A clinical investigation of dental evacuation systems in reducing aerosols

BackgroundThe route of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has challenged dentistry to improve the safety for patients and the dental team during various treatment procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of dental evacuation systems in reducing aerosols during oral prophylactic procedures in a large clinical setting.MethodsThis was a single-center, controlled clinical trial using a split-mouth design. A total of 93 student participants were recruited according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Aerosol samples were collected on blood agar plates that were placed around the clinic at 4 treatment periods: baseline, high-volume evacuation (HVE), combination (HVE and intraoral suction device), and posttreatment. Student operators were randomized to perform oral prophylaxis using ultrasonic scalers on 1 side of the mouth, using only HVE suction for the HVE treatment period and then with the addition of an intraoral suction device for the combination treatment period. Agar plates were collected after each period and incubated at 37 °C for 48 hours. Colony-forming unit (CFU) counts were determined using an automatic colony counter.ResultsThe use of a combination of devices resulted in significant reductions in CFUs compared with the use of the intraoral suction device alone (P < .001). The highest amounts of CFUs were found in the operating zone and on patients during both HVE and combination treatment periods.ConclusionsWithin limitations of this study, the authors found significant reductions in the amount of microbial aerosols when both HVE and an intraoral suction device were used.Practical ImplicationsThe combination of HVE and intraoral suction devices significantly decreases microbial aerosols during oral prophylaxis procedures.     

Transmission illumination of teeth. A system for operative dentistry procedures

In an in vitro trial, transillumination provided good, comfortable vision of an operating area both during cavity preparation and the insertion of adhesive restorative materials. Secondly, transillumination provided better differentiation of hard tissues and their condition than incident illumination; this was particularly noticeable in deciding on the presence of caries at the dentino-enamel junction. The most suitable colour was in the green range of the spectrum and a variable intensity control was desirable. With refinement, this system could facilitate operative dentistry particularly for difficult situations.     

Solubility study of phytochemical cross-linking agents on dentin stiffness

Objectives

The effects of interactions between cross-linking proanthocyanidins (PA) in polar solvents and type-I collagen of demineralized dentin were investigated.

Methods

Three PA-rich extracts, two from grape seed (GSEP and GSES) and one from cocoa (COE), were dissolved (water, ethanol:water and acetone:water) and analyzed for their ability to increase the modulus of elasticity of demineralized dentin. Sound dentin beams (0.5 mm × 1.7 mm × 7 mm) were fully demineralized and divided into 12 groups according to the type of cross-linking agent and solvents used. Specimens were immersed in the respective solutions and tested at baseline, 10, 30, 60, 120 and 240 min.

Results

The elastic modulus (EM) of dentin was significantly increased by the PA treatment regardless of time (p < 0.05 for all times). The extracts showed different solubility in different solvents. GSEP showed the highest increase in EM when diluted in distilled water and acetone at all exposure times. Both GSEs showed superior results when diluted in distilled water and after 4 h of treatment, while COE produced strongest enhancement when dissolved in ethanol:water.

Conclusions

The results indicates that herbal extraction process and other pharmacognostic parameters have an important influence on extract solubility as well as constitution and, consequently, on the PA–dentin matrix interaction.     

IN VITRO EVALUATION OF ROOT CANAL PREPARATION USING OSCILLATORY AND ROTARY SYSTEMS IN FLATTENED ROOT CANALS

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical preparation of flattened root canals using the following systems: Endo-Eze AET stainless steel oscillatory instruments (Ultradent) and RaCe rotary NiTi instruments (FKG Dentaire).

