Discriminant analysis of patients' reasons for choosing or refusing treatments for partial edentulism.

The aim of the study was to explore partially edentulous patients' reasons for choosing or refusing prosthodontic treatment with removable partial dentures (RPD), fixed partial dentures (FPD) and implant partial dentures (IPD). Clinical and oral health-related quality of life measures were collected from 165 partially edentulous patients undergoing treatment. Patients' preferences were recorded and reasons for choosing or refusing treatments were measured with 32 questions using a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and multiple logistic regression were used to compare patients' preferences according to clinical variables. Discriminant analysis was used to examine the impact of each reason for a patient's decision to choose or refuse treatment options. Results showed that older patients (P < 0.001) and with greater oral-related quality of life impacts (P < 0.05) were more likely to choose RPD. IPD were preferred by patients with higher education levels (P < 0.01). Discriminant functions revealed that the desire to have a fixed or removable denture had great impact on preferences. Removal of tooth structure was the main reason for refusing FPD and financial cost had a great impact on refusing IPD. Overall agreement between observed patients' decisions and those predicted by the discriminant function was >90% for all treatments. Reasons vary greatly among patients, and the role of individual perception of potential reasons for treatment selection was the most important determinants of patients' decisions. The main reasons for choosing or refusing treatments focused in this study can be used to guide shared decision-making, providing treatments that better match patients' expectations and desires.

Quality of life of public health service dental hygienists in Goiânia, Brazil.

The aim of this study was to assess quality of life (QoL) and related factors among dental hygienists. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of dental hygienists working in the public health service of Goiânia, Central-West Region, Brazil, in 2004. All active dental hygienists received a mailed questionnaire containing the shortened version of the World Health Organization instrument to measure quality of life (WHOQOL-Bref), demographic and job-related data, and questions about self-rated general health status and QoL. Response rate was 58.5% (n = 93). Descriptive statistics, simple and multiple logistic regressions were used in the analysis of data. The WHOQOL-Bref instrument revealed that the Social Relationships domain had the highest mean score (70.56), followed by the Physical (65.49), Psychological (61.3) and Environment domains (56.25). Most of the dental hygienists had a high QoL in the Social Relationships domain and a low QoL in the Physical, Psychological and Environment domains. There was an association between self-rated health status and the Physical domain; satisfaction with health and the Physical, Psychological and Social Relationships domain and self-rated QoL and the Psychological and Social Relationships domains. The conclusion is that a low QoL was common among the dental hygienists and has perceptible effects on their perceptions of their health status and QoL.

Sinos River Hydrographic Basin: urban occupation, industrialization and environmental memory.

This article presents an analysis of the process of industrialization and urbanization of the Sinos Valley in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, starting from the establishment of leather goods and footwear manufacturing in the region during the 19th century when tanneries and factories producing footwear and/or components for footwear began to appear, and with special attention to aspects related to the environmental impact on the Sinos river hydrographic basin. The article is based on both bibliographic and documentary research and also draws on biographical narratives of workers with links to the leather goods and footwear industry obtained using ethnographic method. It was found that contemporary environmental conflicts emerge from within a memory of work and an environmental memory in which the factories, the unplanned urbanization, and the utilization of water and other natural resources form a chain of significance. Significance that precludes any form of fragmented analysis that isolates any of these aspects from the others: the economic, socio-historic, cultural, political, or the environmental.

Environment and society: the Sinos River Basin and public policies.

This study discusses the tensions and conflicts in the relationship between environment and society in the Sinos River Basin, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. An environmental disaster in 2006, which resulted in the death of 100 tons of fish in the Sinos River, is the dividing line for this study. A review of documents and field interviews with representatives of the municipal government and companies in the region were used to analyze the impact of public policies on the environment and which deficiencies remain.

Free-electron laser etching of dental enamel.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Mark-III free-electron laser as a means of etching enamel surfaces, with potential application to resin bonding. METHODS: The FEL was tuned to wavelengths ranging from 3.0 to 9.2 microm. Specific wavelengths that are resonantly absorbed by phosphates, proteins, and water were used. First, bovine enamel was polished and exposed to static FEL exposures. Lased enamel was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additional bovine enamel specimens were exposed to FEL at similar wavelengths, but with rastering to create treated rectangular areas on each specimen. Surface roughness was evaluated using profilometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Composite was bonded to the lased enamel, and shear bond strengths were determined using an Instron universal testing machine. As a control, the surface roughness of, and shear bond strengths to, acid-etched enamel were determined. RESULTS: Static FEL exposures caused changes in the enamel ranging from an etched appearance to pits, cracks, and frank cratering. The surface roughness of lased enamel was much greater than that of acid-etched enamel, and was qualitatively different as well. Shear bond strengths of resin to acid-etched enamel were significantly higher than bond strengths to lased enamel. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions used in this study, the FEL did not offer a practical and effective method of etching enamel for resin bonding. However, the ability of the FEL to deliver many specific wavelengths makes it an interesting tool for further research of laser effects on tooth structure.

