[Oromaxillofacial changes in thalassemia major]. / Alterazioni oro-maxillo-facciali nella thalassemia major.

Sixty patients (31 male and 29 female) with thalassemia major, aged between 6 and 26 years, 18 of which were splenectomized, were observed in this study evaluating the oro-maxillo-facial alterations and correlating them to transfusion indexes, serum ferritin levels, splenectomy and age. For each patient a haematologic and odontostomatologic card was filed with a view to report the medical and clinical history regarding: the haematologic picture, the prevention of caries and parodontal disease, the facies characteristics, the odonto-stomatologic examination, the orthodontic diagnosis, the skull X-rays and the orthopantomography. Poor oral hygiene as well as misknowledge of prevention were generally observed. All the patients showed carious lesions but most of them had never seen a dentist for therapy. The disharmonious growth of splanchnocranium, with the enlargement of the jaw and of its alveolar process, induced by the bone marrow hyperplasia, produced various and serious malocclusion stages (Angle's II class, deep bite, open bite), gnathologic alterations, hypodiaphanous paranasal sinuses and orbital hypertelorism, with a typical oriental-like facies. Malocclusion and the poor oral hygienic conditions determined the occurrence of marginal gingivitis, mainly localized at the level of the lower frontal teeth. In only 3 patients the oral mucous membrane was pale and atrophic. During this investigation agenesia and dental retention were reported in 30% and in 26% of the examined cases respectively, while no patients had supernumerary teeth. Tooth volume, position and shape abnormalities rarely occurred. Only in two patients was enamel hypoplasia described. The caries frequency greatly varied in number and in degree. Only five patients did not show any carious lesions. The caries index (DMF) for the permanent teeth calculated in all the 60 subjects was 5, 12 +/- 4.76. By utilizing Spearman's rank test the number of teeth with caries in the permanent dentition (DFM) and in the mixed dentition (DFM + dmf) was correlated to the average value of ferritin, with the ferritin peak, with transfusion requirements and with the age of the patient at the date of the clinical examination. A significant inverse correlation was therefore demonstrated between transfusion requirements and caries in the mixed dentition. The chi 2 test was used to assess the different frequency of the caries index (above 5) between splenectomized and non-splenectomized patients. Splenectomy proved to be associated only apparently to the total number of patients with more than 5 caries. Conversely, in the non-splenectomized group the frequency of patients with more than 5 caries was definitely lower. Indeed the overall number of caries in both groups of splenectomized and non-splenectomized subjects, of the same average age, was almost identical. Consequently, splenectomy and the higher number of caries are statistically more probable in individuals affected by thalassemia, of increasing age, without however being mutually correlated.

[Integrated instrumental diagnosis in salivary gland pathology]. / La diagnostica strumentale integrata nella patologia delle ghiandole salivari.

The role of instrumental practice, especially using pictures, in the diagnosis of salivary gland conditions has been examined. A number of remarks arise out of the evaluation of possibilities and limitations of the various techniques. In general, the aid these offer when clinical medicine alone fails to achieve accurate diagnosis; then need to proceed from the simpler, more innocuous techniques to other more complex, invasive ones only when the limitations of the former prevent a complete classification of the features of the lesion. Used rationally, integrated instrumental diagnosis represents an extra tool available to the clinician.

[Primary oral peripheral chondrosarcoma. Anatomo-clinical aspects and presentation of 2 cases with periodontal onset]. / Il condrosarcoma periferico orale primitivo. Aspetti anatomo-clinici e presentazione di due casi ad insorgenza parodontale.

After a brief analysis of the anatomoclinical aspects of chondrosarcoma in general and of the characteristic and particular aspects of the forms with maxillofacial onset (lower age of onset, elective sites of onset anterior in the maxillary and posterior in the mandible, often insignificant standard X-ray pictures, high percentage of error in clinical and histological diagnosis) two cases of peripheral periodontal onset, with low degree of malignity (grade 1), with aspecific clinical and radiological aspects, both locally recurrent several times after nonradical surgery are reported.

[Comparative evaluation of the retentive capacity of endodontic posts]. / Valutazione comparativa delle capacità ritentive di alcuni perni endocanalari.

The retentive capacity of certain endodontic posts was assessed in terms of: pin design, pin diameter and cement employed. The following commercially products were examined: Flexipost (Essential Dental Systems), Parapost Plus (Whaledent) and Dentatus (Dentatus) posts; Phosphacap (Vivadent) and Bondalcap (Vivadent) cements.

[Visco-elastic properties of various composites for the front teeth]. / Studio delle caratteristiche visco-elastiche di alcuni compositi per anteriori.

The rupture load, elasticity modulus and viscosity coefficient of certain composite currently on sale for the reconstruction of front teeth were calculated experimentally. The products examined were: Prismafil (Caulk), Helioprogress (Vivadent), Heliosit (Vivadent), Silux (3M), Concise (3M), Command Ultrafine (Kerr), P30 (3M). The figures obtained relate to 3 different time periods after the preparation of samples.

[Reactions of the submandibular salivary gland caused by sialography. Experimental research in dogs]. / Reazioni della ghiandola salivare sottomandibolare da scialografia. Ricerca sperimentale nel cane.

In order to ascertain the damaging effects on the glandular parenchyma and excretory system of the major salivary glands of sialography using iodate contrast media in an oily vehicle, experiments have been carried out on a group of dogs. Among other compounds, Lipiodol UF and Urovison were used, the former oil-based and the latter water-based. Histological slides of the injected gland made three and four weeks afterwards showed in one animal only the presence of a periductal infiltrate and an intracanalicular formation of hyaline thrombotic type that was not easy to interpret. Lipiodol UF was employed in this case. Comparing these results with the literature, it is concluded that Lipiodol is an irritant, especially if it passes beyond the salivary excretory tree, but this is not enough to have it banned absolutely. Contraindications are reported and the need for correct technique stressed.