Avicenna Journal of Dental Research
Volume:1 Issue: 2, Jan 2010

Saliva has an old history of study, It is of physiological importance. Saliva has hundreds of components which help detect systemic diseases and also provide biomarkers of health and disease status. Saliva has three major functions: digestion, protection and lubrication. Saliva also functions in maintenance of tooth integrity. Also, the carbohydrates of salivary glycoprotein carry the ABH blood group antigens, expressing in the salivary glands and secreted in the saliva. Saliva is a good indicator of the plasma levels of various substances such as hormones and drugs. The use of saliva as a diagnostic and monitoring method for periodontal diseases and many other infectious diseases has been studied. The relatively easy and non-invasive nature of sample collecting is considered as a simple low-cost stage but the problem is the low concentrations of the markers in comparsion to the plasma.

Statement of the problem: Periodontitis is a common infectious disease that can be affected by different factors.Periodontal conditions can be influenced by systemic diseases and they also can act as risk factors for some systemic diseases. Several studies have been carried out on the relationship between cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease. The purpose of our study was to evaluate periodontal indices in patients with ischemic heart disease who had a perfusion scan taken in a private gamma scan center in Hamadan. This case control study was carried out on 40 patients who were referred by a cardiologist to the Gamma Scan Center in Hamadan for taking a myocardial perfusion scan. The patients were periodontally examined and periodontal indices were recorded for each patient. The patients were then divided into two groups. The case group consisted of 20 patients with positive heart scan results and the control group consisted of 20 subjects with negative heart scan results. The two groups were matched in age and gender. Data were analyzed by SPSS, Version 11. Chi-square test was used for comparing gingival indices (GI) in both groups. In this study, 40 patients consisting of 26 females (65%) and 14 males (35%) were examined. The mean age of patients was 54.45 years in the case group and 54.30 years in the control group. There were significant differences between the means of all indices except the plaque indices. This study showed higher incidence and more severe periodontal diseases in patients with positive perfusion scan.

Statement of the problem: Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is a condition presented with burning sensation without any pathologic changes of oral mucosa. Since there are no accurate diagnostic criteria and because symptoms are so variable the studies have shown different prevalence. Limited studies have been performed to estimate prevalence, of BMS in Iran and worldwide. This research was conducted among Iranian patients to four dental schools in the City of Tehran in 2007. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 650 patients, 269 men and 381 women (originally Iranian) attending four dental schools in Tehran: Shahed, Shahid Beheshti, Tehran and Islamic Azad University in 2007. The sampling method was non-randomized as all the patients attending the four oral medicine departments on a certain period were included in this study. A questionnaire was designed to collect data on demographic characteristics, medical history and drugs taken by the patients. Patients’ age ranged from 11 - 81 years (mean 35.63± 12.98). Totally, 9 patients had burning mouth without any underlying oral lesion. Burning Mouth Syndrome in the Iranian population has low prevalence and is more frequent in females. Furthermore, it is associated with xerostomia and taking medications.

Statement of the problem: Recent studies have indicated that juvenile periodontitis in the permanent dentition of adolescents often is preceded by bone loss. The previous studies revealed the importance of early recognition and treatment of these patients to prevent the transition of the Early Onset Periodontitis(EOP) from the primary dentition to the permanent dentition. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of marginal bone loss and also to investigate the base line values of the alveolar bone height in primary molars using direct measurements in standardized bitewing (B. W) radiographs in healthy 7-9 year old boys living in Hamadan, Iran.Method and Materials: Four hundreds healthy 7-9 year old junior school boys with no clinical evidence of dental caries, diastema and fillings in intermolar areas (D, E) were selected. Then bitewing radiographs were taken and examined. According to the alveolar bone crest level, the mean of cementoenemal junction- alveolar bone crest distance for all primary teeth was 0.82 mm. In 89 surfaces (3.5%) of the total examined surfaces the distances were greater than 2mm indicating the prevalence of alveolar bone loss. This study provides useful base line data on alveolar bone height and shape of periodontium in clinical assessment regarding radiographical examination. Patients at risk should be identified and cured carefully. The most important step is to establish proper diagnostic measurements to prevent the chronicity and continuous progress of periodontal disease.

