Microleakage in conventional and bonded amalgam restorations: influence of cavity volume

This study verified the relationship between the volume and microleakage of conventional and bonded amalgam restorations. Also, the microleakage influence of intermediate materials, substrates and the direction of sectioning was investigated. Fifty-six bovine incisors were selected. Standard Class V cavities were prepared in buccal and lingual surfaces. For each tooth, two cavity sizes were prepared, corresponding to two cavity volumes: one larger (A) and the other smaller (B). The cervical wall was located in cementum/dentin and the incisal wall in enamel. The teeth were distributed in four groups (n=28) according to the intermediate material employed (glass-ionomer cement, resin cement, adhesive system and copal varnish-control). The materials were applied following manufacturers' directions. After restoration, the teeth were submitted to thermal cycling. They were then immersed in a dye solution and sectioned in two directions inciso-cervical (IC) and mesio-distal (MD) sections to evaluate the microleakage. Data were subjected to non-parametric statistical analysis (Wilcoxon's paired test and Kruskal-Wallis test). No significant difference was found between the two cavity sizes. Leakage in enamel was statistically lower than in the cementum/dentin interface (p < 0.05). In some situations, glass-ionomer or resin cement lined amalgam restorations presented less dye leakage than copal varnish lined restorations (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in microleakage between IC or MD sectioning. Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that cavity size and direction of section were not significant factors for microleakage, while substrate and intermediate materials had a significant effect on the sealing ability in amalgam restorations.     

The influence of 30-day-old Streptococcus mutans biofilm on the surface of esthetic restorative materials--an in vitro study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of Streptococcus mutans biofilm/restorative materials interaction on surface roughness, hardness and morphology of materials tested. METHODS: Empress 2 (E2), Filtek Supreme (FS), Vitremer (V) and Ketac Molar Easymix (KM) were tested. Twenty-five disks of each material were made and divided into three storage groups: (1) 100% relative humidity (n=5); (2) growth medium (BHI and 1% sucrose) (n=5); (3) S. mutans biofilm-growth medium (n=15). Before storage, hardness measurements were immediately obtained from group 1 specimens. After 30 days of storage, the specimens were cleaned in order to obtain the surface roughness and hardness values, besides morphology analysis by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: The surface roughness and hardness values obtained from E2 and FS specimens did not present statistically significant differences among the groups 1, 2 and 3 and between immediate and 30-day-old specimens of each material. However, group 3 specimens of V and KM showed statistically significant higher surface roughness means than other groups. Group 1 specimens of V and KM also showed higher hardness values than the immediate values. Group 3 specimens of V presented decreased hardness values compared with other groups. The scanning electron micrographs showed an increase in surface degradation from group 1 to group 3 for FS, V and KM. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-day-old biofilm promotes a negative effect on the surface morphology of FS, V and KM, on the surface roughness of V and KM and on the hardness of V.     

Temperature change and hardness with different resin composites and photo-activation methods

This study verifies whether there is any temperature change during photoactivation of two resin composites (Filtek Z250 and Filtek Flow) with three different light curing methods (conventional halogen light curing unit, light emitting diodes curing unit and xenon plasma arc curing unit) and the relationship of temperature change with resin composite hardness. A type-K thermocouple registered the temperature rise peak in an elastomer mold during photoactivation. After photoactivation, the specimens were submitted to Knoop hardness test performed by an indenter (HMV-2000) under a load of 50g for 15 seconds. Both the temperature change data and results of the Knoop hardness test were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test at the 5% significance level. No statistical differences in temperature rise were recorded for the different composites following processing by light curing unit (p>0.05). The conventional halogen source produced statistically higher temperatures (p<0.05) than the other units. The plasma arc source promoted statistically lower (p<0.05) Knoop hardness values and temperature changes than the other light curing units.     

