Anthropometric study of the upper lip and the nose of infants less than a year of age

We divided healthy newborns (aged between 2 weeks and 6 months) into four groups, less than 2 weeks old, 60 +/- 7 days, 120 +/- 7 days, and 180 +/- 7 days, between June 2001 and February 2002, and each group had 40 infants. The lineal distances included 13 items related to the nose, mouth, and lips.The average width of the columella at the midpoint was 3.2, 3.5, 3.7, and 3.8 mm for the 2-week-old group, the 2-month-old group, the 4-month-old group, and the 6-month-old group, respectively. The average height of the columella was 4.7, 4.9, 5.2, and 5.3 mm. The average length between the medial alar bases was 13.7, 14.4, 17.4, and 17.6 mm. The average length from the base to the tip of Cupid's bow was 9.5, 10.0, 10.5, and 10.6 mm. The average length from the columella lateral base to the tip of Cupid's bow was 8.4, 9.9, 10.2, and 10.5 mm. The average length from the columella central base to the center of Cupid's bow was 8.3, 9.5, 9.8, and 9.9 mm. The average width of one limb of Cupid's bow was 2.7, 3.1, 3.4, and 3.5 mm. The average length from the tip of Cupid's bow to the commissure was 13.4, 14.7, 16.4, and 16.9 mm. The average intercommissural distance was 26.8, 30.3, 30.8, and 32.7 mm. The average width of the philtral column at the columella base was 3.1, 3.6, 3.7, and 4.0 mm. The average width of the philtral columns at the mid-portion was 3.7, 4.6, 4.6, and 4.6 mm. The average height of the nasal tip protrusion was 8.7, 11.0, 11.7, and 12.1 mm. The average width of the nose was 20.7, 23.7, 25.3, and 25.9 mm. In conclusion, these data are expected to be useful for patients with a bilateral cleft lip.     

Total alloplastic temporomandibular joint reconstruction combined with orthodontic treatment in a patient with idiopathic condylar resorption

This case report describes the successful treatment of an adult patient with skeletal Class II open-bite malocclusion secondary to idiopathic condylar resorption. Total alloplastic joint reconstruction and counterclockwise rotation of the maxillomandibular complex combined with orthodontic treatment provided a satisfying outcome with maximum functional and esthetic improvement.     

Effect of fluoride dentifrices on white spot lesions during orthodontic treatment: A randomized trial

Objectives:To determine the effect of Clinpro 5000, Clinpro Tooth Crème, and MI-Paste Plus on the formation of white spot lesions in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.Materials and Methods:Three prospective groups with 40 patients undergoing orthodontic treatment in each group were evaluated (total recruitment = 120 subjects). The selected product was brushed on for 2 minutes twice daily for 4 months. Subjects were reviewed for 4 months on a monthly basis. The Enamel Decalcification Index (EDI) was used to determine the number of white spot lesions per surface at each visit.Results:100 subjects (35 using Clinpro 5000, 32 using Clinpro Tooth Crème, and 33 using MI Paste Plus) completed the study. The data lend strong support for Clinpro 5000 providing superior protection against enamel decalcification when compared to Clinpro Crème, and mixed support when compared to MI Paste Plus.Conclusions:The use of Clinpro 5000, Clinpro Crème, and MI paste Plus all have a reduction effect on white spot lesions when compared to studies reported previously. Clinpro 5000 has a marginally better effect than the two other test pastes. The results of this study can be used by clinicians when deciding the effectiveness of using fluoride dentifrice products to prevent white spot lesions in their orthodontic practice (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT03440996","term_id":"NCT03440996"}}NCT03440996).     

Pain experienced by patients during periodontal maintenance

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to determine: 1) the degree of pain experienced by patients during probing and debridement; 2) whether the treating hygienists could estimate the degree of pain experienced by the patients; and 3) whether the patients' pain responses could be predicted by factors such as the patients' age, gender, number of residual periodontal lesions, and answers to a questionnaire on dental anxiety. METHODS: Prior to periodontal maintenance procedures, two groups of 20 adult patients to be treated by two hygienists completed an anxiety questionnaire. Subsequently, measurements of probing depths were performed, followed by pain ratings by each patient using a visual analog scale (VAS). The hygienists also completed a VAS, estimating the pain level they perceived their patient to have experienced. The same protocol was repeated for instrumentation (debridement). RESULTS: Most patients showed low pain responses to both probing and instrumentation. However, using an arbitrary threshold of VAS > or = 40 mm, 20% to 33% of the patients had a significant pain experience. The hygienists were quite accurate in their relative estimates of their patients' pain experiences. Regression analyses disclosed that significant portions of the pain responses could be predicted by the patients' answers to one of the dental anxiety questions. CONCLUSIONS: Recognition of patients who are likely to experience significant pain during periodontal treatment may be facilitated by the use of one question on dental anxiety. During treatment, the ability to gauge and respond to patients' pain experiences would seem to be an important component of a therapist's clinical skills.     

