Early prosthodontic intervention on two three-year-old twin girls with ectodermal dysplasia.

AIM: Early prosthodontic treatment for cases of ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is usually difficult because of oligodontia, undeveloped alveolar ridges, and the young age of the patients. Although some cases of prosthetic management of ED patients have been reported in the literature, there have been few cases about prosthetic treatment in children younger than 5 years of age. CASE REPORT: This case report presents early prosthetic oral rehabilitation of 2 twin sisters with ectodermal dysplasia and severe hypodontia in the primary dentition. Fixed partial dentures with bands retained on deciduous molars were fabricated when the girls were 3 years old. New flexible removable partial dentures were made when the girls turned 6 years to accommodate the ongoing alveolar development. After the dental treatment, the two girls' aesthetics, phonetics, and chewing functions all improved significantly, which in turn raised the girls' self-esteem and increased their overall quality of life. CONCLUSION: These two cases demonstrated that properly timed and managed early prosthodontic intervention can improve the overall life quality of young patients with ectodermal dysplasia.

Preserving pulpal health of a geminated maxillary lateral incisor through multidisciplinary care.

AIM: To report the multidisciplinary care of an unaesthetic geminated maxillary lateral incisor tooth, which allowed its preservation in the mouth. SUMMARY: Preoperative examination of an unsightly geminated maxillary lateral incisor (tooth 22) demonstrated two pulp chambers and open apices, with normal pulp sensitivity responses. At surgery, a periodontal mucoperiosteal flap was reflected and the distal part of the geminated tooth was removed. The exposed root canal of the preserved tooth was sealed with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). The extraction socket and osseous defect was grafted with decalcified freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA) before flap closure. During follow-up, distal caries in tooth 22 and a diastema between tooth 22 and 23 were managed with composite resin restorations. Forty-two months postoperatively, normal thermal and electrical pulp sensitivity tests confirmed pulp health. Convincing apexogenesis and dentinogenesis of the developing root was confirmed by radiographic examination. Acceptable periodontal health including 3-4 mm clinical probing depths was achieved. Optimizing aesthetics and occlusion was accomplished without orthodontic treatment.

Caries levels and patterns in the primary dentition of preschool children in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The specific caries experience and caries patterns have not been systematically studied in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of caries patterns and caries levels for children aged 3 through 6 years in the northern Taiwan area. METHODS: Eight hundred fifty-one children were examined and their dentition classified according to five etiology-oriented caries patterns. RESULTS: The deft was 2.8 for 3-year-olds, 3.2 for 4-year-olds, 3.8 for 5-year-olds, and 3.7 for 6-year-olds. Nearly half the children (44.4%) had the "facial lingual/molar proximal" pattern; this pattern is consistent with bottle caries continuing to the smooth surfaces of molars. Only 15.4% were caries-free. CONCLUSION: We interpret the disease to be well established by age 3; prevention programs should thus begin before that age. The influence of bottle caries is interpreted from the high percentage of children with facial-lingual caries by age 3.

Intentional replantation of a mandibular molar with calcified canal: a case report.

Intentional replantation is an accepted endodontic technique for treating teeth in which both conventional and/or surgical endodontic treatments are not recommended. A rare case using intentional replantation technique on one mandibular molar has been successfully treated. This procedure was used owing to inaccessible calcified canal and pain intolerance of the patient. A thirty month post-operative evaluation revealed an asymptomatic, functional tooth with no radiographic signs of pathosis. The favorable results obtained in this case might be attributed to certain factors, such as occlusal adjustment prior to replantation, maintaining asepsis during replantation, no-damaging pressure during extraction, use of noneugenol periodontal packing, preservation of the vitality of the periodontal ligament, a minimal extraoral period, non-rigid splinting, apicoectomy and retrograde amalgam filling were done for hermetic apical seal. Intentional replantation may be limited to those cases when conventional endodontic therapy is not possible, but may be a treatment alternative to maintain the dentition and save an otherwise hopeless tooth.

Effects of light deprivation on prolactin cells in golden hamsters: an immunoelectron microscopic study.