Materials and Methods:

Twenty extracted human mandibular incisors were randomly assigned to two groups: Group 1 - Instrumentation with oscillatory Endo-Eze AET files (oscillatory technique); Group 2 - Instrumentation with rotary NiTi RaCe files (rotary technique). The teeth were decoronated, had their apices and coronal openingssealed with sticky wax and were embedded in crystal-clear orthophtalic polyester resin. The roots were sectioned transversally with diamond discs at 10 mm (middle third) and 5 mm (apical third) from the apex and the segments were reassembled for instrumentation. The sections were photographed before and after root canal instrumentation and evaluated with respect to whether the original root canal shape was modified by instrumentation. To evaluate the differences in the root canal shape before and after biomechanical preparation, scores were given regarding the instruments touch on the intracanal walls.

Results:

In middle third of the root canals instrumented with the rotary system, there was a change in the original canal anatomy (p<0.05), with formation of a protuberance in the mesiodistal direction. This protuberance did not occur when the oscillatory instrumentation was used. The oscillatory system had better results in the middle and apical thirds as evaluated by Dunn’s multiple-comparison test (p>0.05).

Conclusion:

Under the tested conditions, Endo-Eze oscillatory system yielded the instrumentation of all flattened root canal walls, maintaining the canal original shape throughout the biomechanical preparation, and was more effective than RaCe rotary system.     

A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF ROTARY,ULTRASONIC AND MANUAL TECHNIQUES TO TREAT PROXIMALLY FLATTENED ROOT CANALS

Objective:

The efficiency of rotary, manual and ultrasonic root canal instrumentation techniques was investigated in proximally flattened root canals.

Material and Methods:

Forty human mandibular left and right central incisors, lateral incisors and premolars were used. The pulp tissue was removed and the root canals were filled with red die. Teeth were instrumented using three techniques: (i) K3 and ProTaper rotary systems; (ii) ultrasonic crown-down technique; and (iii) progressive manual technique. Roots were bisected longitudinally in a buccolingual direction. The instrumented canal walls were digitally captured and the images obtained were analyzed using the Sigma Scan software. Canal walls were evaluated for total canal wall area versus noninstrumented area on which dye remained.

Results:

No statistically significant difference was found between the instrumentation techniques studied (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

The findings of this study showed that no instrumentation technique was 100% efficient to remove the dye.     

异常吞咽与口周力相关性的研究

目的：定量分析异常吞咽口周力的分布特征。方法：用微力传感器和计算机辅助口周力测量系统对12名异常吞咽患者和12名正常吞咽错He患者上下颌中切牙、尖牙、第一磨牙颊、舌侧进行口周力的测量，对测量数据进行了统计学分析。结果：正常吞咽时男女之间各牙位的口周边值无显著性差异；异常吞咽时男性口周力大于女性，口周力与性别有相关性；异常吞咽组口周力大于正常吞咽组，其间差异有显著性。无论正常吞咽组还是异常吞咽组同侧上下颌同名牙位唇、颊侧与舌侧压力相比有显著性差异，下颌唇舌侧压力大于上颌唇舌侧压力。结论：异常吞咽时口周力与性别有相关性；异常吞咽组口周力大于正常吞咽组；舌的功能运动影响口周力，口周力会因吞咽方式的改变而发生适应性的变化。     

Increased apical enlargement contributes to excessive dentin removal in curved root canals: a stepwise microcomputed tomography study

Introduction

To determine whether increased apical enlargement would result in a complete preparation of curved canals and to progressively assess shaping quality using multiple microcomputed tomography (MCT) scans.

Methods

Ninety root canals with a curvature of 25° to 50° were selected. Five MCT scans, 1 preoperative and 4 postoperative, were acquired from each canal. Canal preparation was performed up to size 50 using 3 techniques, nickel-titanium (NiTi) hand files, Mtwo (VDW, Munich, Germany), and ProTaper (Maillefer, Ballaigue, Switzerland), by experienced operators in a dental mannequin so as to simulate the clinical conditions. At a level of 1 mm short of the working length, 2 parameters were evaluated in each of the 4 postoperative acquisitions: the percentage of the prepared outline and the amount of dentin removed (the prepared area).

