Frontiers in Dentistry
Volume:11 Issue: 4, May 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical properties (flexural strength، micro-shear bond strength) and remineralizing potential of fissure sealants by adding various concentrations of β-tricalcium phosphate nanoparticles. This in-vitro study consisted of five experimental groups containing prepared nano-fisssure sealants (1-5 wt. % b-TCP nanoparticles) and two control groups containing a prepared and a commercial fissure sealant. Flexural/micro-shear bond strength values were measured using Zwick test machine. Cavities on sixty healthy premolar teeth were filled with the fissure sealants containing 0-5 wt. % of nano b-TCP. The samples were assessed for remineralization under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDAX. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test، One-way ANOVA and Tukey''s Post Hoc analysis/HSD were used to analyze the data. There was no significant difference between the flexural strengths/elastic modulus of the 0-5 wt. % nano β-TCP groups (p>0. 05). The average flexural strength/elastic modulus of the prepared fissure sealant group (0%) was significantly higher than the commercial fissure sealant group (Clinpro) (p<0. 05). There was no significant difference between micro-shear bond strengths of the experimental groups (1-5 wt. %)، and between the commercial and the prepared (0%) fissure sealant groups (p>0. 05). Examining the samples under SEM showed a significant increase in thickness of the intermediate layer with increasing concentrations of β-TCP nanoparticles (p<0. 05). Addition of 1-5 wt. % b-TCP nanoparticles to the fissure sealants significantly increased the remineralization potential without affecting the mechanical properties.

Bond failure of brackets during orthodontic treatment is a common problem; which results in treatment interference, increased treatment time and prolonged clinical time for rebonding of failed brackets. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Coca-Cola and a non-alcoholic beer on the shear bond strength and adhesive remnant index (ARI) of orthodontic metal brackets in vitro. Eighty intact human premolars were divided into two experimental groups of Coca-Cola and non-alcoholic beer (Istak), and a control group of artificial saliva. Over a period of thirty days, the test groups were immersed in the respective soft drinks for 5 minutes, twice a day. For the remainder of the time, they were kept in artificial saliva at 37°C. The control group was stored in artificial saliva during the experiment. All samples were subjected to shearing forces using Universal Testing Machine. ARI was determined with a stereomicroscope at ×12 magnification. The data of shear bond strength were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s Post-Hoc test and the data of ARI scores were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test. No significant difference was observed in ARIs of the three groups (P≤ 0.552). The shear bond strength of Coke group was significantly lower than that of the two other groups (P≤ 0.035); but there was no significant difference between the shear bond strength of Istak and the control group (P≤ 0.999). Coca-Cola decreased the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets.

Acrylic resin denture bases undergo dimensional changes during polymerization. Injection molding techniques are reported to reduce these changes and thereby improve physical properties of denture bases. The aim of this study was to compare dimensional changes of specimens processed by conventional and injection-molding techniques. SR-Ivocap Triplex Hot resin was used for conventional pressure-packed and SR-Ivocap High Impact was used for injection-molding techniques. After processing, all the specimens were stored in distilled water at room temperature until measured. For dimensional accuracy evaluation, measurements were recorded at 24-hour, 48-hour and 12-day intervals using a digital caliper with an accuracy of 0.01 mm. Statistical analysis was carried out by SPSS (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) using t-test and repeated-measures ANOVA. Statistical significance was defined at P<0.05. After each water storage period, the acrylic specimens produced by injection exhibited less dimensional changes compared to those produced by the conventional technique. Curing shrinkage was compensated by water sorption with an increase in water storage time decreasing dimensional changes. Within the limitations of this study, dimensional changes of acrylic resin specimens were influenced by the molding technique used and SR-Ivocap injection procedure exhibited higher dimensional accuracy compared to conventional molding.

Dental caries is an infectious disease that can be prevented in several ways. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of sodium fluoride mouthrinse and nano- hydroxyapatite (nano-HA) for the remineralization of incipient caries. After obtaining different concentrations of nano-HA (0-2-5-10%), 60 sound premolars fixed in acrylic blocks were coated with nail polish except for one surface. Ten teeth (control group) were stored in distilled water and the remaining 50 samples were demineralized by immersion in 13 ml of 0.1 M lactic acid and 0.2% poly acrylic acid for 48 hours. Their microhardness was then measured and compared to that of the control group. Next, the 50 test teeth were randomly divided into 5 groups of group1 (negative), group 2 (2% nano-HA), group 3 (5% nano-HA), group 4(10% nano-HA) and group 5 (0.2 NAF mouthrinse). The microhardness of the teeth was measured after 12 hours of immersion in the above-mentioned solutions. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Microhardness of all samples decreased significantly after immersion in the demineralization solution and increased following immersion in nano-HA and NAF mouthrinses; however, this increase was not statistically significant (P=0.711). Nano-HA and NAF mouthrinses can greatly enhance remineralization and increase tooth microhardness.