In the golden hamster light deprivation has been shown to induce gonadal regression and reduction of pituitary and plasma levels of prolactin (PRL). In the present study we examined changes in morphology and population ratios of three types of PRL cells 8 weeks after light deprivation, by means of blinding or exposure of hamsters to continuous darkness. In the pituitary of intact hamsters of either sex, which were entrained to a 14-h light: 10-h dark cycle, Type C cells with large secretory granules were the most numerous and Type A with smaller granules the least. After light deprivation the pituitary was found to contain remarkably atrophic PRL cells and showed a profound change in population ratio of PRL cell types, i.e., Type A cells prevailed over the other two types. Pituitary glands from light-deprived and concurrently pinealectomized hamsters exhibited structures and a population ratio of three types of PRL cells similar to those from intact animals. It is suggested that small-granule-containing PRL cells represent an inactive stage of PRL cells, whereas medium- and large-granule-containing cells are functionally active cells. The atrophy of PRL cells can account for the decreased pituitary level of PRL in light-deprived hamsters reported previously.

Ultrastructural studies on splenic microcirculation of the rat.

In an attempt to establish or supplement the three dimensional features of splenic microvasculature vascular corrosion casts and freeze-cracked tissue blocks of the rat spleen were studied by electron microscopy (SEM & TEM) with special reference on the filtration mechanism of blood cells (RBCs) in the spleen. Both open and closed circulation were observed. TEM investigation showed that macrophages were often found to be located outside the abluminal surface and between two venous sinus branches. Some of them occasionally extend their filopodia and emerge through intercellular slits (IES) out to the luminal surface of the venous sinus. In many cases discontinuity of the junctional complex of the endothelial cells is occasionally identified; this may behave as a detour to prolong RBC passage through the reticular space, thus facilitating their contact with phagocytic cells. SEM observation on vascular corrosion casts have provided clear evidence of direct arteriovenous connection in the rat spleen. Observation on the freeze-cracked tissue block showed a consistent evidence that the macrophages occasionally extend their filopodia and emerge through IES out to the luminal surface of the venous sinus. It indicated that a great majority of the RBCs passing through meshwork of the reticular space of the red pulp, i.e., open circulation would be detected by the macrophages dwelling in the reticular space. The RBCs passing through the fast component. i.e., closed circulation were also subjected to detection and phagocytosis either by macrophages dwelling in the reticular space while their passage through the discontinuity of the junctional complex to the reticular space or by macrophages emerging through IES while their passage along the venous sinus wall. Ultrastructural studies provide an evidence that the spleen performs it filtration function by a multifiltration mechanism.

A centrosomal inclusion (striped nebulous body) in pinealocytes of the golden hamster.

Electron microscopy has revealed the presence of a special cytoplasmic body in the centrosomal area of pinealocytes of the golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. It consists of branching electron-dense ribbons embedded in a flocculent matrix of moderate electron density, and is tentatively named the 'striped nebulous body' (SNB). The dense ribbon usually appears as a thick band accompanied by a parallel thin one to one side. The SNB is not bounded by a membrane, and is roughly round or kidney-shaped. Closely associated with the SNB are centrioles, microtubular sheaves and striated fibrils, the latter two being centriolar derivatives. The observations suggest that the SNB might be formed by the amalgamation of these microtubular sheaves and striated fibrils. In golden hamsters, pinealocytes often have multiple centrioles and centriolar derivatives. The SNB of adult hamsters is seen in the pinealocytes of both sexes, irrespective of the season of the year and the activity of the pineal gland. The functional significance of this body remains to be studied.

Preparation and in vitro antifungal activities of some quinolizidine derived hemiaminals and beta-tert-amino sulfides.

New alpha-thiohemiaminals, 7alpha-phenylthio-7-epideoxynupharidin-6-ol, the diasteriomeric 7beta-phenylthiodeoxy-nupharidin-6-ol, and 3-methyl-3-methylthio-4-hydroxyquinolizidine, were prepared and reduced to the corresponding beta-tert-amino sulfides. The configuration at C-7 of the beta-tert-amino sulfides was determined by observing the direction of the solvent-induced shift of the C-7 methyl proton resonance. The configuration at C-7 of the new alpha-thiohemiaminals was established by correlations with the beta-tert-amino sulfides and confirmed, in the case of the deoxynupharidine derivatives, by circular dichroism and ascertaining the sterochemistry of deuteride incorporation upon sodium borodeuteride reduction of the alpha-thiohemiaminal. The in vitro antifungal activities of six compounds possessing the quinolizidine skeleton, including all the newly synthesized compounds as well as some previously reported ones, and amphotericin B were tested against several human pathogenic fungi. Besides amphotericin B, only the two deoxynupharidine alpha-thiohemiaminals were active, especially against Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis. The observations indicate activity is derived from the 3-furyl group and the functionality from which alpha-thioimmonium ions can be produced.