to deter the clinician from placing implants in these patients. With good patient compliance and regular maintenance, the placement of implants in these patients becomes a viable treatment option. The following is a report of an implant placed in one such patient and successfully followed up over a period of 5 years.

Until recently, periodontal therapy was predominantly focused on establishing biologically and functionally stable periodontium. The presence of mucogingival problems and gingival recession around anterior teeth exemplifies a situation in which a treatment modality that addresses not only biological and functional but also esthetic demands are required from the periodontist. The advent of procedure such as subepithelial connective tissue graft in the mid-1980s and its various modifications thereafter, have led to improved and more predictable outcomes of root coverage. Thus, the present day clinicians have become more capable of addressing the esthetic demands of their patients. This case report shows the usage of subepithelial connective tissue graft for root coverage of upper right first premolar, which shows successful root coverage with a stable result. The technique used here created a healthy, functional and esthetic gingival unit that appeared resistant to further breakdown at a 6-month follow-up.

Around the world, systems of publication and patenting help ease the tension, but successful navigation of these systems requires a combination of awareness and strategic planning. It is not a simple task for the scientist to strike a balance between publication and protection of discoveries. Patent legislation gives legal protection to new inventions once they have been patented by their owners. A patent is a temporary monopoly granted to the owner in return for disclosure of the invention to the public. This article has provided some insight of US/European patents with regards to dentistry, and will promote a better understanding of the scope and impact of a patent disclosure, and the issued claims in the field of dentistry and medicine as far as US/European patent systems are concerned.

Rubber dam is essential for effective isolation of the root canal and operating field from salivary bacteria as well as protection of the airway. Rubber dam is easy to apply once the basic components and principles are understood. The most common reasons for not using rubber dam for a procedure were patients inconvenience and belief that it is unnecessary. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the patients attitude to rubber dam after educating them about the use and benefits of rubber dam.

A questionnaire containing 11 questions was circulated to 20 male and 20 female patients undergoing root canal treatment after explaining about the rubber dam. Information sought included attitude toward the current and anticipated use of rubber dam for a variety of endodontic treatments.

A total of 24 patients out of 40 said that they had a pleasant experience and preferred its use next time. Around 30 patients felt that the use of rubber dam benefits both patient and the doctor.

There was not much of a difference in patient's attitude to rubber dam and mean application time. Those who had a good current experience preferred rubber dam use next time also.

Percutaneous injuries in the dental office are one of the main risk factors for the transmission of diseases like hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HBV is an important infectious disease that is to be focused on in a dental setting. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dental work ranks first in the frequency of potential sources for acquiring viral hepatitis, while dental employment ranks eleventh. It is necessary that all dental practitioners are aware of the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to be followed in case of exposure to HBV, HCV or HIV and the protocol followed in situations of exposure and that adequate reporting of the situation is performed. The protocol discussed is to be displayed in all dental settings so that every dental personnel will be aware of the necessary prophylaxis to be followed in any case of accidental exposure to infected source.