Forensic study of the mechanical properties of prosthetic materials: Submersion in mangrove environment - A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: It is crucial for dental surgeons to use the mechanical properties of dental prosthetic materials to correlate the submersion time in a mangrove environment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to submerge dental prosthetic materials, such as acrylic resin and zirconia, contained within acrylic resin disks in a mangrove environment, and analyze the alterations in mechanical parameters, such as surface roughness and microhardness, to estimate submergence time in similar forensic situations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 6 specimens was embedded in acrylic resin disks numbered from 1 to 6. The materials were polished for initial parameter readings a day before submersion, and new readings were obtained 1after submersion. All specimens were subjected to surface roughness analysis, in addition to Knoop microhardness analysis for acrylic resin and Vickers microhardness analysis for zirconia. After the experiment, the data were computed for statistical comparation of the materials properties different parameters. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in surface roughness and Knoop microhardness was reduced in the Acrylic Resin samples (p< 0.05); however, no statistically significant differences were observed in the roughness or Vickers microhardness values of the zirconia samples. CONCLUSION: Zirconia prosthetics were more resistant to degradation when submerged in a mangrove environment compared to acrylic resin ones; however, owing to the obstacles inherent in this study, we suggest further research on the properties of prosthetic materials submerged in mangroves or other environments, which could bolster the work of dental professionals in forensic medical institutes.

The impact of partially removing the Bichat fat pad in the linear facial measurements, satisfaction with facial aesthetics and quality of life: a single-arm CONSORT-guided clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of Bichat's ball removal on postoperative inflammatory parameters (pain, edema, and trismus), facial volume reduction, facial esthetic satisfaction, and oral health-related quality of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A single-arm clinical trial with 21 patients undergoing Bichat's ball removal. The following parameters were assessed at baseline and up to 3 months postoperatively: Visual Analogue Scale pain scores (0-10), rescue medication consumption, mouth opening, AM-Tr, AM-CEO, AM-NA, AM-CL, and AM-PM measurements, Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 QoL scores, and satisfaction with facial esthetics (FACE-Q Satisfaction with Facial Appearance Overall Scale (SFAOS). X2, analysis of variance-repeated measures/Bonferroni, or Friedman/Dunn tests were used (p < 0.05, SPSS v20.0). RESULTS: Peak pain occurred after 2 h and, 10 h later, the levels returned to baseline values (p < 0.001). Rescue medication consumption peaked in the first 24 h reducing significantly after 72 h (p < 0.001). Mean mouth opening decreased after 24 h and returned to baseline levels after 1 month, and all linear facial measures reduced significantly after 1 or 3 months (p < 0.05). OHIP-14 scores and FACE-Q SFAOS scores showed significant improvement after 1 month (p < 0.001), but patients aged > 25 years showed a significant reduction in FACE-Q SFAOS at the end of the study (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical removal of the Bichat's ball induces a mild inflammatory process controlled by rescue medication, significantly reduces face volume, and improves QoL and satisfaction with facial esthetics 3 months postoperatively. However, the efficacy of this procedure in patients > 25 years old is questionable. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Evaluate the effectiveness of bichectomy in terms of clinical effects and impact on quality of life.