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of argon laser irradiation on development and progress of enamel demineralization around orthodontic brackets. Fifty caries-free, intact human premolars were randomly assigned to one of the following five equal groups: Groups 1 (control) and 2: The brackets were bonded using conventional halogen light for 40s and argon laser for 10s, respectively. Teeth in group 3 were lased with argon laser for 10s before bracket bonding with halogen light. Group 4 was the same as group 3 except that brackets were also bonded with argon laser. In group 5 samples were bonded conventionally, immersed in an artificial caries solution for two days and then irradiated for 10s with argon laser.All samples were subjected to demineralization by artificial caries solution for 10 days. After bracket removal, samples were buccolingually sectioned and evaluated by polarized light microscopy. Decalcified lesion depth in each section was measured by a trained examiner in a blind fashion. Data were analyzed in SPSS 14 using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD post hoc test. The control group showed the greatest mean lesion depth while group 5 revealed the lowest. The laser-treated groups had significantly lower mean lesion depth compared with the control group (P<0.05) except for group 4 (P=0.192). Argon laser irradiation for 10s before or during bracket bonding can increase caries resistance of intact and demineralized enamel.

Microleakage is a main cause of restorative treatment failure. In this study, we compared occlusal and cervical microleakage of two self-adhesive cements after 24 hours and two months. In this in-vitro experimental study, class II inlay cavities were prepared on 60 sound human third molars. Composite inlays were fabricated with Z100 composite resin. The teeth were randomly assigned to six groups. RelyX-Arc (control), RelyX-Unicem and Maxcem were used for the first three groups and specimens were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours. The same cements were used for the remaining three groups, but the specimens were stored for 2 months. The teeth were subjected to 500 thermal cycles (5°C and 55°C) and immersed in 0.5% basic fuchsin for 24 hours and then sectioned mesiodistally and dye penetration was evaluated in a class II cavity with occlusal and cervical margins using X20 magnification stereomicroscope. Data were analyzed using Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. After 24 hours, cements had significant differences only in cervical margin microleakage (P=0.0001) and microleakage of RelyX-Unicem and Maxcem was significantly more than that of RelyX-Arc (both P=0.0001). Cervical microleakage in RelyX-Unicem and Maxcem was greater than occlusal (P=0.0001 and P=0.001, respectively). Microleakage was not significantly different between the occlusal and cervical margins after 2 months. Cervical microleakage was greater than occlusal in RelyX-Unicem and Maxcem after 24h. The greatest microleakage was reported for the cervical margin of RelyX-Unicem after 24 hours.

In this investigation the thickness of enamel in the gingival, middle, and incisal thirds of the labial surface of the anterior teeth were measured regarding preparation of the teeth for porcelain laminate veneers.

Part one, 20 extracted intact human maxillary central and lateral incisors ten of each were selected. The teeth were imbedded in autopolimerize acrylic resin. Cross section was preformed through the midline of the incisal, middle and cervical one-third of the labial surface of the teeth. The samples were observed under reflected stereomicroscope and the thickness of enamel was recorded. Part II, the effect of different types of preparation on dentin exposure was evaluated. Thirty maxillary central incisor teeth were randomly divided into two groups: A: Knife-edge preparation. B: Chamfer preparation.All samples were embedded in autopolimerize acrylic resin using a silicon mold. The samples were cut through the midline of the teeth. The surface of the samples were polished and enamel and dentin were observed under the stereomicroscope.

Data were analyzed by ANOVA-one way test. The results of this study showed that the least enamel thickness in the central incisor was 345 and in lateral incisor is 235 μ this thickness is related to the one-third labial cervical area. Maximum thickness in maxillary central and lateral incisors in the one-third labial incisal surface was 1260 μ and 1220μ, respectively. In the second part of the study, the tendency of dentinal exposure was shown with the chamfer preparation, but no dentinal exposure was found in the knife-edge preparation. The differences between groups were significant (p<0.05).

The knowledge of enamel thickness in different part of labial surface is very important. The thickness of enamel in the gingival area does not permit a chamfer preparation. The knife edge preparation is preferable in gingival area.