Effects of demineralization depth on microtensile bond strength to human dentin.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of different phosphoric acid concentrations (10% and 37%) on the microtensile bond strengths (microTBS) of three dentin adhesive systems with different solvents (ethanol, acetone, or none). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen third molars divided into six groups were ground flat to expose superficial dentin, which was polished to 600-grit. The bonding procedure was initiated using either of two phosphoric acid gels (10% and 37%). Three adhesive systems - Single Bond (SB), Prime & Bond NT (NT), and One Coat Bond (OC) - with different solvents (ethanol, acetone, or none, respectively) were used. After adhesive application, a cylinder of composite resin was built up. After 24 h water storage, each tooth was serially sectioned into thin rectangular sections (or "sticks") parallel to the long axis and with a mean cross-sectional area of 0.4 mm2. microTBS were determined using an Instron universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Duncan's test. RESULTS: Mean bond strengths ranged from 66.1 MPa for 10%/ H3PO4 and SB to 43.8 MPa for 37% H3PO4 and OC. SB and OC tended to have slightly higher bond strengths when 10% H3PO4 was used. NT with 37% H3PO4 had a significantly higher microTBS (54.6 MPa) than NT with 10% H3PO4 (44.4 MPa). CONCLUSION: Etching dentin with 37% H3PO4 resulted in a significantly higher mean microTBS for the acetone-based adhesive NT. For both the ethanol- and water-based adhesive (SB) and the solvent-free adhesive (OC), acid concentration did not significantly affect bond strength.

Effects of adhesive composition on microtensile bond strength to human dentin.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of adhesive composition (solvent and filler content) on microtensile bond strength (muTBS) to human dentin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 third molars were ground to expose superficial dentin, which was polished to 600-grit. The dentin was etched for 15 s with 37.5% phosphoric acid, rinsed, and blotted with tissue paper. The surface remained visibly moist for all specimens. The following adhesives were applied to the etched dentin according to manufacturers' directions: Single Bond (SB), experimental Single Bond (with filler) (ExpSB), Prime & Bond NT (NT), experimental Prime & Bond NT (without nanofiller) (ExpNT), and One Coat Bond (with filler) (OC). Each adhesive was applied to three teeth, and a cylinder of resin-based composite was built up on the occlusal surface. After 24-hour water storage, each tooth was vertically sectioned with a low-speed saw to produce a series of 0.7 mm slabs. Each slab was then sectioned to obtain "sticks" with a cross-sectional area ranging from 0.35 to 0.45 mm2. muTBS were determined using an Instron universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and Duncan's test. RESULTS: For filled adhesives, mean bond strengths ranged from 57.9 MPa for ExpSB to 48.2 MPa for NT. The unfilled adhesives SB and ExpNT had mean bond strengths of 75.9 MPa and 38.7 MPa, respectively. Unfilled SB had a significantly higher mean bond strength than the experimental filled version. The ethanol-based adhesive SB had a significantly higher mean bond strength than either the nonvolatile solvent-based OC or the acetone-based NT.

