Effect of calcium and Vitamin D supplementation on residual ridge resorption in edentulous patients: An open-label randomized study.

AIM: Complete dentures (CDs) are fabricated to rehabilitate the edentulous. Severe residual ridge resorption (RRR) compromises CD functionality, adversely affecting function, appearance, systemic health, and quality of life. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The purpose of this study was to assess the benefit, if any, of calcium and Vitamin D supplementation on the rate of RRR. Retarding RRR would improve treatment prognosis and make CD fabrication less demanding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This longitudinal, parallel, open-label randomized study was conducted in the Department of Prosthodontics of the institute. One hundred and fifty edentulous subjects underwent bone mineral density (BMD) assessment followed by CD fabrication to measure RR height and width with computerized tomographic (CT) scans. Subjects were randomized to oral supplementation group - S, given combined Vitamin D and calcium daily, and nonsupplementation group - NS. Subjects from both the groups were followed up with repeat BMD test and CT scan after 12 months. Mean BMD, RR height and width, and RRR values were collected, analyzed, and compared for the two groups using STATA 17. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED AND RESULTS: Baseline mean T-score, RR height, and RR width were - 1.84, 22.30 mm, and 4.25 mm, respectively, for the sample. In both Groups S and NS, a statistically significant decrease in mandibular RR height (P = 0.000 for both) and width (P = 0.027 and 0.003, respectively) was observed at 1-year follow-up. There was a statistically insignificant difference between Groups S and NS for mean BMD, T-score, RR height and width, and RRR at both baseline and 12-month follow-up. One-year RRR rate for Group S (1.30 mm) was insignificantly lesser than for group NS (1.33 mm). CONCLUSION: Short-term oral calcium and Vitamin D supplementation was ineffective in reducing RRR and improving BMD.

Interaction studies of Serendipita indica and Zhihengliuella sp. ISTPL4 and their synergistic role in growth promotion in rice.

Rapid urbanization and globalization demand increasing agricultural productivity. Soil nutrient supply capacity is continuously decreasing due to soil erosion, degradation, salt deposition, undesired element, metal deposition, water scarcity, and an uneven nutrient delivery system. Rice cultivation requires a large amount of water which is becoming detrimental due to these activities. There is a need to increase its productivity. Microbial inoculants are becoming increasingly important in achieving sustainable agricultural production systems. The current study was conducted to investigate the interaction between the root endophytic fungus Serendipita indica (S. indica) and the actinobacterium Zhihengliuella sp. ISTPL4 (Z. sp. ISTPL4) and their synergistic effects on the growth of rice (Oryza sativa L). Both S. indica and Z. sp. ISTPL4 showed positive interactions. Growth of S. indica was observed at different days after Z. sp. ISTPL4 inoculation, and stimulated growth of S. indica was observed when Z. sp. ISTPL4 was inoculated at 5 dafi (days after fungal inoculation). Z. sp. ISTPL4 promoted the growth of S. indica as it increased spore germination. Furthermore, confocal and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses showed a 27% increase in the spore size of S. indica in the presence of Z. sp. ISTPL4. In a liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis increased production of alanine and glutamic acid was observed in their sequential co-culture as compared with individual cultures. Sequential inoculation of S. indica and Z. sp. ISTPL4 significantly increased the biochemical and physical characteristics of rice as compared with their individual inoculum. Biochemical parameters such as chlorophyll content, total soluble sugar, and flavonoid content in the rice increased by up to 57%, 47%, and 39%, respectively, in the presence of the combined inoculum of S. indica and Z. sp. ISTPL4. This will be the first study, to the best of our knowledge, which shows the fungus and actinobacterium interaction and their synergistic roles in the growth promotion of rice. Furthermore, this novel combination can also be used to boost the growth of other crops to increase the agricultural yield.

Evaluation of Candida albicans Adherence to CAD-CAM Milled, 3D-Printed, and Heat-Cured PMMA Resin and Efficacy of Different Disinfection Techniques: An In Vitro Study.