Immature teeth have a large apical opening and thin divergent or parallel dentinal walls; hence, with conventional needle irrigation there is a very high possibility of extrusion. This study was done to compare the apical extrusion of NaOCl in an immature root delivered using EndoVac and needle irrigation. Eighty freshly extracted maxillary central incisors were decoronated followed by access cavity preparation. Modified organotypic protocol was performed to create an open apex; then, the samples were divided into four groups (n=20): EndoVac Microcannula (group I), EndoVac Macrocannula (group II), NaviTip irrigation needle (group III) and Max-i-Probe Irrigating needle (group IV); 9.0 ml of 3% sodium hypochlorite was delivered slowly over a period of 60 seconds. Extruded irrigants were collected in a vial and analysed statistically. Group I, group III and group IV showed 100% extrusion (20/20) but group II showed only 40% extrusion (8/20). The difference in this respect between group II and other groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). With regards to the volume of extrusion, group II had only 0.23 ml of extruded irrigant. Group I extruded 7.53ml of the irrigant. Group III and group IV extruded the entire volume of irrigant delivered. EndoVac Macrocannula resulted in the least extrusion of irrigant in immature teeth when compared to EndoVac Microcannula and conventional needle irrigation.

Use of rotary Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) instruments for endodontic preparation has introduced a new era in endodontic practice, but this issue has undergone dramatic modifications in order to achieve improved shaping abilities. Cone-beam computed tomo-graphy (CBCT) has made it possible to accurately evaluate geometrical changes following canal preparation.This study was carried out to compare canal centering ability and transportation of Twisted File and BioRaCe rotary systems by means of cone-beam computed tomography. Thirty root canals from freshly extracted mandibular and maxil-lary teeth were selected. Teeth were mounted and scanned before and after preparation by CBCT at different apical levels. Specimens were divided into 2 groups of 15. In the first group Twisted File and in the second, BioRaCe was used for canal preparation. Canal transportation and centering ability after preparation were assessed by NNT Viewer and Photoshop CS4 software. Statistical analysis was performed using t-test and two-way ANOVA. All samples showed deviations from the original axes of the canals. No significant differences were detected between the two rotary NiTi instruments for canal centering abili-ty in all sections. Regarding canal transportation however, a significant difference was seen in the BioRaCe group at 7.5mm from the apex. Under the conditions of this in vitro study, Twisted File and BioRaCe rotary NiTi files retained original canal geometry.

There is some concern that root resection may alter the seal of the previously set orthograde material. The aim of this study was to evaluate the apical sealing ability of orthograde mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and calcium enriched mixture (CEM) plugs after resection of the roots. The fluid filtration method was carried out on a total of 51 roots in three experimental (n=15) and two control (n=3) groups. The root canals were prepared 3 mm shorter than the working length. In groups A and B, 4 mm of MTA and CEM were placed in an orthograde technique, respectively, and after setting, 3 mm of the root end was resected. In group C, the apical 3 mm of each root was resected, root end preparation was carried out to a depth of 3 mm and filled with MTA. Apical microleakage values of each group were measured. Data was analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test. Means and standard deviations of apical microleakage in groups A (MTA orthograde), B (CEM orthograde) and C (MTA retrograde) were 2.31×10-4 (0.32×10-4), 3.33×10-4 (0.29×10-4) and 4.42×10-4 (0.40×10-4) μl.min-1.cmH2o-1, respectively. The mean values were greater in group C; however, statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between these groups (P˃0.05). Based on the results of this study, when there is an orthograde access to the root canal and surgery is likely to be necessary in the future, MTA and CEM can be placed in an orthograde technique and it just resects the root during surgery.

An important factor that interferes with the bonding between the root canal wall and resin cement is the root canal sealer remnant. There is controversy about the effect of eugenol-containing sealers on the bond strength between resin cements and fiber post. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the type of endodontic sealer on the bond strength of FRC posts cemented with resin cement to the root canal wall. In this in vitro study, 20 extracted mandibular first premolars were endodontically treated and divided into two groups according to the endodontic sealer used (n=10): G1: AH26 (Resin based); and G2: Endofill (Eugenol-based). After preparing post space, adhesive resin cement (Panavia F 2.0) was used for cementation of the fiber post to the root canal dentin. Three 3 mm thick slices were obtained from each root.The push-out test was performed with a cross-head speed of 1 mm/minute. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests were used for analyzing data (α=0.05). The two-way ANOVA showed that different root canal sealers (P=0.037) had significant effects on bond strength (BS), but root canal regions (P=0.811) and interaction between root canal sealers and root canal regions (P=0.258) had no significant effects on BS. Maximum and minimum mean values were observed in the AH26 group, the apical region and the Endofill group in the apical region, respectively. Post Hoc Tukey test revealed that there were no significant differences between different root canal regions in both cements (P>0.05). The region of root canal had no effect on the bond strength of cemented fiber posts to the root canal. Eugenol-based sealers (Endofill) significantly reduced the bond strength between fiber posts luted with resin cement to the root canal.