Statement of problem: As HIV/AIDS transmits through direct contact and via blood (possibly also saliva), the risk of cross-infection in a dental practice has become important. Dentists play an important role in detecting and treating oral manifestations of HIV. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge and attitudes among general dentists working in Tehran towards HIV/AIDS. In a cross – sectional descriptive study, knowledge and attitude among 370 dentists towards HIV/AIDS were evaluated by a questionnaire consisting of 29 questions. Three hundred and seventy dentists, consisting of 262 males (70.8%) and 108 females (29.2%), participated in this study. The mean age was 38.6 (range 25-57 years). The mean years of work experiences after graduating was 12.9±8.3 years (range 0-29 years). In this study, the total maximum score was 72 (4 scores for each correct answer). In general, level of dentists’ knowledge about HIV/AIDS was low. An educational program about AIDS is highly recommended.

Statement of the problem: Diagnosis of periodontal diseases without any accurate radiograph is inadequate. Bitewing (BW) and periapical (PA) radiographic techniques are commonly used to assess alveolar bone crest (ABC) level which is crucial in the evaluation of periodontal disease. The purpose of this study was to compare the precision of BW and PA radiographs in determining the distance between the alveolar bone crest (ABC) and cemento-enamel junction (CEJ). This study evaluated 80 interproximal surfaces in patients suffering from chronic periodontitis. BW and PA radiographs were taken from posterior teeth of each patient and the distance between CEJ to ABC was measured on them. The real distance was determined during surgery by means of a periodontal probe. Statistical analysis was done by paired t-test. According to this study the mean real distance between CEJ and ABC was found to be 4.266±1.467 mm, and the mean distances on BW and PA radiographs were 4.014±1.488 and 3.826±1.483 mm respectively. These results showed that on average the distance measured on BW radiograph appeared to be 0.252 mm (6%) lower than the real distance (p=0.000) and 0.44mm (10%) less in the PA technique (p=0.002). The bitewing technique is more accurate in the assessment of the alveolar bone crest level compared with the PA technique.

Statement of the problems: Nowadays in many of the dental radiography centers in Iran, three types of intraoral films are being used. There is a controversy about the best film regarding to sensitivity properties. In this study, we aimed to compare sensitivity characteristics and detail recording of intraoral films. Methods and materials: In this experimental study, three types of intraoral dental films (Agfa E&F-speed Dentus M2 Comfort, Kodak Intraoral E-speed and Foma Dentix Intraoral E-speed) were evaluated by drawing the characteristic curves of these three types of films. Sensitivity characteristics of each film were defined considering their characteristic curves. To measure the accuracy of the films in recording details an aluminum test object was used. Finally, the sensitivity characteristics of the films and their ability in detail recording in different processing conditions were compared. Data were analyzed using the ANOVA test. The findings indicate that Foma-dentix film presents the highest base plus fogy density using both fresh and used developer solutions. The relative speed of Kodak film was higher than the others. Kodak and Foma-dentix films had the highest and the lowest contrast, respectively. Considering the rate of detail recording, it was found that the detail recording of Agfa film was much better than the two other films in different developing and exposure conditions. The One-way ANOVA test showed significant statistical difference. The sensitivity characteristics of Kodak films are better than the other ones. The accuracy of detail resolution of Agfa film was the highest. To achieve a high quality film, it is advised to use a new developer solution.

It has been argued that Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) may increase the risk of oral cancer. Patients with OLP may be at an increased risk for developing of OSCC (Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma). Here, the author reports a case of OLP initially presenting with a clearly benign OLP lesion that transformed into OSCC over a course of 18 months. This report may provide a clear evidence for OLP lesion as a potential pre-malignant state.