Antifungal Effect of Polymethyl Methacrylate Resin Base with Embedded Au Nanoparticles.

Full and partial restorations in dentistry must replicate the characteristics of the patient's natural teeth. Materials must have good mechanical properties and be non-toxic and biocompatible. Microbes, which can form biofilms, are constantly in contact with restorations. In this study, we investigate how well Candida albicans adheres to a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin base with gold (Au) nanoparticles. We synthesized Au nanoparticles and characterized them. The average size of Au nanoparticles embedded in PMMA was 11 nm. The color difference ΔE between PMMA and PMMA/Au composites was 2.7 and was still esthetically acceptable to patients. PMMA/Au surfaces are smoother and more hydrophilic than pure PMMA surfaces, and the isoelectric point of both types of surfaces was 4.3. Above the isoelectric point, PMMA/Au surfaces are more negatively charged than PMMA surfaces. The added Au nanoparticles decreased the tensile strength, while the hardness did not change significantly. Adhesion measurements showed that PMMA surfaces modified with Au nanoparticles reduced the extent of microbial adhesion of Candida albicans.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Paediatric Dental Treatment: A Retrospective Study in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dentists are at significant risk of COVID-19 infection. It was difficult to find a balance between dental care, especially preventive and other non-urgent dental procedures, and prevention of potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental treatment in children in the Dental Clinic of the University of Banja Luka, and to compare it before and during the first and second years of the pandemic. All dental records of paediatric patients who attended the Dental Clinic (for the period March 2019 to March 2022) were analysed. The data on selected dental treatment procedures were divided into three groups per year and compared. The results during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic showed a reduction in single treatments compared to the year before, while in the second year there was an increase in some interventions such as oral hygiene training and patient motivation, deciduous tooth extraction, and glass ionomer filling. Although the number of dental treatments in the clinic in the second year nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, preventive and restorative interventions are the most appropriate strategy to improve the oral health of children after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clinical Testing of Walking Bleach, In-Office, and Combined Bleaching of Endodontically Treated Teeth.

Objective. The causes of internal posteruptive discoloration of teeth are bleeding, necroses, infections, and endodontic filling materials. The aim of this study was to establish the results of bleaching endodontically treated teeth using walking bleach, in-office, and combined techniques, using 30% carbamide peroxide and 35% hydrogen peroxide, as well as the effect of etiological factors, and the time elapsed after endodontic treatment on the success of bleaching. Materials and Methods. The research involved 30 endodontically treated teeth in healthy patients. Retroalveolar X-rays were taken to check the quality of root canal obturation. Endodontic treatment and obturation were carried out on the discolored non-vital teeth without any previous endodontic treatment. Before bleaching, two millimeters of the filling were removed from the root canal and the very entry into the canal was protected with glass ionomer cement. The teeth were divided into three groups, depending on the bleaching technique: walking bleach technique (10 patients), in-office technique (10 patients), and combined technique (10 patients). The teeth were bleached with 30% carbamide peroxide and 35% hydrogen peroxide. The bleaching procedure was repeated in all the patients three times. The color of all teeth was determined based on the Vita Classic guide before and after bleaching. The Χ2 square and Kruskal−Wallis tests were used to identify differences in teeth bleaching results. Results. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was established between bleaching success and the time elapsed after endodontic treatment. There were no statistically significant differences observed between the bleaching success and etiological factors, bleaching techniques, or bleaching agents. Conclusions. The effectiveness of non-vital tooth bleaching is affected by the time elapsed after endodontic treatment.

Application of Semipermanent Cements and Conventional Cement with Modified Cementing Technique in Dental Implantology.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of artificial ageing on the retention force of original semipermanent cements, as well as the possibility of using conventional cements for semipermanent cementation with adequate modification of the cementing protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty CoCrMo alloy crowns were divided in four groups (each group n=10) and fixed with two semipermanent cements (resin-based and glass ionomer-based cements) and one conventional (zinc phosphate), using conventional and modified cementation techniques on titanium abutments. The samples were stored in humid conditions for 24 hours at 37°C and subjected to thermocycling (500 cycles) and mechanical cyclic loading (7 days, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months function simulation). The cast crowns were removed and the retention force was recorded. RESULTS: The highest initial retention force measured was for zinc-phosphate cement - conventional cementing (198,00±61,90 N), followed in descending order by zinc-phosphate cement - modified cementing technique (152,00±45,42 N), long term temporary cement - GC Fuji Temp LT (57,70±20,40 N), and semipermanent cement - Telio CS Cem Implant (56,10±18,68 N). After 12 months, the highest retention force measured was for zinc-phosphate cement - conventional cementing (88, 90±14, 45 N), followed by zinc-phosphate cement - modified cementing (48, 15±14,41N), semipermanent cement GC Fuji Temp LT (16,55±3,88 N) and Telio CS Cem Implant (15,55±5,52 N). CONCLUSIONS: Zinc-phosphate cement - modified cementing technique and original semipermanent cements can be recommended for conditional permanent cementing of implant supported crowns. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of semipermanenet cements and zinc-phosphate cement - modified cementing technique provides a predictable retrievability of implant-supported crowns.