PURPOSE: Candida albicans has been regarded as the most predominant oral fungal pathogen and the main cause of denture stomatitis. This study aimed to investigate C. albicans adherence to three types of denture base polymers: heat-cured polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), CAD-CAM milled and 3D-printed. The efficacy of four common disinfection techniques, glutaraldehyde, brushing, microwave irradiation, and Polident overnight tablets, were also examined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty blocks of pink acrylic specimens were fabricated from each polymer group. To investigate the C. albicans adherence, as well as the efficacy of different disinfection techniques on removing the yeast from the different materials, specimens were cultured within the fungal culture overnight followed by disinfection. The adhered C. albicans on the materials were then obtained by vortexing in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and the numbers of the yeast in the suspensions were evaluated by measuring the optical density and/or colony-forming units on agar plates. Data were expressed as mean ± SEM (standard error of the mean). Statistical differences were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the post hoc Tukey HSD tests. RESULTS: Significant differences in C. albicans adherence to the three polymers were noted. CAD-CAM milled and heat-cured PMMA showed significantly less C. albicans adherence compared with 3D printed PMMA. No significant difference was noted between milled and heat-cured PMMA. In the disinfection test, microwave irradiation, mechanical brushing, and Polident tablets were found to be effective in removing fungal attachment on the different denture materials, while glutaraldehyde was found to be the least effective. CONCLUSION: C. albicans adherence to the polymers varies greatly based on the types of PMMA. 3D-printed had the highest fungal biofilm attachment. Microwave irradiation, mechanical brushing, and Polident overnight tablets had comparable results in removing C. albicans from all types of PMMA, while glutaraldehyde was not as effective.

Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme in a startup eye bank - A retrospective analysis and lessons learned.

Purpose: This study aimed to share our experience in the hospital cornea retrieval program as a new eye bank. Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care institute from August 26, 2019 to March 22, 2020. The medical and eye bank records were analyzed for hospital mortality, mortuary records, and donors approached. The corneal collection was divided between Voluntary (received from voluntary calls), HCRP (cornea received from hospital deaths), and Medico-Legal Cases (received from MLC deaths in hospital) to see the trend of donation and utilization over time. Results: During the study period, 154 corneas (77 pairs) were collected. The HCRP provided a major source of corneas 58.4% (90 corneas) as compared to voluntary 19.5% (30 corneas) and MLC 22.1%(34 corneas). There were younger tissues in MLC than HCRP donors, and older tissues in Voluntary donors, and the difference was statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the quality of optical grade tissues and the utilization of corneas for transplants between the three groups. Post hoc analysis showed more non-optical tissues in the voluntary donations (P = 0.004), maximum donors with medical contraindications in the HCRP group (P = 0.001), and time-lapse in corneal retrieval in MLC cases (P = 0.0001). Of these 154 corneas, 78 (50.6%) were assessed as suitable for transplantation, of which 59 (75.6%) tissues were optical grade tissues. The overall utilization was 39.6%. Conclusion: HCRP is indeed challenging for a new eye bank, but proper understanding and implementing strategies may help for good utilization of tissues.

Comparative evaluation of sealing ability of gutta percha and resilon as root canal filling materials- a systematic review.

This systematic review aims to comparatively evaluate the sealing ability gutta-percha and resilon as root canal filling materials. A Medline search was conducted to identify in-vitro studies published between October 01, 2004 and October 01, 2019, conducted on human extracted teeth, published in English and testing the sealing ability of gutta-percha and resilon as root canal filling materials using fluid filtration method. The search identified fifty-five published articles. After a thorough screening, five articles meeting the selection, and validity assessment criteria were critically appraised. The results indicated that during the initial time-period, resilon/epiphany sealer has better sealing ability than gutta-percha. However, over a period of time the resilon system demonstrated increased fluid flow. Gutta-percha with AH plus sealer showed the best long term sealing ability.