The inability of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus to form a biofilm in vitro on dentine pretreated with ozone

Background: The use of ozone therapy in the treatment of dental caries is equivocal. The aim of this study was to use an in vitro model to determine the effects of prior ozone application to dentine on biofilm formation and to measure any associated reduction in bacteria viability. Methods: Twenty dentine discs were bonded to the bases of 5 mL polycarbonate screw top vials. Ten dentine discs were infused with ozone for 40 seconds, 10 samples remained untreated as a control. The vials were filled with nutrient medium, sterilized and placed into the outflow from a continuous chemostat culture of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus for four weeks. At the conclusion of the experiment bacterial growth was monitored by taking optical density readings of the growth medium in each vial and the outer surface of the dentine specimens were examined by scanning electron microscopy as shown by SEM analysis. Results: Ozone infusion prevented biofilm formation on all the treated samples while there was substantial biofilm present on the control specimens. While the average optical density of the control specimens was almost twice that of the ozone infused dentine (0.710 for the control with a SD of 0.288 and 0.446 for the ozonated samples with a SD of 0.371), the results were not significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: This preliminary study has shown that the infusion of ozone into non‐carious dentine prevented biofilm formation in vitro from S. mutans and L. acidophilus over a four‐week period. The possibility exists that ozone treatment may alter the surface wettability of dentine through reaction with organic constituents.     

Effect of cement types on the tensile strength of metallic crowns submitted to thermocycling

The relationship between metallic cast crowns and tensile strength according to cement types submitted to thermocycling was studied. Seventy-two metallic crowns were cast with Verabond II Ni-Cr alloy and cemented in standardized preparations with 10 masculine tapering. Three types of finishing line (45-degree chamfered, 20-degree bevel shoulder and right shoulder) were made with diamond burs on bovine teeth. Twenty-four metallic crowns in each group were randomly subdivided into three subgroups of 8 samples each according to the cement used: SS White zinc phosphate cement, Vitremer resin-modified glass ionomer cement, and Rely X resin cement and were submitted to thermocycling. Retention was evaluated according to tensile load required to displace the metallic cast crowns from tooth preparations with an Instron testing machine. ANOVA and Tukey's test showed a statistically significant difference among luting materials, with greater results for Rely X resin cement (24.9 kgf) followed by SS White zinc phosphate cement (13.3 kgf) and Vitremer resin-modified glass ionomer cement (10.1 kgf). The finishing line types did not influence the tensile resistance of the crowns fixed with the three cements. Increased tensile resistance of metallic crowns fixed on bovine teeth was obtained with resin cement, independent of the finishing line types.     

Effect of sodium hypochlorite on primary dentin--a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) evaluation

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the alterations of etched deciduous dentin when submitted to different time and concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty deciduous anterior teeth were selected, cleaned and ground until expose a flat dentin area on the buccal surface. The specimens were randomly distributed into eight groups (n=5), according to dentin surface treatment (35% phosphoric acid etching for 7s--AE and/or NaOCl application), NaOCl solution concentration (5% or 10%), and time of application (0, 30, 60, and 120 s), as follows: G1: control (without AE and NaOCl); G2: only AE; G3, G4, and G5: AE+5% NaOCl for 30, 60, and 120 s, respectively; G6, G7, and G8: AE+10% NaOCl for 30, 60, and 120 s, respectively. All specimens were prepared for SEM analysis and the photomicrographs (three for each specimen) were classified according to a score as follow: 0: presence of smear layer (SL); 1: absence of SL+non-altered collagen fibrils; 2: absence of SL+collagen fibrils slightly altered; 3: absence of SL+collagen fibrils severely altered; and 4: absence of SL and absence of collagen fibrils. Data were submitted to Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests (p<0.05). RESULTS: All groups treated with NaOCl solution were significant different from G1 and G2, and showed alterations on the collagen fibrils network. Collagen complete removal was only observed when a 5% NaOCl solution was applied for 120 s and 10% NaOCl solution for 30, 60, and 120 s. CONCLUSIONS: The NaOCl action produced significant changes in the etched deciduous dentin. The higher NaOCl concentration, the lower the time required to completely removing the collagen fibrils network in deciduous dentin.     

Influence of casting methods on marginal and internal discrepancies of complete cast crowns

The relationship between the application of die-spacer prior to wax pattern fabrication and metal removal from the inner surface of the casting on marginal and internal discrepancies of complete cast crowns was evaluated. One hundred and twenty complete crowns were cast with palladium-silver alloy melted by gas-oxygen torch or electrical resistance and cast with a centrifuge casting machine. After casting, the crowns were seated on each type of different marginal configuration dies (90-degree shoulder, 20-degree beveled shoulder, and 45-degree chamfered shoulder) with a static load of 90 N during 1 min. Evaluation of the marginal fit of the specimens was made using a digital micrometer. The crowns were embedded in acrylic resin and longitudinally sectioned to verify the internal discrepancy that occurred in lateral and occlusal interfaces with a digital micrometer. The data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test with a significance level of 5%. The best marginal and inner fits were obtained with the gas-oxygen torch source. The 45-degree chamfered shoulder showed the best marginal and inner fit, and better internal relief was obtained in the crowns abraded with 50 microm Al2O3 particles.     