Effects of restorative and adhesive curing methods on dentin bond strengths.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the shear bond strengths of "one-bottle" adhesives to dentin when used with self-cured composite. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 100 bovine teeth were ground to expose superficial dentin, which was polished to 600-grit. The dentin was etched for 15 s with 35% phosphoric acid, rinsed, and blotted with tissue paper. The surface remained visibly moist for all specimens. The following adhesives were applied to the etched dentin according to manufacturers' directions: Scotchbond Multi-Purpose (in its visible light-cured [VLC] and self-cure modes) as a control, One-Step (VLC only), OptiBond Solo Plus (VLC only), Prime & Bond NT (VLC) and Prime & Bond NT Dual-Cure. For each adhesive, specimens were bonded with a self-cure composite, while 10 were bonded with a VLC composite as a control. After 24 hrs water storage, shear bond strengths were determined using an Instron universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, Tukey's test, and Student's t-tests. RESULTS: Using the light-cured composite, mean bond strengths ranged from 11.0 MPa for light-cured Prime & Bond NT to 26.3 MPa for OptiBond Solo Plus. Using the self-cure composite, mean bond strengths ranged from 0.0 for light-cured Prime & Bond NT to 21.4 MPa for One-Step. Two adhesives, light-cured Prime & Bond NT and OptiBond Solo Plus, had significantly lower bond strengths when used with the self-cure composite. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Some "one-bottle" dentin adhesives may not provide acceptable bonding to tooth structure when they are used with self-cure composites.

Sinos River Hydrographic Basin: urban occupation, industrialization and environmental memory

This article presents an analysis of the process of industrialization and urbanization of the Sinos Valley in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, starting from the establishment of leather goods and footwear manufacturing in the region during the 19th century when tanneries and factories producing footwear and/or components for footwear began to appear, and with special attention to aspects related to the environmental impact on the Sinos river hydrographic basin. The article is based on both bibliographic and documentary research and also draws on biographical narratives of workers with links to the leather goods and footwear industry obtained using ethnographic method. It was found that contemporary environmental conflicts emerge from within a memory of work and an environmental memory in which the factories, the unplanned urbanization, and the utilization of water and other natural resources form a chain of significance. Significance that precludes any form of fragmented analysis that isolates any of these aspects from the others: the economic, socio-historic, cultural, political, or the environmental.

Resumo O artigo aborda o processo de industrialização e urbanização do Vale do Rio dos Sinos/Rio Grande do Sul/Brasil, desde a implantação da indústria coureiro-calçadista na região, no século XIX, com o surgimento dos curtumes e das fábricas de calçados e/ou componentes para calçados, destacando, em especial, os aspectos ligados ao impacto ambiental na Bacia Hidrográfica dos Sinos. Faz-se uso de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, além da exposição de narrativas biográficas de trabalhadores ligados à indústria coureiro-calçadista, obtidas por meio do método etnográfico. Verifica-se que os conflitos ambientais contemporâneos emergem do interior de uma memória do trabalho e de uma memória ambiental, nas quais a fábrica, a ocupação urbana desordenada, o uso da água e dos demais recursos naturais formam um encadeamento de sentido que impede qualquer análise fragmentada que isole um destes aspectos: o econômico, o socio-histórico, o cultural, o político, o ambiental.

Sinos River Hydrographic Basin: urban occupation, industrialization and environmental memory / Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio dos Sinos: ocupação urbana, industrialização e memória ambiental.

This article presents an analysis of the process of industrialization and urbanization of the Sinos Valley in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, starting from the establishment of leather goods and footwear manufacturing in the region during the 19th century when tanneries and factories producing footwear and/or components for footwear began to appear, and with special attention to aspects related to the environmental impact on the Sinos river hydrographic basin. The article is based on both bibliographic and documentary research and also draws on biographical narratives of workers with links to the leather goods and footwear industry obtained using ethnographic method. It was found that contemporary environmental conflicts emerge from within a memory of work and an environmental memory in which the factories, the unplanned urbanization, and the utilization of water and other natural resources form a chain of significance. Significance that precludes any form of fragmented analysis that isolates any of these aspects from the others: the economic, socio-historic, cultural, political, or the environmental.

Resumo O artigo aborda o processo de industrialização e urbanização do Vale do Rio dos Sinos/Rio Grande do Sul/Brasil, desde a implantação da indústria coureiro-calçadista na região, no século XIX, com o surgimento dos curtumes e das fábricas de calçados e/ou componentes para calçados, destacando, em especial, os aspectos ligados ao impacto ambiental na Bacia Hidrográfica dos Sinos. Faz-se uso de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, além da exposição de narrativas biográficas de trabalhadores ligados à indústria coureiro-calçadista, obtidas por meio do método etnográfico. Verifica-se que os conflitos ambientais contemporâneos emergem do interior de uma memória do trabalho e de uma memória ambiental, nas quais a fábrica, a ocupação urbana desordenada, o uso da água e dos demais recursos naturais formam um encadeamento de sentido que impede qualquer análise fragmentada que isole um destes aspectos: o econômico, o socio-histórico, o cultural, o político, o ambiental.