The plant Salvadora persica is used for oral hygiene in many parts of the world. It has been suggested that it has antibacterial properties, in addition to its ability to mechanically remove plaques. The aim of this study was to assess the antimicrobial activity of the herbal product Persica containing Salvadora persica against periodontopathogens Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in vitro. Fifty patients with moderate and severe periodontitis were recruited. Using paper points, subgingival plaque samples were taken from pockets with attachment loss ≥ 3mm. The samples were subjected to microbial culture to yield P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans. The ditch plate method was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the bacteria to Persica compared to chlorhexidine and distilled water. The growth inhibition zones of microorganisms around the ditches were measured in millimeters. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16. Freidman test and Wilcoxon signed ranks test with Bonferroni adjustment were used for analysis of variance with 5% significance level. P<0.05 for main comparisons and P< 0.017 for multiple comparisons were considered statistically significant. P. gingivalis was sensitive to chlorhexidine and persica. There was a significant difference (P=0.001) between antimicrobial activity of chlorhexidine (mean 28.733mm, SD 5.216) and Persica (mean 16.333mm, SD 5.259) compared to water against P. gingivalis. There was a significant difference (P< 0.001) between the antimicrobial activity of chlorhexidine (24.045mm, SD 3.897) and Persica (0.545mm, SD 2.558) with respect to A. actinomycetemcomitans. There was no significant difference (P=0.317) between the antimicrobial activity of Persica and water against A. actinomycetemcomitans. The herbal product Persica had significant antimicrobial activity against P. gingivalis and negligible antimicrobial activity against A. actinomycetemcomitans compared to 0.2% chlorhexidine.

Color match between fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) restorations and teeth is an imperative factor in esthetic dentistry. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of veneering composites and fibers on the color change of FRC restorations. Glass and polyethylene fibers were used to reinforce a direct microhybrid composite (Z250, 3M ESPE) and a microfilled composite (Gradia Indirect, GC). There were eight experimental groups (n=5 disks per group). Four groups were used as the controls (non-FRC control) and the others were used as experimental groups. CIELAB parameters (L*, a* and b*) of specimens were evaluated against a white background using a spectrophotometer to assess the color change. The color difference (∆E*) and color coordinates were (L*, a* and b*) analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test. Both types of composite and fiber influenced the color parameters (∆L*, ∆a*). The incorporation of fibers into the composite in the experimental groups made them darker than the control groups, except in the Gradia Indirect+ glass fibers group. ∆b* is affected by types of fibers only in direct fiber reinforced composite. No statistically significant differences were recognized in ∆E* among the groups (p>0.05). The findings of the present study suggest that the tested FRC restorations exhibited no difference in color in comparison with non-FRC restoration. Hence, the types of veneering composites and fibers did not influence the color change (∆E*) of FRC restorations.

Developmental disturbances of the tongue (aglossia, macroglossia, microglossia, and ankyloglossia) can adversely affect the development of the surrounding structures including the palate, alveolar process, and teeth. These developmental disturbances impair functions such as mastication, speech, and swallowing. Ankyloglossia is of various types and may be associated with other syndromic features like cleft palate. We report a rare type of non-syndromic ankyloglossia associated with missing of the permanent anterior tooth.

A case with two simultaneous dens invaginations (DIs) and one dens evagination (DE) in a permanent maxillary lateral incisor is reported for the first time in a 21-year-old girl.DE known as talon cusp of the anterior teeth is a rare entity and its co-existence with DI has been reported scarcely in the literature. Simultaneous occurrence of two DIs with one DE has not been reported elsewhere. Undoubtedly, familiarity with the internal anatomy of such a rare condition can help prevent pulpal disease while performing restorative procedures.

This case report presents endodontic management of a mandibular lateral incisor with three canals using surgical dental operating microscope. This study describes the root canal variation of mandibular lateral incisor and highlights the importance of surgical operating microscope in detecting an unusual canal morphology.