Differential in situ distribution of interleukin-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and Rantes in human chronic periapical granuloma

In situ distribution of three prototype chemokines interleukin (IL)-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and Rantes was determined in chronic human periapical granulomas by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies. IL-8 was found primarily in the cytoplasm of the Malassez epithelial cells. MCP-1 immunoreactivity was confined to the endothelial cells that lined small venules. Each of the three investigated chemokines, including Rantes, exhibited a characteristic binding pattern to the extracellular matrix of the lesion. The observed chemokines may play a role in establishing the cellular composition of chronic apical periodontitis, thus augmenting the intensity of local inflammation and tissue damage.     

Hemimandibular hyperplasia: treatment strategies

Hemimandibular hyperplasia is a well-defined, rare asymmetrical mandibular malformation. It is characterized by diffuse enlargement of the condyle, the condylar neck, and the ramus and body of the mandible. Because the anomaly begins before puberty, it is understandable that the maxilla follows the downward growth of the mandible. Pathogenesis is due most likely to clear hyperactivity in the condyle, which can be documented histologically with an actively proliferating cartilage. Therapy is largely based on the patient's age. The authors present their series of nine individuals with hemimandibular hyperplasia treated with various surgical methods between 1992 and 1994. A therapeutic approach called orthopedic maxillary management applied to two of the nine patients is presented. The objective is to maintain the occlusal maxillary plane in a correct position in growing patients. All clinical results, except one, were satisfying and showed good postoperative stability.     

Effects of three different infant dentifrices on biofilms and oral microorganisms

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of infant dentifrices: A--with lactoperoxidase, glucose oxidase and lactoferrin; B--with 1100 ppm of NaF and sodium lauryl sulfate; C--with extract of calendula. The dentifrices were test on biofilms formed in vitro from saliva and dental plaque of infants, using reference strains A. viscosus (ATCC 43146); C. albicans (ATCC 51501); L. casei (ATCC 4646); S. mitis (ATCC 49456); S. mutans (ATCC 25175); S. oralis (ATCC 35037); S. sanguis (ATCC 10586); S. sobrinus (ATCC 27609) and isolated clinically microorganisms C. albicans, S. mitis, S. mutans, S. oralis, S. sanguis, S. sobrinus and Lactobacillus sp. Twenty infants were chosen, who were beginning treatment at the Infants Clinic of the Pediatric Dentistry Department, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. A pool of unstimulated saliva and a pool of dental plaque were collected from which biofilms were produced. Supernatants from each dentifrice were prepared and concentrated and diluted solutions of the dentifrices and a control sterile diluent were tested against the biofilms produced, for 1 and 3 minutes, and against the microorganisms. The results were statistically analyzed by the ANOVA and Tukey Test. After the exposure of the biofilms produced both from saliva and from dental plaque, to the dentifrice B concentrated and 1/2, for 1 and 3 minutes, the viable microorganisms count (CFU/ml), compared to the controls, was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). However, exposure to the dentifrices A and C concentrated and dentifrice B 1/4 and 1/8, for 1 and 3 minutes, was not significantly lethal to the biofilms. The dentifrices A and C, either concentrated or diluted (1/2 to 1/128) and the dentifrice B in the dilutions 1/16 to 1/128 did not have an antimicrobial effect on any microorganism evaluated. For all the microorganisms evaluated, the dentifrice B concentrated and in the 1/2 dilution showed a significant antimicrobial effect, when compared with the control (p < 0.05).     

AIDS and HIV infections in oral medicine. Incidence of orofacial manifestations in a group of African patients in the region of Paris]

We studied a group of African immigrant, living in France with HIV and we report oral and facial manifestations observed among them.     

Negative effects of chronic inflammatory periodontal disease on diabetes mellitus

Periodontal disease is the result of a complex interplay of bacterial infection and host responses, and is often modified by various systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Such diseases are capable of affecting the periodontium and/or the treatment of periodontal disease. However, recent research has changed our concept of how periodontal disease should be treated. Here we present several concerns directed towards the periodontal therapy of patients with diabetes mellitus based on our studies. When treating periodontitis patients who have diabetes mellitus it is important to consider the type of diabetes. Patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus can be further classified according to the degree of insulin resistance, since recent epidemiological studies have suggested that successful anti-microbial therapy might result in improved insulin resistance in highly insulin resistant patients. Because the major contributing factor for insulin resistance is currently considered to be the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and because periodontal surgery may cause transient bacteremia which may up-regulate the serum TNF-alpha level, which in turn suppresses insulin action, patients should be strictly treated non-surgically and their serum TNF-alpha levels should be periodically monitored. On the other hand, diabetic patients positive for serum anti-glutamate decarboxylase auto-antibody should be examined for the source of this antibody, since 1) gingival and periodontal ligament fibroblasts were found to express glutamate decarboxylase, and 2) some otherwise healthy periodontitis patients develop anti-glutamate decarboxylase antibody. Thus, chronic periodontitis may influence the level of this antibody which is widely used as a predictive marker for slowly progressive insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Not only is periodontal disease thereby affected by systemic diseases, but carefully managed periodontal therapy may also have a positive effect on the general health of patients with systemic diseases.     

Learning root debridement with curettes and power-driven instruments. Part II: Clinical results following mechanical,nonsurgical therapy

BACKGROUND, AIMS: In a manikin study we recently assessed how effectively student operators were able to learn scaling with curettes (GRA) and power-driven instruments (PP). Calculating the debrided root area effectiveness was low in both groups without systematic training or without a motivational program. After 10 weeks (20 h) of training, operators reached a high effectiveness of 84.7% (GRA) and 81.6% (PP). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of nonsurgical treatment as performed by these student operators. METHODS: In a clinical trial, 19 students trained in the use of Gracey curettes for 10 weeks (=20 h) (GRA10) and Periopolisher system for 1 week (=2 h) (PP1), and 20 students trained in the use of Gracey curettes for 1 week (GRA1) and the Periopolisher for 10 weeks (PP10) treated one patient each in a split-mouth design. At baseline and 6 months, we recorded probing depth (PD), probing attachment level (PAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP) by computer-assisted probing. Statistical analysis was carried out for moderate (category B) and deep sites (category C). Groups were compared using Student's t-tests (p<0.05). RESULTS: Category B sites showed a PD reduction of 1.2/1.0 mm (GRA10/GRA1) and 1.1 mm (PP10/PP1). PAL gain was 0.5/0.3 mm (GRA10/GRA1) and 0.4/0.2 mm (PP10/PP1). In category C sites, PD reduction was 2.1/2.3 mm (GRA10/GRA1) and 2.0 mm (PP10/PP1) with a PAL gain of 0.6/0.9 mm (GRA10/GRA1) and 0.4 mm (PP10/PP1). BOP was significantly lower in all groups. CONCLUSION: The results show that student operators who had received a systematical training on manikins and had attained different effectiveness results were able to treat periodontally diseased patients successfully using both Gracey and Periopolisher instruments.