Physiologic and behavioral responses to stress,temperament, and incidence of infection and atopic disorders in the first year of life: a pilot study

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore relationships among physiologic and behavioral responses to a standardized stressor (routine immunization), parent-reported temperament, and numbers of infections and atopic disorders in the first year of life. Infants were studied during 2- (n = 30) and 4-month (n = 24) routine clinic visits. Behavioral data were coded from videotapes filmed for 90 seconds after immunizations. Salivary cortisol measured physiologic arousal; specimens were obtained before and after immunizations. Two-month-old infants with higher levels of cortisol required more time to calm after immunization. Relationships were found between the temperament characteristics of persistence and adaptability and infections at 12 months.     

Comparative evaluation of the microleakage of two modified glass ionomer cements on primary molars. An in vivo study

This in vivo study was conducted to compare and evaluate the microleakage of two modified glass ionomer cements on deciduous molars. Thirty children (10-16 years) were selected. In each patient, standardized class V cavities were prepared on the buccal surfaces of two different retained deciduous molars and these cavities were restored with GC Fuji II LC (Improved) and GC Fuji IX GP, respectively. Following a period of four weeks after the restoration, these teeth were extracted and immersed in 2% Basic Fuschin dye solution for 24 hours. The depth of dye penetration was assessed after sectioning the teeth and the microleakage determined. The results were statistically analyzed using Student 't' test. It was concluded that both the materials, GC Fuji II LC (Improved) and GC Fuji IX GP were comparable in performance and can be considered to be materials safe for Pedodontics usage, and decrease bacterial penetration.     

Histologic evaluation of the buccal and lingual bone plates in anterior dog teeth: possible influence on implant dentistry

Background: Recent studies in animals have shown pronounced resorption of buccal bone plate after immediate implantation. The sectioning of experimental material for histologic evaluation of the bone plates could provide valuable information about the possible effect of bone exposure in periodontal and implant surgeries. Methods: Twenty‐four incisors were collected from dogs. After decalcification, the blocks were immersed in paraffin and bucco‐lingual histologic sections were examined under light microscope. Some sections were reserved for immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The bone density, the width of the bone plates, and the percentage of vessels presented in the periodontal ligament and periosteum were analyzed in the buccal and lingual bone plates, which were divided corono‐apically into thirds. The buccal bone plates showed statistically higher bone density compared to the lingual bone plates in the coronal thirds. The width of both bone plates increased from the coronal to the apical third, but all the buccal thirds were significantly thinner compared to the lingual thirds. No statistically significant differences were found between the bone plates for the percentage of area occupied by the blood vessels in the periodontal ligament or periosteum. Conclusion: It is reasonable to conclude that the higher bone density, represented by the lower number of marrow spaces, in association with the thinner aspect of the buccal bone plates made them more fragile to absorb compared to the lingual bone plates, especially during mucoperiosteal procedures.     

Progression of periodontitis in a sample of regular and irregular compliers under maintenance therapy: a 3-year follow-up study

Background: To our knowledge, prospective studies (matched for sex, smoking, and diabetes) that investigated the influence of compliance in the progression of periodontitis and tooth loss in periodontal maintenance therapy (PMT) programs were not previously reported. Methods: A total of 58 regular complier (RC) and 58 erratic complier (EC) individuals were recruited from a prospective cohort with 238 patients under PMT and matched by sex, diabetes, and smoking habits. A full‐mouth periodontal examination that included bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depths (PDs), clinical attachment levels, and number of teeth were determined at all PMT visits during a 3‐year interval. The influence of variables of interest was tested through multivariate logistic regression. Results: The progression of periodontitis and tooth loss was significantly lower among RC compared to EC patients. A higher progression of periodontitis was observed among EC patients who smoked. The final logistic model for the progression of periodontitis in the RC group included smoking (odds ratio [OR]: 4.2) and >30% of sites with BOP (OR: 2.8), and the final logistic model for the progression of periodontitis in the EC group included smoking (OR: 7.3), >30% of sites with BOP (OR: 3.2), PDs of 4 to 6 mm in 10% of sites (OR: 3.5), diabetes (OR: 1.9), and number of lost teeth (OR: 3.1). Conclusions: RC patients presented a lower progression of periodontitis and tooth loss compared to EC patients. This result highlighted the influence of the pattern of compliance in maintaining a good periodontal status. Moreover, important risk variables such as smoking and diabetes influenced the periodontal status and should be considered when determining the risk profile and interval time for PMT visits.     