Effect of mucostatic and selective pressure impression techniques on residual ridge resorption in individuals with different bone mineral densities: A prospective clinical pilot study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Although different impression techniques have been advocated for complete denture prosthodontics, objective studies that predict their effect on alveolar bone resorption are lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this prospective clinical pilot study was to objectively evaluate the effect of complete dentures fabricated by different impression techniques on mandibular residual ridge resorption in individuals with different bone mineral density. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety-six participants with edentulism, selected according to inclusion criteria, underwent bone mineral density assessment and were divided into normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic groups. Half of the participants in each group were provided with dentures fabricated by selective pressure impression technique (subgroup SIT), and the other half were provided with dentures fabricated by mucostatic impression technique (subgroup MIT). Computed tomographic scans of the mandible were made at denture delivery and 1 year after prosthesis use to assess alveolar bone height and width difference at marked locations at and after denture delivery. The data obtained were analyzed with the Student t test (α=.05). RESULTS: Significantly less reduction in mandibular ridge height and width was found in the MIT versus the SIT subgroups in both osteopenic and osteoporotic participants (P<.05). No significant subgroup difference was found for normal bone mineral density group, although resorption increased in height and width for the SIT subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Mandibular residual ridge resorption was reduced for dentures fabricated using the mucostatic impression technique compared with the selective pressure impression technique in individuals with diminished bone density.

Nonimplant, Nonadhesive Overlay Approach to Retain a Partial Auricular Prosthesis.

Partial auricular prosthesis fabrication presents a more complex challenge than complete ear fabrication, with added aspects of merging/camouflaging a larger prosthetic marginal area, pattern try-in, and compromised retention. Better alternatives are excision of the remnant ear to make an implant-retained complete ear prosthesis or surgical reconstruction of the missing ear portion. Both need additional surgery/ies and expenses, neither of which may be acceptable to the patient. This report describes a prosthesis fabrication approach for such patients. This approach does not require implants or adhesives for retention. Issues of marginal camouflage and pattern trial were also addressed satisfactorily.

Multidisciplinary Approach for Management of a Patient with Oral Mucosal Malignant Melanoma.

Oral mucosal melanoma is rare and more aggressive than cutaneous melanoma. Hard palate and maxillary alveolar crest are most commonly involved. Multidisciplinary team approach is necessary for successful management of this tumor. The main treatment modality is surgical resection, which usually results in impaired mastication, deglutition, speech, oral competence and significant cosmetic deformity. Here, a rare case of oral mucosal melanoma of mandibular gingiva in a 44-year man is reported, who was treated by en-block mandibular resection followed by adjuvant therapy with high dose interferons (IFN) - 2b. Following two weeks of healing period, prosthetic rehabilitation of the patient was done with an interim removable denture prosthesis, which effectively limited the unfavourable effects of surgery and helped him in resocialisation.

Interventions for treating oro-antral communications and fistulae due to dental procedures.

BACKGROUND: An oro-antral communication is an unnatural opening between the oral cavity and maxillary sinus. When it fails to close spontaneously, it remains patent and is epithelialized to develop into an oro-antral fistula. Various surgical and non-surgical techniques have been used for treating the condition. Surgical procedures include flaps, grafts and other techniques like re-implantation of third molars. Non-surgical techniques include allogenic materials and xenografts. This is an update of a review first published in May 2016. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of various interventions for the treatment of oro-antral communications and fistulae due to dental procedures. SEARCH METHODS: Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 23 May 2018), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library, 2018, Issue 4), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 23 May 2018), and Embase Ovid (1980 to 23 May 2018). The US National Institutes of Health Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov) and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched for ongoing trials. No restrictions were placed on the language or date of publication when searching the electronic databases. We also searched the reference lists of included and excluded trials for any randomised controlled trials (RCTs). SELECTION CRITERIA: We included RCTs evaluating any intervention for treating oro-antral communications or oro-antral fistulae due to dental procedures. We excluded quasi-RCTs and cross-over trials. We excluded studies on participants who had oro-antral communications, fistulae or both related to Caldwell-Luc procedure or surgical excision of tumours. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected trials. Two review authors assessed trial risk of bias and extracted data independently. We estimated risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous data, with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We assessed the overall quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: We included only one study in this review, which compared two surgical interventions: pedicled buccal fat pad flap and buccal flap for the treatment of oro-antral communications. The study involved 20 participants. The risk of bias was unclear. The relevant outcome reported in this trial was successful (complete) closure of oro-antral communication.The quality of the evidence for the primary outcome was very low. The study did not find evidence of a difference between interventions for the successful (complete) closure of an oro-antral communication (RR 1.00, 95% Cl 0.83 to 1.20) one month after the surgery. All oro-antral communications in both groups were successfully closed so there were no adverse effects due to treatment failure.We did not find trials evaluating any other intervention for treating oro-antral communications or fistulae due to dental procedures. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found very low quality evidence from a single small study that compared pedicled buccal fat pad and buccal flap. The evidence was insufficient to judge whether there is a difference in the effectiveness of these interventions as all oro-antral communications in the study were successfully closed by one month after surgery. Large, well-conducted RCTs investigating different interventions for the treatment of oro-antral communications and fistulae caused by dental procedures are needed to inform clinical practice.

