Evaluation of Flow Rate, pH, and Buffering Capacity of Saliva in Children with Caries, Fluorosis, and Caries with Fluorosis.

Background: Saliva is one of the most important aids in the diagnosis of various oral diseases. Few physicochemical properties of saliva such as flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity often vary with the occurrence of dental caries, fluorosis, and other systemic conditions. Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity in healthy children, children with caries, children with fluorosis, and children with both caries + fluorosis. Materials and methods: The study population consisted of 144 children aged 7-14 years and were divided into four groups of 36 children each. Group I, 36 healthy children with no caries and fluorosis; group II, 36 children with caries (dmfs ≤ 10); group III, 36 children with fluorosis (moderate to severe); and group IV, 36 children with caries + fluorosis. Unstimulated saliva is collected from all the selected subjects and evaluated for the salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity. The recorded data were tabulated and statistically analyzed using a paired t-test. Results: The mean salivary flow rate and buffering capacity were found to be highest in group III when compared with all the other groups. The mean pH was greater in group I when compared with groups I, II, and III. Conclusion: The physicochemical properties of saliva like pH, buffering capacity, and salivary flow rate alter with caries and fluorosis conditions. Hence, more clinical and laboratory studies are needed to determine the exact relationship between these physicochemical properties of saliva in dental caries and fluorosis. How to cite this article: E RR, S S, M K, et al. Evaluation of Flow Rate, pH, and Buffering Capacity of Saliva in Children with Caries, Fluorosis, and Caries with Fluorosis. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(4):587-590.

Modified Conventional Root Canal Shaping Technique in Primary Teeth: An In Vivo Study.

Aim and objective: The purpose of the study was to compare the efficiency of modified conventional root canal shaping technique versus conventional shaping technique in primary teeth. Materials and methods: A total of 184 primary root canals (2 groups of 92 canals each) with two-thirds of root length were selected and randomly allocated into two different shaping techniques, i.e., Group I: conventional root canal shaping technique, Group II: modified root canal shaping technique. The quality of obturation (Coll and Sadrain, 1996) and presence or absences of voids were assessed by using radiographs. The recorded data was statistically analyzed. Results: Significant difference was seen between conventional and modified conventional techniques in underfilled and optimally filled canals. Conclusion: This modified cleaning and shaping technique can be considered as alternative to conventional instrumentation technique, as it improves quality of obturation and decreases the number of voids. How to cite this article: Reddy ER, Raju SS, Sandipamu T, et al. Modified Conventional Root Canal Shaping Technique In Primary Teeth: An In Vivo Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(S-1):S8-S11.

Studies on influence of natural biowastes on cellulase production by Aspergillus niger.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of natural biowaste substrates such as banana peel powder and coir powder at varying environmental parameters of pH (4-9) and temperature (20-50 degrees C) on the cellulase enzyme production by Aspergillus niger. The cellulase enzyme production was analyzed by measuring the amount of glucose liberated in IU ml(-1) by using the dinitrosalicylic acid assay method. The substrates were pretreated with 1% NaOH (alkaline treatment) and autoclaved. The maximum activity of the enzyme was assayed at varying pH with temperatures being constant and varying temperatures with pH being constant. The highest activity of the enzyme at varying pH was recorded at pH 6 for banana peel powder (0.068 +/- 0.002 IU ml) and coir powder (0.049 +/- 0.002 IU ml(-1)) and the maximum activity of the enzyme at varying temperature was recorded at 35 degrees C for both banana peel powder (0.072 +/- 0.001 IU ml(-1)) and coir powder (0.046 +/- 0.003 IU ml(-1)). At varying temperatures and pH the high level of enzyme production was obtained at 35 degrees C and pH 6 by using both the substrates, respectively. However among the two substrates used for the production of cellulases by Aspergillus niger banana peel powder showed maximum enzymatic activity than coir powder as substrate.

Appraisal of the remineralizing potential of child formula dentifrices on primary teeth: An in vitro pH cycling model.

AIM: To evaluate the remineralizing potential of child formula dentifrices on primary teeth using an in vitro 7 days pH cycling model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one primary teeth were placed in demineralizing solution for 96 h to produce artificial carious lesions; then cut longitudinally into 100-150 µm thick sections and randomly assigned to three groups. Sections in Group A were treated with dentifrice containing 458 ppm monofluorophosphate (MFP) and sections in Group B with 500 ppm sodium fluoride (NaF). Group C sections were treated with a nonfluoridated dentifrice. RESULTS: Group A (458 ppm MFP) and Group B (500 ppm NaF) showed significant decrease in lesion depth, whereas Group C (non F) showed a significant increase in depth (P ≤ 0.05, paired t-test). CONCLUSION: Though dentifrices containing 458 ppm MFP and 500 ppm NaF demonstrated remineralization of carious lesions, it was not complete. Therefore, it is also important to emphasize on other preventive methods in the prevention and/or reversal of carious lesions.

Anterior fixed interim prosthesis with natural tooth crown as pontic subsequent to replantation failure.

Facial trauma resulting in tooth avulsion results in problems of physical and emotional nature for the patient and a challenge for the dentist. Avulsion accounts for 0.5-16% of traumatic injuries in the permanent dentition that can occur at any age and is most common in the young permanent dentition. As an emergency procedure, it is advisable to replant a traumatically avulsed tooth, but unfortunately long-term success is rather low. After unsuccessful replantation and subsequent extraction, it is prudent to replace the lost tooth to avoid aesthetic, masticatory, and psychological difficulties and also to prevent arch length discrepancy with various alternatives are available for the same. We presented a method for management of one of the two replanted teeth that showed failure, using the natural crown as pontic in a fixed semi-permanent bridge until a more definitive prosthesis can be fabricated at a later age for better patient compliance.

Hypohyperdontia: Agenesis of three third molars and mandibular centrals associated with midline supernumerary tooth in mandible.

Agenesis of teeth in a patient who also presents with a supernumerary tooth is one of the rare numerical anomalies in human dentition. Agenesis of third molars was shown to be associated with other missing permanent teeth. A review of literature on hypodontia including third molar agenesis, hyperdontia and a concomitant presence of these two conditions which is termed as hypohyperdontia is presented along with a case showing agenesis of three third molars, both mandibular central incisors and a midline supernumerary tooth.