Effect of water storage on tooth displacement in maxillary complete dentures

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of water storage at 37 degrees C (1 week, 1 month and 3 months) on tooth displacement in maxillary complete dentures. Ten maxillary dentures were constructed with Clássico acrylic resin using the conventional method of packing in metallic flasks. Metallic reference pins were placed in the incisal border of the central incisors (I), labial cusp of the first premolars (PM), and mesiolabial cusp of the second molars (M). Twelve hours after final flask closure, the acrylic resin was cured in water at 74 degrees C for 9 h. The flasks were removed from the thermo-polymerizing unit after water-cooling and the dentures were deflasked, finished and stored in water at a temperature of 37 degrees C for 1 week, 1 month and 3 months. At deflasking and at the water storage intervals, the I-I (incisor to incisor), PM-PM (pre-molar to pre-molar), and M-M (molar to molar) transversal distances, and LI-LM (left incisor to left molar) and RI-RM (right incisor to right molar) anteroposterior distances were measured using an optical microscope with 0.0005 mm accuracy. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test (5%). Comparing the evaluation periods for each individual transversal and anteroposterior reference point, no statistically significant differences were observed among deflasking and the water storage intervals for I-I, PM-PM, M-M and RI-RM distances (p>0.05). For LI-LM, however, deflasking values were statistically different from those of 1-week, 1-month and 3-month water storage intervals (p<0.05), which, in turn, did not differ statistically to each other (p>0.05). These results confirm the complexity of tooth displacement in complete dentures. From a clinical standpoint, the difference observed in LI-LM distance after water storage would not be detected by the patients during clinical use.     

H-2-restricted cytotoxic effectors generated in vitro by the addition of trinitrophenyl-conjugated soluble proteins

Murine spleen cells from normal donors were cultured in vitro with trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS)-conjugated soluble proteins, i.e., bovine gamma globulin (TNP-BGG) or bovine serum albumin (TNP-BSA). Addition of 100 μg of any of these TNP-proteins to the spleen cell cultures led to the generation of cytotoxic T-cell effectors which were H-2-restricted and TNP- specific. The lytic potential of such effectors was comparable to that generated by sensitization with TNBS-modified syngeneic cells, and was restricted to haplotypes shared at the K or K plus I-A, or the D regions of the H-2 complex. Greater effecter cell activity was generated by addition of TNP-BGG against TNBS-modified targets which shared K plus I-A than against modified targets which shared the D region with the responding cells, which suggests that the same immune response genes are involved when the response is generated by the addition of TNP-conjugated soluble proteins or of TNBS- modified cells. H-2-restricted, TNP-specific effecter cells were generated by culturing mouse spleen cells with syngeneic cells which had been preincubated with TNP- BGG or TNP-BSA for 1.5 h. The addition of unconjugated soluble proteins to the cultures did not result in cytotoxic effectors detectable on H-2-matched targets, whether the targets were prepared by modification with TNBS, or by incubation with either the unconjugated or TNP-conjugated proteins. Depletion of phagocytic cells in the tumor preparation by Sephadex G-10 column fractionation before incubation with TNP-BSA had no effect on their lysis by the relevant effector cells. Immunofluorescent staining of tumor target cells with anti-TNP antibodies indicated that TNP could be detected on the tumor cells within 10 rain of incubation with TNP-BSA. The cytotoxic response generated by addition of the TNP-proteins to spleen cell cultures was found to be T-cell dependent at the effector phase, as shown by the sensitivity of the lytic phase to absorbed RAMB and complement. Furthermore, the response did not appear to be attributable to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Three mechanisms were considered which could account for the generation of H-2-restricted, TNP-specific, cytotoxic T-cell effectors by the addition of soluble TNP-proteins. These include covalent linkage of activated TNP groups from the soluble proteins to cell surface components, macrophage processing of the soluble conjugates and presentation to the responding lymphocytes in association with H-2-coded self structures, or hydrophobic interaction of the TNP-proteins to cell surfaces. Results obtained from sodium dodecyl sulfate gel patterns indicating that cell-bound TNP was still linked to BSA, and the observation that phagocytic-depleted cells could interact with the soluble TNP-proteins and function as H-2-restricted targets, appear not to favor the first two proposed mechanisms.