Simplified Technique for Orbital Prosthesis Fabrication: A Clinical Report

Loss of orbital content can cause functional impairment, disfigurement of the face, and psychological distress. Rehabilitation of an orbital defect is a complex task, and if reconstruction by plastic surgery is not possible or not desired by the patient, the defect can be rehabilitated by an orbital prosthesis. The prosthetic rehabilitation in such cases depends on the precisely retained, user‐friendly removable maxillofacial prosthesis. Many times, making an impression of the orbital area with an accurate record of surface details can be a difficult procedure. The critical areas are making a facial moulage, mold preparation, and attaching the retention device, particularly when eyeglass frames are used. This case focuses on these hindrance factors. A simple basket was used for the impression tray to obtain the facial moulage. A putty mold was used, and attachment of the prosthesis to a retention device was accomplished with positional distance. This method proves to be an economical and simple way of making an orbital prosthesis.     

Root resorption after orthodontic treatment: a review

Root resorption that occurs in permanent teeth is an unwanted process and is considered pathologic. Although apical root resorption occurs in individuals who have never experienced orthodontic tooth movement, the incidence among treated individuals is seen to be significantly higher. Some resorption occurs in most orthodontic patients, but because of repair the changes are difficult to detect with radiographic examination and therefore are clinically insignificant. This article gives a review of the various types of root resorption, the etiological factors, the biology and the identification of root resorption.     

Glycosaminoglycan entrapment by fibrin in engineered heart valve tissues

Tissue engineered heart valves (TEHVs) may provide a permanent solution to congenital heart valve disease by permitting somatic valve growth in the pediatric patient. However, to date, TEHV studies have focused primarily on collagen, the dominant component of valve extracellular matrix (ECM). Temporal decreases in other ECM components, such as the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), generally decrease as cells produce more collagen under mechanically loaded states; nevertheless, GAGs represent a key component of the valve ECM, providing structural stability and hydration to the leaflets. In an effort to retain GAGs within the engineered constructs, here we investigated the utility of the protein fibrin in combination with a valve-like, cyclic flexure and steady flow (flex–flow) mechanical conditioning culture process using adult human periodontal ligament cells (PLCs). We found both fibrin and flex–flow mechanical components to be independently significant (p < 0.05), and hence important in influencing the DNA, GAG and collagen contents of the engineered tissues. In addition, the interaction of fibrin with flex–flow was found to be significant in the case of collagen; specifically, the combination of these environments promoted PLC collagen production resulting in a significant difference compared to dynamic and statically cultured specimens without fibrin. Histological examination revealed that the GAGs were retained by fibrin entrapment and adhesion, which were subsequently confirmed by additional experiments on native valve tissues. We conclude that fibrin in the flex–flow culture of engineered heart valve tissues: (i) augments PLC-derived collagen production; and (ii) enhances retention of GAGs within the developing ECM.