Interventions for treating post-extraction bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Post-extraction bleeding (PEB) is a recognised, frequently encountered complication in dental practice, which is defined as bleeding that continues beyond 8 to 12 hours after dental extraction. The incidence of post-extraction bleeding varies from 0% to 26%. If post-extraction bleeding is not managed, complications can range from soft tissue haematomas to severe blood loss. Local causes of bleeding include soft tissue and bone bleeding. Systemic causes include platelet problems, coagulation disorders or excessive fibrinolysis, and inherited or acquired problems (medication induced). There is a wide array of techniques suggested for the treatment of post-extraction bleeding, which include interventions aimed at both local and systemic causes. This is an update of a review published in June 2016. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of interventions for treating different types of post-extraction bleeding. SEARCH METHODS: Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 24 January 2018), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library, 2017, Issue 12), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 24 January 2018), Embase Ovid (1 May 2015 to 24 January 2018) and CINAHL EBSCO (1937 to 24 January 2018). The US National Institutes of Health Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov) and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched for ongoing trials. We searched the reference lists of relevant systematic reviews. SELECTION CRITERIA: We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated any intervention for treating PEB, with male or female participants of any age, regardless of type of teeth (anterior or posterior, mandibular or maxillary). Trials could compare one type of intervention with another, with placebo, or with no treatment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three pairs of review authors independently screened search records. We obtained full papers for potentially relevant trials. If data had been extracted, we would have followed the methods described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions for the statistical analysis. MAIN RESULTS: We did not find any randomised controlled trial suitable for inclusion in this review. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We were unable to identify any reports of randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effects of different interventions for the treatment of post-extraction bleeding. In view of the lack of reliable evidence on this topic, clinicians must use their clinical experience to determine the most appropriate means of treating this condition, depending on patient-related factors. There is a need for well designed and appropriately conducted clinical trials on this topic, which conform to the CONSORT statement (www.consort-statement.org/).

Rehabilitation of a Complex Oro-Facial Defect by Modified Prosthetic Approach.

Loss of part of the face is associated with physical disability, social isolation and immense psychological trauma. Proper rehabilitation of such a patient is a challenging yet satisfying task for a maxillofacial prosthodontist. Facial prostheses are commonly fabricated of silicone because of many favorable properties, though it predisposes to fungal growth.This report is of a patient with history of uncontrolled diabetes and associated invasive fungal infection, leading to a complex oro-facial defect, which was rehabilitated successfully with a silicone facial prosthesis lined by a material more resistant to fungal growth along with a cast partial obturator. Other design and procedural modifications were also made to suit the needs of the case. Wise selection of materials, keeping in mind the properties of materials, is important in successful rehabilitation.