The relationship between composition and properties of posterior resin composites

The effects of filler concentration and resinous components on the properties of highly filled composites were determined for prediction of the durability of the restorative resins. Resinous components of seven proprietary light-cured posterior resin composites were extracted by chloroform solvent and examined by the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) method. Filler concentration was determined by the thermogravimetric method. Diametral tensile strength, Knoop hardness, and Barcol hardness tests for the composite, as well as extracted resinous matrix, were performed by standard experimental procedures. Toothbrush abrasion test of the resin composites was evaluated by a toothbrushing machine giving the equivalent of five years' toothbrushing and examined with a roughness meter. The degree of conversion of resin composites ranged from 43.5 to 73.8%. The volume fraction of filler varied from 58.2% to 74.2%. The ranges of diametral tensile strength and Knoop and Barcol hardness numbers obtained were 39.8 MPa to 60.0 MPa, 41.8 to 81.9, and 76.3 to 89.2, respectively. Significant correlations (p less than 0.01) were obtained between filler fraction and diametral tensile strength (r = 0.89, S.E. = 3.66) and between filler fraction and Knoop hardness number (r = 0.89, S.E. = 8.39). The increase in strength with increased filler concentration might be related to filler/matrix bonding.     

Bacterial IgG and IgM antibody titers in acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis

IgG AND IgM ANTIBODY TITERS to eight bacterial isolates were measured by indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA in sera from acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG) patients during the acute phase, from ANUG patients during the convalescent phase, from patients with gingivitis and from subjects with normal gingiva. Subjects were matched with respect to age and sex. Compared to the gingivitis and healthy groups, the ANUG groups exhibited significantly higher IgG and IgM titers to intermediate-sized spirochetes and higher IgG titers to Bacteroides melaninogenicus subsp intermedius. The findings support recent studies showing that these organisms are major bacterial components in ANUG lesions. They also suggest that these bacteria proliferate above-normal levels several weeks or months prior to the clinical onset of ANUG.     

Wear behavior of new composite restoratives

This study investigated the wear resistance of recently introduced nanofill (Filtek Supreme [FS], 3M-ESPE) and ormocer (Admira [AM], Voco) composites and compared their wear characteristics to microfill (Filtek A110 [AO], 3M-ESPE]), minifill (Esthet X [EX], Dentsply; Filtek Z250 [ZT], 3M-ESPE) and polyacid-modified (Dyract AP [DY], Dentsply) composites. Six specimens were made for each material. The specimens were conditioned for one week in distilled water at 37 degrees C and subjected to wear testing at 20 MPa contact stress against SS304 counter-bodies using reciprocal compression-sliding wear instrumentation. Distilled water was used as lubricant. Wear depth (microm) was measured using profilometry every 5,000 cycles up to 20,000 cycles. The results were analyzed using ANOVA/Scheffe's test (p<0.05). Wear of the materials was cycle and fatigue dependent. Although no significance in wear was observed between materials after 5,000 cycles of wear testing, significant differences were observed at 10,000 cycles and greater. After 20,000 cycles of wear testing, ranking was as follows: ZT > DY >AM > AO > FS > EX. Wear ranged from 39.90 microm for EX to 113.32 microm for ZT. The wear resistance of ZT and DY was significantly lower than AO, FS and EX In addition, ZT experienced significantly more wear than AM. Under the conditions of this in-vitro study, the wear resistance of nanofill and ormocer composites was comparable or superior to polyacid-modified, microfill and minifill composites.     

The association of osteoprotegerin gene polymorphisms with periodontitis

Background:  It has been demonstrated that genetic variation accounts for approximately half of the variance in periodontitis. The reported association of polymorphisms in the osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene with osteoporosis suggests that the OPG gene may also influence the genetic risk for periodontitis.
Subjects and methods:  We investigated the distribution of OPG gene polymorphisms in 49 patients with aggressive ( n  =   14) or chronic ( n  =   35) periodontitis and 49 control subjects without periodontitis, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–restriction fragment length polymorphism and PCR–single strand conformation polymorphism followed by direct sequencing.
Results:  A total of seven known polymorphisms and one new mutation, G373A, were identified. The T950 and G1181 alleles were more common in patients with periodontitis ( P  =   0.028 and P  =   0.047, respectively) than in control subjects. Especially, G1181 allele was associated with patients with aggressive periodontitis.
Conclusion:  The TG haplotype of T950C and G1181C polymorphisms in the OPG gene may be useful genetic markers for the prediction of periodontitis. Further studies in a larger population are required to determine whether these alleles directly contribute to periodontitis susceptibility.