RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a new method for assessing the radio-opacity of endodontic sealers and to compare radio-opacity values with a well-established standard method. METHODS: The sealers evaluated in this study were AH Plus(®) (Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Konstanz, Germany), Endo CPM Sealer (EGEO SRL, Buenos Aires, Argentina) and MTA Fillapex(®) (Angelus Dental Products Industry S/A, Londrina, Parana, Brazil). Two methods were used to evaluate radio-opacity: (D) standard discs and (S) a tissue simulator. For (D), ten standard discs were prepared for each sealer and were radiographed using Digora(®) phosphor storage plates (Soredex; Orion Corporation, Helsinki, Finland), alongside an aluminium stepwedge. For (S), polyethylene tubes filled with sealer (n = 10 for each) were radiographed inside the simulator as described. The digital images were analysed using Adobe Photoshop(®) software v. 10.0 (Adobe Systems, San Jose, CA). To compare the radio-opacity among the sealers, the data were analysed by ANOVA and Tukey's test, and to compare methods, they were analysed by the Mann-Whitney U test. To compare the data obtained from dentin and sealers in method (S), Student's paired t-test was used (=0.05). RESULTS: In both methods, the sealers showed significant differences, according to the following decreasing order: AH Plus, MTA Fillapex and Endo CPM. In (D), MTA Fillapex and Endo CPM showed less radio-opacity than aluminium. For all of the materials, the radio-opacity was higher in (S) than in (D). Compared with dentin, all of the materials were more radio-opaque. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison of the two assessment methods for sealer radio-opacity testing validated the use of a tissue simulator block.
Assuntos
Teste de Materiais/métodos , Radiografia Dentária Digital , Materiais Restauradores do Canal Radicular , Compostos de Alumínio , Compostos de Cálcio , Combinação de Medicamentos , Resinas Epóxi , Óxidos , SilicatosRESUMO
Between 1987 and 1992, one surgeon performed 242 parotidectomies in 229 patients. Among 97 patients with benign disease, pleomorphic adenoma (46) and sialo-adenitis (28) predominated, while metastatic melanoma (22) and squamous cell carcinoma (21) were the most common diagnoses among 132 patients with malignancy. The extent of parotidectomies were: 114 'appropriate' resections, 77 complete superficial parotidectomies, 35 near-total conservative and 14 radical total resections. The facial nerve was sacrificed in 19 operations and reconstructed in four. One hundred and five patients had a concomitant neck dissection and 45 patients had adjuvant radiotherapy. Postoperative facial nerve function was normal in 90% of patients with localized tumours and 55% of patients overall. Patients with sialo-adenitis or deep lobe tumours and those having a neck dissection were at greatest risk of facial weakness despite nerve preservation. At a median follow up of 34 months, 13 patients had developed tumour recurrence and attempts at salvage surgery have generally been disappointing.