Validation of Cariogram in Caries Prediction in Women and Their Children 4 Years After Pregnancy - Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: Cariogram®, an algorithm-based software model, for predicting caries risk has been used to assess the caries risk profile of many different groups. The aims of the study were to evaluate Cariogram caries risk assessment during pregnancy with DMFT/dmft incidence in mothers and their children 4 years after pregnancy and to check if there is an association between children's caries risk profiles using Cariogram and caries risk profiles (by Cariogram) of their mothers during pregnancy. METHODS: The study population consisted of 96 pregnant women (average age 27.4±7.2 years at baseline) who completed clinical baseline examination and salivary tests. The follow-up study was initiated 4 years later and the 80 pairs of mother and children (from that pregnancy) were re-examined using the same procedure at baseline. An individual caries risk profile and DMFT/dmft incidence were made for each woman and child. The prediction of the Cariogram was compared to the actual dental experience in 4 years. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for two cut-offs were calculated to express the outcome. RESULTS: The results showed a strong association between the risk categories of pregnant women and their offspring as well as between caries development in offspring and the Cariogram risk categories of pregnant women. Sensitivity and PPV for new DMFT (ΔDMFT>0) 4 years after for women were  high (>80%) for those participants assessed with 0-60% "chance to avoid caries", as well as diagnostic accuracy (74.00%). High specificity (91.00%), very high PPV (95.00%) and clinically useful values according to Youden's index (0.53) were obtained for moderate-risk and two lowest-risk groups for dmft in children. CONCLUSION: Cariogram was valid in the authors' sample only and highly predictive in caries risk assessment in investigated children based on caries risk assessment of their mothers in pregnancy.

The Effect of Long-Term Antihypertensive Therapy on the Change in Secretion and Calcium, Bicarbonate and Phosphate Ion Concentration in Non-Stimulated and Stimulated Saliva.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the amount of saliva secreted and calcium, bicarbonate, and phosphate ion concentration in patients receiving antihypertensive for five years or over five years (patient group) and in healthy patients (control group). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The patient or experimental group included 31 subjects who were admitted to a cardiovascular clinic and had been receiving an antihypertensive drug therapy for more than five years. The control group included 31 healthy subjects. The measured amount of saliva was further used to determine the calcium, phosphate and bicarbonate ion concentration values. Calcium and phosphate ions were determined spectrophotometrically, while bicarbonate ions were determined by titration. RESULTS: A two-way-test (Student's test) was used to compare the values of variables. The amount of excreted saliva was statistically significantly lower in the patient group in non-stimulated (1.739 mL/5 min) and stimulated saliva (3.594 mL/5 min). Calcium ion concentration was statistically significantly lower in patient group in resting saliva (6.143 mg/dL). Bicarbonate and phosphate ion concentration in patient group was statistically significantly higher in non-stimulated (bicarbonate ion = 14.041 mmol/L, phosphate ion = 2.818 µmol/L) and stimulated saliva (bicarbonate ion = 10.872 mmol/L, phosphate ion = 1.454 µmol/L), respectively. CONCLUSION: A reduced amount of saliva and calcium ion concentration indicates the possibility of a higher frequency of hard dental tissue demineralization process. On the contrary, the increase in the phosphate and bicarbonate ion concentration in the patient group affects the regulation of acid-base balance, thus having a preventive effect.

Pemphigus vulgaris and laser therapy: crucial role of dentists.

INTRODUCTION: Pemphigus vulgaris is a relatively rare, chronic, autoimmune vesiculobullous disorder characterized by formation of intraepithelial vesiculae and/or bullae in the skin and mucous membrane. Systemic steroids are considered to be the standard first-line therapy for pemphigus vulgaris. However, for patients unresponsive to standard therapy, the new treatment modalities are being sought. Low-level laser therapy has been accepted as an alternative or adjunctive treatment modality for many conditions in medicine and dentistry. Therefore, this study was aimed at presenting the effects of low-level laser therapy in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris and to emphasize the crucial role of dentists in early recognition and diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The articles published until May 2013 were obtained from the Medline/PubMed online database, using following search terms and key words: "laser therapy" and "pemphigus vulgaris", "low-level laser irradiation" and "pemphigus vulgaris", "lasers" and "pemphigus vulgaris" and "pemphigus vulgaris". RESULTS: Low-level laser therapy could result in immediate and significant analgesia and improved wound healing within the observation period and follow-up. Furthermore, a decrease in patients' discomfort as well as the absence of recurrence of the pemphigus vulgaris lesions has been claimed. CONCLUSION: Even though available literature suggests that low-level laser therapy can be efficiently used in treatment of oral pemphigus vulgaris, either independently or as a part of combined therapy approach, these results should be interpreted with caution since there are no solid evidence-based proofs to provide the guidelines for the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris with low-level laser therapy. Therefore, further long-term randomized controlled clinical studies are necessary in order to give any solid recommendations on the use of low-level laser therapy in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris.

[Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy in reduction of orofacial pain].

INTRODUCTION: Patients with craniomandibular disorders suffer from hypertonic, fatigued and painful masticatory muscles.This condition can lead to limitation of mandibular jaw movements. All of these symptoms and signs are included in myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome.Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been used for treatment of these patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the effect ofTENS therapy on chronic pain reduction in patients with the muscular dysfunction symptom. METHODS: In order to evaluate the effect ofTENS therapy before and after the treatment, Craniomandibular Index (Helkimo) was used. Pain intensity was measured by VAS. Patients had TENS treatment over two-week period. BURST TENS modality was used. Current intensity was individually adjusted. RESULTS: Two patients did not respond to TENS therapy. Complete pain reduction was recorded in 8 patients, while pain reduction was not significantly different after TENS therapy in 10 patients. CONCLUSION: TENS therapy was confirmed as therapeutic procedure in orofacial muscle relaxation and pain reduction.