Comparison of the effectiveness of Tokuyama and GC II metal primer on the bond strength of acrylic resins to Ti-6Al-7Nb.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Because of the toxicity of vanadium in Ti-6Al-4V alloy, next generation of titanium alloys is proposed to focus on niobium-containing alloy, but for clinical applications, it is crucial for this alloy to bond with acrylic resins with or without the use of primers. However, literature was lacking about the effect of primers on bonding of autopolymerizing resins to Ti-6Al-7Nb. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of different metal primers on the shear bond strength of acrylic resin to Ti-6Al-7Nb. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 dis-shaped wax patterns (10 mm in diameter and 2 mm thickness) were prepared and casted using Ti-6Al-7Nb. After casting, the disk surfaces were finished with abrasive paper under water. Specimens were equally divided into three groups on the basis of the use of primer: metal primer (GC II metal primer) (Group 1), Universal Tokuyama primer (Group 2), no primer (Group 3). Tape of 50 µm thickness was applied on each of the specimens. Then, self-cure acrylic resin was mixed and applied on the center part of the tape, on which Bernouilles tube was placed. The tensile bond strength was measured with a universal testing machine. The data were obtained for all the specimens and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17.0 at a statistically significance level of <0.05. RESULTS: Mean tensile force was maximum for Group 2 (28.58 ± 39.40 N) and minimum for control Group 3 (6.24 ± 10.97 N), thereby showing a significant inter-group difference (P < 0.001). On applying post hoc test (Tukey HSD), both the Group 1 and Group 2 showed a statistically significant difference as compared to control Group 3; however, the difference between two experimental groups was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Tokuyama primer and GC II metal primer had a significant effect on improving the bond strength between autopolymerizing denture base resin and Ti-6Al-7Nb.

Cerrobend shielding stents for buccal carcinoma patients.

Buccal carcinoma is one of the most common oral malignant neoplasms, especially in the South Asian region. Radiotherapy, which plays a significant role in the treatment of this carcinoma, has severe adverse effects. Different types of prosthesis may be constructed to protect healthy tissues from the adverse effects of treatment and concentrate radiation in the region of the tumor mass. However, the technique for fabrication of shielding stent with Lipowitz's alloy (cerrobend/Wood's alloy) has not been well documented. This article describes detailed technique for fabrication of such a stent for unilateral buccal carcinoma patients to spare the unaffected oral cavity from potential harmful effects associated with radiotherapy.

Interventions for treating post-extraction bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Post-extraction bleeding (PEB) is a recognised, frequently encountered complication in dental practice, which is defined as bleeding that continues beyond 8 to 12 hours after dental extraction. The incidence of post-extraction bleeding varies from 0% to 26%. If post-extraction bleeding is not managed, complications can range from soft tissue haematomas to severe blood loss. Local causes of bleeding include soft tissue and bone bleeding. Systemic causes include platelet problems, coagulation disorders or excessive fibrinolysis, and inherited or acquired problems (medication induced). There is a wide array of techniques suggested for the treatment of post-extraction bleeding, which include interventions aimed at both local and systemic causes. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of interventions for treating different types of post-extraction bleeding. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following electronic databases: The Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register (to 22 March 2016); The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The Cochrane Library 2016, Issue 2); MEDLINE via OVID (1946 to 22 March 2016); CINAHL via EBSCO (1937 to 22 March 2016). Due to the ongoing Cochrane project to search EMBASE and add retrieved clinical trials to CENTRAL, we searched only the last 11 months of EMBASE via OVID (1 May 2015 to 22 March 2016). We placed no further restrictions on the language or date of publication. We searched the US National Institutes of Health Trials Register (http://clinicaltrials.gov), and the WHO Clinical Trials Registry Platform for ongoing trials (http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/default.aspx). We also checked the reference lists of excluded trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated any intervention for treating PEB, with male or female participants of any age, regardless of type of teeth (anterior or posterior, mandibular or maxillary). Trials could compare one type of intervention with another, with placebo, or with no treatment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three pairs of review authors independently screened search records. We obtained full papers for potentially relevant trials. If data had been extracted, we would have followed the methods described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions for the statistical analysis. MAIN RESULTS: We did not find any randomised controlled trial suitable for inclusion in this review. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We were unable to identify any reports of randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effects of different interventions for the treatment of post-extraction bleeding. In view of the lack of reliable evidence on this topic, clinicians must use their clinical experience to determine the most appropriate means of treating this condition, depending on patient-related factors. There is a need for well designed and appropriately conducted clinical trials on this topic, which conform to the CONSORT statement (www.consort-statement.org/).