In vitro activity of zinc oxide-eugenol and glass ionomer cements on Candida albicans

The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the antimicrobial activity of glass ionomer (GIC) and zinc oxide-eugenol (ZOE) cements against Candida albicans. Standardized GIC and ZOE specimens were maintained in contact with C. albicans suspension (1 x 10(6) cells/ml) at 37 degrees C for 24 h, 48 h or 7 days. A control group without any testing cement was included. After the incubation period, aliquots of 0.1 ml were plated on Sabouraud's agar, and then the number of colonies was counted. The results were expressed as values of logarithms of colony-forming units per milliliter (log CFU/mL) and were analyzed statistically by Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA. After 48 h of incubation, the ZOE group presented no growth of C. albicans. GIC and control groups presented similar mean values at all tested periods. According to the results obtained, it could be concluded that, under the experimental conditions, ZOE cement was more effective in vitro against C. albicans than GIC.     

Opinions of South Carolina dental students toward tobacco use interventions

OBJECTIVES: Tobacco use accounts for 75 percent of oral cancer deaths in the United States. One objective of Healthy People 2010 is to increase the percentage of dentists who provide smoking cessation counseling. However, studies of dentists have shown that the majority feel inadequately prepared to do so. The objective of this study was to determine the opinions of dental students at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) regarding the provision of tobacco use interventions for patients. METHODS: In 2002, 163 students were administered a written questionnaire which included questions about tobacco use interventions (response rate=80 percent). Opinion items were analyzed using factor analysis, Fisher's Exact Test, and ANOVA (a < or = 0.025). RESULTS: While 89 percent of students agreed that dentists should be trained to provide tobacco cessation education, only 39 percent thought that they themselves were adequately trained. Students' opinions toward the role and training of dentists in providing tobacco use interventions differed by academic year. Only 14.1 percent of dental students were quite or very confident in their ability to help patients to stop smoking. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that although MUSC dental students support tobacco cessation training for dentists, the majority responded that they are not adequately trained and are not comfortable providing tobacco cessation education to patients. A comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation program is indicated for the objective of Healthy People 2010 to be met.     

Proliferative activity in oral salivary gland tumors: the role of PCNA and AgNOR assessed by a double staining technique

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of PCNA and AgNOR in the assessment of salivary gland tumor proliferation using a double staining technique. Ten cases of pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and seventeen cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) were examined. Numeric and morphometric parameters of AgNOR were evaluated and compared in PCNA-positive and PCNA-negative nuclei. There were statistically significant differences in AgNOR numbers, perimeters and contour indices between PCNA-positive and -negative nuclei in the PA samples. The ACC samples demonstrated significant differences only in the AgNOR areas. Our results show that in salivary gland tumors there is not always a relationship between proliferative activity evaluated by AgNOR numeric and morphometric parameters and PCNA immunostaining.     

Evidence-based orthodontics, still a long way to go

Clinical performance can be kept up to date by learning how to practice evidence-based orthodontics, by seeking and appraising evidence-based summaries from the literature and by applying evidence-based strategies to change clinical behaviour. A MEDLINE search over the period 1990-2000 identified 8345 publications on clinical orthodontic subjects. Of these articles 49.5% was published in five specific orthodontic journals, while the others were published in about seventy other journals making it difficult for the clinician to stay current easily. Systematic reviews are an efficient and reliable source of information, but due to a lack of well-designed randomised clinical trials systematic reviews in orthodontics are still rare.     

Progression of sealed initial bovine enamel lesions under demineralizing conditions in vitro

The use of sealants for the infiltration of proximal enamel lesions could be a promising alternative to the common strategies of remineralization and operative treatment. The aim of the present study was to compare the progression of sealed initial enamel lesions after exposure to a demineralizing solution in vitro. In each of 54 bovine enamel specimens three subsurface lesions were created. Two of the lesions were etched with phosphoric acid and sealed with either a fissure sealant or with various adhesives (1-5) for 15 s or 30 s, respectively, whereas one lesion remained as the untreated control. Subsequently, half of each specimen was covered with nail varnish (baseline) and the other half was reexposed to a demineralizing solution for 14 days (experimental). The specimens were cut perpendicularly to the surface, infiltrated with a low-viscosity fluorescent resin and observed with a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). For lesions sealed with the fissure sealant and adhesives 1-3, the progression of lesion depth (0-31 microm) was significantly decreased (p<0.01; paired t test) compared with the untreated control (57 microm). For the fissure sealant and adhesives 1 and 3 extended penetration times (30 s) resulted in significantly reduced lesion progression compared to 15 s. It can be concluded that filling of the pores in initial enamel lesions with the fissure sealant and adhesives 1-3 can inhibit further demineralization in vitro.