Results

Statistically, there was no significant difference between the 3 systems used regarding the prepared outline. The maximum prepared outline was achieved by the use of NiTi hand files (63%; confidence interval [CI], 54%–73%), whereas Mtwo and ProTaper amounted to 58% (CI, 50%–66%) and 60% (CI, 51%–70%), respectively. In contrast, the dentin area removed by ProTaper was significantly higher than that of Mtwo and NiTi hand files.

Conclusions

Increased apical enlargement of curved canals did not result in a complete apical preparation, whereas it did lead to the unnecessary removal of dentin.     

Biodistribution and delivery of oligonucleotide therapeutics to the central nervous system: Advances,challenges, and future perspectives

Considerable advances have been made in the research and development of oligonucleotide therapeutics (OTs) for treating central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, because of their promising mode of action. However, due to the tight barrier function and complex physiological structure of the CNS, the efficient delivery of OTs to target the brain has been a major challenge, and intensive efforts have been made to overcome this limitation. In this review, we summarize the representative methodologies and current knowledge of biodistribution, along with the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship of OTs in the CNS, which are critical elements for the successful development of OTs for CNS diseases. First, quantitative bioanalysis methods and imaging-based approaches for the evaluation of OT biodistribution are summarized. Next, information available on the biodistribution profile, distribution pathways, quantitative PK/PD modeling, and simulation of OTs following intrathecal or intracerebroventricular administration are reviewed. Finally, the latest knowledge on the drug delivery systems to the brain via intranasal or systemic administration as noninvasive routes for improved patient quality of life is reviewed. The aim of this review is to enrich research on the successful development of OTs by clarifying OT distribution profiles and pathways to the target brain regions or cells, and by identifying points that need further investigation for a mechanistic approach to generate efficient OTs.     

关注药物不良反应信号检测研究中的常见问题

药物不良反应(ADR)信号检测是药物上市后药物警戒的一种重要研究方法。近年来, 我国ADR信号检测研究文献的数量明显增加。但该类研究中尚存在许多问题, 如对ADR信号的概念认识不清、信号检测研究的目的不明、信号来源局限、对检测数据未进行很好的处理、数据挖掘算法单一、数据选择的时间范围过短、未对信号检测中的偏倚进行处理和分析等。本文对这些常见问题谈一些看法, 希望对我国ADR信号检测研究的质量提升有所帮助。     

阿立哌唑自乳化释药系统的制备与质量评价

目的 制备阿立哌唑自乳化释药系统（ARP-SEDDSs）以提高药物的口服生物利用度。方法 HPLC法检测ARP在不同的油、表面活性剂和助表面活性剂中的溶解度,根据溶解度确定处方组成;采用伪三元相图筛选SEDDSs的处方比例;通过动态光散射、透射电镜、稀释稳定性和体外溶出对ARP-SEDDSs进行表征;大鼠分别ig给予自制ARP-SEDDSs和ARP混悬液（20 mg·kg^-1）后,HPLC法进行药动学研究,考察大鼠ig ARP-SEDDSs的生物利用度。结果 以油酸作为油相,以聚乙二醇15-羟基硬脂酸酯和异丙醇作为表面活性剂和助表面活性剂,优化得到ARP-SEDDSs处方为油酸-聚乙二醇15-羟基硬脂酸酯-异丙醇为2.0∶5.6∶2.4,载药量为10 mg·g^-1;ARP-SEDDSs经水稀释后可快速形成微乳,在透射电镜下可观察到微乳呈类球形,经动态光散射仪检测其平均粒径为（54.6±2.3）nm,聚合物分散性指数（PDI）为0.201±0.011,Zeta电位（-13.5±0.4）mV;ARP-SEDDSs在pH 6.8磷酸盐缓冲液中10 min的药物溶出度接近100%,远高于阿立哌唑口崩片（约10%）。大鼠体内药动学研究表明,与ARP混悬液相比,ARP-SEDDSs相对生物利用度为248.8%。结论 将ARP制备成自乳化释药系统,有助于药物快速溶出,显著提高了ARP的口服生物利用度。